Leader: Painting a picture of war horrors

They fought nearly 100 years ago in the war to end all wars.

But an amazing discovery has vividly brought the poignant words and experiences of those World War One soldiers back to life.

An autograph book which belonged to an auxiliary nurse in Shifnal, who cared for recuperating soldiers, has come into the possession of the town's local history group.

• See pictures of the scrapbook from the trenches

And in it are messages of thanks, funny cartoons and words that gave a glimpse of the real horrors they faced.

One of the most touching is from a soldier wounded at Passchendale in 1917.

He quotes from Shakespeare's play As You Like It, 'all the world is a stage', adding and 'one man, in his time, plays many parts and THIS is the hardest part I have ever played'. The autographs were gathered by Adeline Louise Wadlow, known affectionately as Lina, who is thought to have been born in Shifnal around 1885. She volunteered as an auxiliary nurse at Hildern House, in Shrewsbury Road, in Shifnal.

The book came into the possession of the former Shifnal Archive Group and it now belongs to the Shifnal Local History Group and currently forms part of the group's exhibition at the old Fire Station in Shrewsbury Road.

At the end of 1916 Mrs Amy Gough had leased Hildern House for junior boarders at her private school.

But before the move took place the building was commandeered to become a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.

The hospital opened on March 26, 1917, with 15 beds and was set up Mrs Reid Walker, of Ruckley Grange, supported by public donations.

Local Shifnal and Albrighton doctors cared for the patients with a nursing sister. The rest of the staff, like Lina, were volunteers.

At the time Lina was living with her parents at The Wyke, Shifnal.

She is listed in the 1901 Census as being aged 16 living there along with her brother Percy.

Jenny Johnson, spokeswoman for the Local Shifnal History Group, said: "We acquired her autograph book which is full of poems, cartoon sketches and comments from the soldiers saying how grateful they are for the care they had there.

"Lina never married. In those days there was a lot of unmarried women.

"A whole generation of young men were lost.

"She did not work after the war, and her family must have been fairly well off. She stayed at home, as did so many young women in those days, looking after her parents."

She lived at Wingfield, in Park Lane, Shifnal, with her brother, who held a managerial position at the local Edges Chain Works.

In later life Lina had a paid companion, Miss Baker, and she died aged 98. It is believed she has one living relative, a niece, who is now in her 90s and lives in Kidderminster.

Mrs Johnson added: "She ended her days in a nursing home, at Bradney House, in Worfield. I've been trying to find out if she was buried in Shifnal but so far I haven't found anyone who remembers her funeral.

She was quite an autocratic lady and had a lot of treasures in her house. A former neighbour of hers described her as a very nice lady."

Mrs Johnson added: "She sounds like the kind of lady who kept herself to herself and never spoke of the war."

After the war, in January 1919, Mrs Gough was finally able to move her boarders into Hildern House, which today is a family home.

Anyone wanting to see the autograph book can visit Shifnal Local History Group's exhibition which is open twice a week every Friday from 2pm until 4pm and on Saturdays from 10am until midday. Admission is free.