The back and front of J. Boyd’s military-issue spoon

Recently I received a surprise note from Geoff Sidlow, who lives in the U.K.

Geoff wrote, “I have come across a spoon on a car boot sale. The spoon has a number on it, 845371 RA.

“I have found the name J Boyd Gnr [in “The Alphabetical List—British Soldiers A–B“], but nothing else.

“All I can find out is that he was in camp 59 in Italy. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction to find any other details. I am really interested in these guys.”

I wrote back to explain I don’t have additional information on J. Boyd.

My late friend Brian Sims provided me with a number of P.G. 59 POWs’ repatriation reports, but unfortunately J. Boyd’s is not among them.

The inside and back of the spoon’s bowl show considerable wear and deformity, as if it had been used as a tool of sorts.

Did this spoon accompany British Gunner J. Boyd in combat, capture, and camp internment, finally to return home to England?

If you have further background about J. Boyd, I would very much like to hear from you. Please email hill@iu.edu.

J. Boyd’s service number and “RA” for Royal Artillery stamped onto the front of the spoon