MORE than 250 people visited a museum which is usually only open by appointment as part of a national heritage event last week – with the team able to solve a mystery surrounding a special wooden box.

Visitors to Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum saw artefacts relating to the regiment’s experiences during The Boer War in South Africa; the First World War in Gallipoli, the Middle East and the Western Front; the Second World War in England, Ireland and Europe; and their peace time service in the county.

The museum team were also able to look at a wooden box – sculpted with the regimental title, with a reference to the Isle of Man and the words 'Knockaloe' – which had baffled the owners for some time.

It transpired that in 1915, the army had recruited ex-soldiers (who were unfit/too old for front line duties) to act as Prisoner of War camp guards.

The Herefordshire Regiment recruited a supplementary company to undertake these duties and that company was sent to the Isle of Man to undertake guard duties at the internment camp known as Camp Knockaloe.

Whilst at this time 100 years ago the Battle of Passchendaele was raging on the Western Front, the 1st Battalion was preparing for the third Battle of Gaza, which would take place in November 1917 against the Turks in Palestine.

Many soldiers of the regiment had also been transferred to other units to take part in the Battle of Passchendaele forming reinforcement drafts to make good for losses due to battle casualties.

The Courtyard is currently reviewing their costume holdings, with a view to making more of them available for hire and they asked the museum’s curator, Colonel Andy Taylor, to take a look at the military items they hold.

For more information visit Herefordshirelightinfantrymusem.com