Historian unearths camera that German soldier took from the body of a dead British soldier during World War One that is still in working order
- The Model A Kodak Pocket Camera found was given to a military historian
- Robin Schaefer is appealing to relatives of Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town
- Do you know the family of Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town? If so, contact kate.mcgreavy@mailonline.co.uk
A historian has unearthed a camera that a German soldier took from the body of a dead British solider during World War One that is still in working order.
The Model A Kodak Pocket Camera found was given to military historian Robin Schaefer by German veteran Ernst Behnke’s relatives.
Mr Schaefer used it as a teaching aid for talks and lectures to mark the centenary of the First World War.
A historian has unearthed a camera that a German soldier took from the body of a dead British solider during World War One that is still in working order
Now the 100th anniversary of the end of the war is over he wants to return the historic device to the family of its original owner.
So he is appealing for relatives of tragic Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town to come forward and claim it.
Ernst survived the war and the camera, which bears L/Cpl Town’s name, was handed down through his family.
L/Cpl Town was killed on September 20, 1917, and his body was never recovered, although Ernst may have come across it which would explain how he acquired the camera.
Mr Schaefer, who is also the historical editor at Iron Cross Magazine, said: ‘Ernst returned home after the war but his family today don’t really know anything about him or the camera and they were not particularly interested neither, which is why they gave me his war memorabilia in 2013.
‘I think Ernst served in the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 213, a reserve infantry regiment in the German army, which was in Flanders at the right time at Corporal Town was killed.
The Model A Kodak Pocket Camera found by Ernst Behnke (circled) was given to military historian Robin Schaefer by the German veteran’s relatives
‘He must have acquired this camera somehow. The camera is a Model A Kodak Vest Pocket or Model A VPK – and they were produced between 1910 and 1912.
‘It is quite rare today and it is a physical link to all the soldiers, from all warring sides, who still lie out there in the fields of Belgium and France.
‘The camera was and is a powerful tool to connect children with the past. As such it as done a wonderful and valuable job over the last few years.
‘It still works like charm, and we have actually used it several times. Now that the centenary is over I wondered if we could try to reunite the camera with the family of the previous owner, in case they do care about it as much as we did in the past.’
Do you know the family of Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town? If so, contact kate.mcgreavy@mailonline.co.uk