Souvenir Handkerchiefs (Material Memory)

Year: 1940s

Origin: Egypt

Donated By: Rosina Rashid

Joseph Pollitt brought these cherished handkerchiefs to Burnley as  souvenirs from World War II, where he was conscripted and stationed in the Middle East and Iraq. These heirlooms, tell the story of his wartime experiences, including his transition from a failed rifle training candidate to an Army driver. 

Joseph served nearly 5 years with the RASC East Lancashire Regiment, and his convoy’s distressing encounter with the Luftwaffe in Egypt, where he was saved by soldiers thought to be the Royal Indian Army Service Corps, was a vivid memory. After the war, he returned to  the Burnley Express newspaper as a driver, after being taught to drive for his role in the military.