My Grandfather

This is a family heirloom of my Father's father John Mitchard. He is mostly known in Radstock as part of the Mitchard's Turf Accountant's or Bookies but this is from his First World War service. He started life as a carting boy in the coalmines like so many Radstock men and when war came he volunteered to join the Coldstream Guards. As trench warfare became the norm a call went out for miners to join the Royal Engineers as tunnellers. He switched then like many Norton Radstock Peasedown men did. This document is his certificate of proficiency in the use of a rebreather - a sort of aqualung used to rescue expired miners and tunnelers who had been overcome by Monoxide fumes. It's one of our only legacies but one that we're very proud of