A letter describing the mood of the Gordon Highlanders as they left for war is among the items on show at an intimate, one-off exhibition.
Lieutenant Colonel John Stansfeld collected an array of items as he led the 2nd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders through some of their toughest days of fighting in World War I.
Now his family have put the private collection on show for the first time at Dunninald Castle, by Montrose for the duration of July.
Three German helmets plucked from enemy trenches – some torn with bullet holes – form the centrepiece of the collection along with a French helmet, taken from a dressing station at Lile, a tobacco pipe and a box of matches ripped by gunfire are also on show.
Intimate letters from Lt Col Stansfeld to his family in the north-east also reveal the realities of his posting, and the faith he had in his regiment, as well as a poignant letter dated October 4, 1914 to his aunt.
He wrote: “We are off tonight. We shall all soon meet again. The regiment is more silent than I have ever known them. And determined. They are a fine lot and I have great confidence in them.”
Lt Col Stansfeld died from shrapnel wounds inflicted during the Battle of Loos in 1915.
Yesterday his grandson, also John Stansfield, said the family had decided to put the collection on public display to remember the sacrifices made during the war.
The 79-year-old said: “We have all made a pledge to remember them. It would be just awful if we forgot.”
The collection, which will be on show until July 27, includes several photographs taken by Lt Col Stansfeld from the trenches, including images documenting the famous 1914 Christmas Day truce.
Mr Stansfeld added: “He was a very big man and a very good soldier.
“He was well remembered in the Gordon Highlanders.
“He had a habit of before a battle of getting up out of the trench and walking along the parapet.
“Of course the Germans would start shooting at him, but I think he was showing people that if you kept moving, you would be safe.”