Old photos of Royal Engineers stun historians

The pictures document a 50-year history of the Cannock-based 213th Royal Engineers from their origins at Norton Hall in Norton Canes to the early years at their current drill hall, built in 1932, at Bridgtown.

Most poignant are images from the First World War, showing local soldiers in France, and at training camps before the conflict started.

The album was compiled by a Captain Lakeland, who lived at Heath Hayes and became a member of the Old Comrades Association, formed after the Second World War by the surviving Royal Engineers from the area.

He handed it to fellow member and former regular soldier Bob Leighton, of Tudor Road, Hednesford, for safe keeping after he left Cannock for Wales to join the Royal Monmouth Royal Engineers Militia. That was 20 years ago and Bob has kept it in pristine condition in his wardrobe ever since.

Now the Bridgtown and District Local History Society want to preserve the album for future generations by placing it in their archives. Bob, now 80, says: "When Captain Lakeland gave it to me, he said 'hold on to this.' If the branch ever folded, I was going to send it to the Royal Engineers Museum at Chatham.

"But the members of the history society are fascinated by it." The album also contains newspaper cuttings, memorial cards and even a telegram from the Queen at Balmoral wishing the Territorials well.

The history of the 213th goes back to 1908 when the 2nd North Midland Field Company was established at Norton Hall, which was long ago destroyed by mining subsidence. Immediately before the First World War, it became known as the 213th Field CompanyLater, the unit went to Egypt for a month before returning to France for the duration of the war.

In the years preceding the Second World War it was regarded as one of the best within the 46th North Midland Division and known affectionately in the town as 'Cannock's private army.'

The history society's secretary Derrick Middleton said: "We were bowled over when we saw the book. It's a wonderful record."

He said in the short-term they would be using it in their talks and newsletters.