A prayer book which saved a soldier’s life was among the artifacts to mark the centenary of World War One at a church exhibition.
St George’s Church, in Castle Way, Hanworth, placed a variety of memorabilia on display from Monday (21) to Saturday (26) last week.
Members of the parish were invited to come in and learn all about both the horrors and the honours of the 1914-18 conflict.
The small prayer book had been in the breast pocket of an army man and when he was shot the bullet apparently was stopped by the pages before it could reach his body.
Other items in the exhibition, some of which was assembled from items found in Ypes, Belgium, included a grenade, a belt of German machine gun bullets, and a child’s gasmask.
There were also mannequins dressed in traditional uniforms and various displays of information about military mapping techniques, trench building, aircraft and the RAF, and medical care.
On Saturday there was also a centenary concert held at 6pm featuring war-time songs, poems and a talk about the war.
Father Paul Williamson who helped put the exhibition together said: “It was very well received by the public and there were a lot of very interesting items to examine.
“Some of them were very moving, especially the prayer book, and I was glad to be able to give visitors some idea of just what went on 100 years ago.”
The church is also holding a special WW1 service this Sunday (3) at 6pm which the Mayor of Hounslow Cllr Corinna Smart and Feltham and Heston MP Seema Malhotra will both be attending.
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