First World War mementos displayed at Atholl Country Life Museum
ByRichard Burdge
With the centenary of the start of the First World War being commemorated across the country, a Perthshire museum has a number of exhibits linked to the conflict on display.
Among the exhibits at the Atholl Country Life Museum is a First World War British Red Cross VAD (Volunteers Aid Detachment) nurses uniform, worn by the mother of Blair Atholl resident Babs Shanto.
The VAD nurses were not hospital trained but carried out important work in the field and hospitals, freeing up trained nurses for specialist duties.
The uniform is part of a museum display of mementos from 1914-18 that includes embroidered cards, a Princess Mary 1914 Christmas gift box and a bronze medallion known as the Dead Man’s Penny.
Due to the popularity of last year’s display marking 150 years since the railway arrived in Blair Atholl, it has been retained for the remainder of this year.
The museum is now open for the season every afternoon from 1.30 to 5pm. During weekdays in July and August, it will be open 11am to 5pm.
First World War mementos displayed at Atholl Country Life Museum