Like many other soldiers fighting in the First World War, Private Leonard Bolton Kemp posed in uniform for a studio portrait. These images became reminders and sometimes, tragically, mementos for the families waiting for news back home.

 

Leonard was born in Redgrave and, following in the footsteps of his father, worked as a painter and glazier in Diss. He married in 1913 and enlisted a year later, soon after the outbreak of the First World War. He was 28, and there was a baby on the way. (Leonard had volunteered to serve: men of his age were not required to join up until 1916.)

 

Meanwhile seventeen year old Princess Mary, only daughter of George V, also had the conflict on her mind. The teenage princess was horrified by the plight of the thousands of servicemen fighting far from their homes. She wanted to make sure that "every sailor afloat" and "every soldier at the front" should be given a Christmas present, and wished to pay for this herself. This was impracticable, but instead she fronted a public fund to raise the money.

 

Soldiers like Leonard would have received an embossed brass box containing an ounce of pipe tobacco, 20 cigarettes, a pipe and a tinder lighter. There were different contents for non smokers and nurses serving at the Front, who received chocolate instead of tobacco.

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The gift box measured 12.5cm x 8cm x 2.5cm. The embossed lid depicts the head of Princess Mary in the centre, surrounded by a laurel wreath and with the monogram 'M' on either side. It included a photograph of the princess and a Christmas card with the words: "With best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Victorious New Year from Princess Mary and Friends at home."

 

Other embellishments include a sword and scabbard, and furled flags.  

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Leonard was allowed two weeks leave early in 1915 for the christening of his baby son, George. Although Leonard was injured and not discharged from a military hospital until 1919, he survived and continued to work as a painter and glazier in Diss until his death in 1930, aged 44.