Today I remember my maternal grandfather, Chandos Hoskyns who was commissioned into The Rifle Brigade [Greenjackets] in 1914. During The Great War, he fought in Thessaloniki, Greece, and in the trenches of France from where he sent the following letter in which he tells his family about something surprising and unusual.
Top: ‘A nap in the dug-out bunks. Contalmaison. 1916’ Bottom: 'The Battle of Flanders. A stretcher bearer party coming through the mud near Boesinghe. Pilsen. 01/08/17’
At the end of December 2016 I visited the Highlanders’ Museum (Queen’s Own Highlanders Collection) at Fort George, Inverness, for the first time as their inaugural Artist in Residence.
During the course of the next 6 months I will be focusing upon a section of their archive that contains original letters, diaries, eye-witness accounts and photographs originating from World War One.
My work will concentrate upon what life was like for Highland soldiers in the trenches.
