The garage of our grandfather was a treasure trove of lost memories and secret artefacts that my brother and I went on an adventure to find. The garage was a reminder of the past; it was full of old tools, dusty shelves, and strange jars. As we looked around the room, the sunshine coming in through the dirty windows gave it a warm glow that let us see what secrets were hidden inside.
We were going through stacks of old newspapers and worn-out containers when we came across a strange metal item that caught our attention. The round shell was covered in dust and rust, and it had faint marks etched into it. The tip was sharp and pointy. We didn’t know what it was, but the way it was built and how heavy it was made us think it was important.
After carefully wiping off the dirt, we saw that the shell had a date etched into it: 1915. We became interested in this treasure and realised it wasn’t like the others we had seen. After taking pictures and doing some study, we learnt that we had found a British 13-pounder gun from 1915 that was no longer firing. It was a relic of the First World War.
The gun, which used to be an important part of the British Army’s field artillery, was no longer dangerous because it had been dearmed. Still, having it in our hands made us feel responsible and connected to a very important time in history. As our study went on, we learnt more about how the shell was made and what the marks on it meant.
Still, we didn’t know how this old thing got into our grandfather’s shed. Was it a war trophy, an old thing you bought, or something your family has had for generations? No one will ever know the whole story of its trip, but having it in our lives has made us value history more.
We cleaned and polished the shell very carefully, making sure that the surface and marks on it stayed the same. It was proudly put on a wooden shelf in the shed, where it now lives with other tools and old things, showing that things can tell stories.
Our finding made us realise that history isn’t just in books and libraries; it can be found in strange places, just waiting to be found. The shell always draws our attention when we go to the garage. It’s a link to the past and a reminder of how strong things can be and the stories they can hold.
