I am the great niece of Ernest Coleman whose photo appeared in the Epsom Guardian.

My grandmother, Jessie Walker nee Coleman, gave her brother the pocket diary mentioned in the article as a Christmas present in 1915.

The diary was returned to England and has remained in safe-keeping. My grandmother passed it to my mother from whom I inherited it on her death in 2011.

I have used it as the theme for Remembrance assemblies at Itchen Sixth Form College in Southampton, where I teach.

I will be doing so again this November. Ernest's experiences have also been used in History lessons in local secondary schools and I know the children of some of my relatives have used the transcription of the diary prepared by my parents as the basis for school projects.

I have the portrait of Ernest, painted from a photo, hanging on my wall alongside his citation of remembrance. I can assure you that he is not forgotten. No one who has read his diary can fail to be moved by the intelligence, passion and humour in those words, written in such terrible circumstances.

My parents were married in St Barnabas Church in October 1947.

I would like to think that Ernest's name was on display on the Roll of Honour at that time as Mum always thought of him as a favourite uncle whom she never knew.

I am sad to hear from my godmother, who still lives in Temple Road, that there has been such a fuss about this.

I do hope the scrolls can be returned to their rightful place, especially with this year's WW1 centenary commemorations.

Mrs Hilary Wilson; via email

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