Looking at the BBC online news an item about the bodies of two Scots soldiers found during the building of Loos Hospital.

Uniform items determined the two regiment these two lads came from.

However with the remains were also buttons from Newcastle Corporation Tramways.

The MOD people were able to find that one of the soldiers fathers had worked for the Corporation Tramways and thus they were able to find living relatives, two brothers.

I attach the photo of two brothers from Whitley Bay who have in their possession a handed down Black Box that contains photos etc some WW1. Etc.

I was surprised to see the Black Box. It’s identical to the box that I have that came down from my grandfather or maybe Great Grandfather with one exception my box is varnished wood. Mine contains the same kind of photos and documents

Just looking at the photo you could replace one of the brothers with me and change the colour of the box to wood coloured one.

It’s appears that those type of boxes were in use around WW1 or earlier. Could they be a standard issue to soldiers in the early 1900’s.

My Grandfather was a Sapper 1904 to 1908 so maybe that’s how he had one.

This just adds another layer to my Family History information.

Allan C.