Soldier's WWI sketches found at bottom of wardrobe

Recently, a remarkable discovery was made when sketches created by a soldier during World War One were found at the bottom of a wardrobe. These sketches were drawn by 2nd Lieutenant Noel Whittles, who served in the Lancashire Fusiliers 19th Battalion. His artwork provides a vivid portrayal of life on the front lines of the Somme in France. One of the sketches captures a soldier lying on his stomach in a perilous area known as no-man's land, with his helmet and rifle resting on the ground while a shell flies overhead. Another sketch illustrates a busy road with various vehicles, including a horse and cart, several vans, and a woman riding a bicycle. These drawings offer a unique insight into the daily experiences of soldiers during the war. Additionally, 2nd Lt Whittles created a sketch of a soldier sitting in a trench, with shells whizzing above him, accompanied by a poem that adds depth to the scene. The sketches were discovered by David Burrows, the grandson of 2nd Lt Whittles, who found them in a carrier bag at his mother's flat in Didsbury after her passing. David revealed that his grandfather had never shared these drawings with anyone, stating, 'He just kept his drawings to himself. They have never been published. ' The sketches were found in a sealed shopping bag and were in excellent condition. 2nd Lt Whittles, originally from Altrincham, described the trenches as being infested with rats and filled with waist-deep mud, which he referred to as vile. In April 1918, he was shot in the arm and had to be evacuated to London for surgery. After his recovery, he continued to serve as an army officer, training young soldiers in Warwickshire before being stationed in the Rhine area of Germany until the autumn of 1919. After the war, he returned to Withington in South Manchester, where he became a civil servant and married Lillian. The couple had two children, Graham and Margaret, who is David Burrows' mother. Tragically, Graham Whittles lost his life while on patrol in Amfreville during World War Two in 1944. His father, heartbroken by the loss, passed away later that same year at the age of 54. 2nd Lt Noel Whittles was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during the war. A black and white photograph of him shows a serious-looking man in uniform with a neat moustache. Margaret, his daughter, preserved her father's sketches, and Mr. Burrows discovered them in 2014. He noted, 'Like many people of his generation, Noel enjoyed sketching, but he wasn’t a professional artist. ' Councillor Judith Lloyd, who serves as the Armed Forces Champion at Trafford Council, expressed her delight in collaborating with David to showcase these significant drawings to a broader audience. She remarked, 'It’s hard for us to imagine what Noel went through, and this is one way that his bravery and sacrifice lives on. ' The Remembrance exhibition featuring these sketches is currently being held at Waterside House and will continue until November 30.