Almost a century after it was created, a piece of trench art made by a soldier during the First World War has finally been presented to his son.

Corporal Ernest Turtle, from the Royal Engineers, crafted a guard house from the case of a German shell while fighting in Northern France during the Great War.

The piece, decorated with bullet cases, a soldier’s badge and buttons, was later bought by Robert Elliott, from Ewell, and sat on his family mantelpiece for decades.

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When Mr Elliott died 10 years ago, his son Bob and daughter-in-law Ann found a piece of paper inside the artwork which identified Cpl Turtle as its creator.

Mrs Elliott said: "It was part of us. It was so lovely to give it back but it was in our family. It was that piece of paper. You could not ignore that. It had to be traced."

The couple contacted military museums without success before deciding to go to the Epsom and Ewell Local and Family History Centre based at Bourne Hall in Ewell this year.

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Bob and Ann Elliott at Bourne Hall in Ewell

Mrs Elliott said: "They were fantastic. Within two days they had traced the son who was alive, it was just wonderful."

The couple went to Southampton in May to give the trench art to Cpl Turtle’s son Ronald, who is in his 80s and knew very little about his father.

Mrs Elliott, who was almost in tears at the handover, said: "We took it down and he was so emotional. He could not believe it. He was overwhelmed."

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She added: "It was an emotional visit but a lovely feeling that at last it was back with the family."

Glenda Charman, from the history centre, has now also researched the life of Cpl Turtle and the couple will present the family history documents to Mr Turtle on Friday.

Mrs Elliott thanked the history centre for its work, adding: "It’s going to mean everything to him because he knew nothing about his father."  

The piece of paper found inside the trench art said: "France 1915-19. This souvenir was made by Corporal E. L. Turtle...with crude tools while on active service in France; in his leisure time; from a shell case which held a German shell 18in naval shell used in a bombardment of Aire in July 1918."

Cpl Turtle survived the war and went on to work as a steward on cruise ships.

It is not known where Robert Elliott bought the trench art.

Mrs Elliott said: "It would have appealed to him because he was a sheet metal worker in World War Two."