Autograph Book - Three Graces for Grace

Grace Biffen's autograph book had this drawing of The Three Graces, Faith Hope and Charity. 

The signature is quite hard to read, but it appears to say W. E. Kempton, or perhaps Kampton, 

3rd Brigade Machine Gun Corps, 1st Division, Canadians

Autograph Book - Ern Etienne, Canadian Engineers

"Recipe for kisses"

http://www.gfucrescent.com/a-recipe-for-kisses/

Autograph Book - Private R. Smith, 29th Canadians

Watercolour by Private R. Smith of the 29th Canadians.

Autograph Book - Chas Randall, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards

This rather sad little poem was written by Chas Randall, 3rd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards.

Once I had a little dog

It tried to stop a Ford

The motor car ran o'er its neck,

And now it's with the Lord.

Autograph Book - To Grace from Bob, 20th Manchesters

To Grace with best wishes from Bob, 20th Manchesters, Taplow, 8th August 1917.

Grace was Halford Biffen's youngest sister, nine years his junior, and my great aunt. She would have been about 17 years old when visiting Halford in the hospital at Taplow and would surely have been very popular with the other patients.

Grace Marjory Biffen at the wheel of a houseboat in Canvey Island in the early 1920s

Autograph Book - Chris Paul, Royal Scots

We have an autograph book which was signed by patients at Taplow in 1917. This scan is an entry by Chris Paul of the Royal Scots, dated 17th January 1917.

Before this pig was slaughtered

He really was a dasher

But now he's hanging in a shop

Could anything be RASHER

Life saved by smoking!

My grandfather had a very lucky escape when a metal cigarette case deflected a bullet destined for his heart, into his arm. The cigarette case is still a treasured family heirloom.

A similar story was printed on a postcard produced by G.A. Wiles, a Hove photographer. 

"This testament saved the life of Pte. W. Hacket 1st Wor Regt at Armentieres. Aug 20 1915 - now in 2nd Gen Eastern Hospital Dyke Rd Brighton. Bullet passing through outer cover and all the leaves and stopped at the last page."

Halford Biffen c1922

Halford John Biffen, photographed in the early 1920s with his first son Tony. His left arm is still bandaged.

Cliveden Hospital, Taplow, 1917

Halford John Biffen (right) at Cliveden Hospital, Taplow in 1917

Ward H1 at Taplow, c.1917

This photograph, c.1917, shows ward H.1 at Taplow.

Halford Biffen, Canadian hospital, Taplow 1917

My grandfather, Halford John Biffen (born in Tottenham, London), was injured in the First World War and ended up at the Canadian Hospital at Taplow in 1917. He is the one circled in this photograph. His life was saved by a metal cigarette case in his breast pocket. The bullet bounced off it into his arm. I would love to know who some of the other soldiers are in the photograph because we have an autograph book from the time which at least some of the men in this photograph may have signed. It would be nice for other genealogists to see photographs of their ancestors at this time.