EXPLAINED: Why I wear a poppy badge crafted from a shell recovered from a World War I battlefield.
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As I wear my red poppy for Remembrance in reflection of those who have died in conflict, alongside it is a tiny pin badge.
Crafted from donated metal from shell fuses recovered from the Somme battlefields in Northern France, the central red enamel is mixed with finely-ground earth from the area where one million were either wounded or killed during five months in 1916, making it one of the deadliest battles in history.
This tiny piece of metal, which is tremendously symbolic and of huge personal significance, prompts me to pause and reflect on a great uncle I never knew, to wonder about another stranger who gave his life in World War I and to recall my late husband from whom it was a final surprise gift following his death.
An ornamental item which is strikingly beautiful in its simplicity, it was originally part of a deadly device designed to kill en masse.
As the fighting still raged in the Somme in 1918, my great uncle Robert Watts, of 5th Border Regiment, became another of the war dead, aged 20.
I treasure the fragile pencil-written letter he wrote two months before he died to his brother Bill - my grandfather - who was recuperating in England having been injured while serving with the Machine Gun Corps.
Dated January 19 1918, Robert writes from near the frontline: "The weather is very cold out here. I have come out of the trenches once again safe and sound. We had a bit of a hot time."
He writes about the sounds of machine guns, rationing and asks Bill to put in a good word with their father as he is "skint".
"Well Bill I don't know what the rations are like in Blighty but out here it is b---dy awful. A loaf for eight sorry days...
"If you can get hold of any spare bread, send us some will you."
It is poignant and heartbreaking. He inquires about family members and apologises for the state of his writing.
He writes: "Well Bill there is a great rumour going about that it will end this next month. I hope to God it does."
Two months later, the war did end for Robert with his death although initially he was reported missing in action during fierce fighting near Pozieres.
A yellowing clipping from the Hull Daily Mail reveals his desperate grandmother appealed in her local newspaper for anyone receiving news to contact her.
In May 1918, she received a letter from A. MacCallum, from his regiment, who was unable to give her any news but hopes she may have heard something.
"I have been enquiring amongst some of the fellows and they tell me the last time they saw him was on the 25th or 26th March."
In a PS, he adds: "I know your grandson well who was a splendid young fellow."
He has no known resting place but his name features on the imposing Pozieres Memorial of the Missing where panel after panel contain the names of more than 14,000 casualties of the UK and 300 of the South African Forces who died on the Somme from March 21 to August 7 1918 and have no known grave.
Motivated by the centenary of World War I and curious to know more, I embarked on an ongoing quest to find out more about this little-known relative and in 2016, heard about the Royal British Legion project to produce a limited edition badge to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
I was keen to obtain one but promptly forgot about it due to family circumstances.
The following year, a week after the unexpected death of my husband in February 2017, my daughter gave me a presentation box containing one of the badges.
Although he had spent more than six months fighting for his own life in hospital, my husband had managed to acquire one intending to surprise me around the anniversary of my great uncle's death.
He himself had served with the Army after leaving school, including a tour of duty in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
Each of the special Somme badges commemorates a named soldier.
Mine is that of Private A Jackson, of the Machine Gun Corps, who died on October 16 1916, aged 24.
He was the son of Arthur and Annie Elizabeth Jackson, of Ashton-on-Mersey, Cheshire.
As I wear my badge this year amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, I reflect it is more important than ever not just remember – but for all of us to work for peace.
