Today's Object of the Week is a silver match case which saved the life of a First World War soldier when it stopped a bullet.
Stories of soldiers' lives being saved by bullets striking notebooks, Bibles, watches, or other objects carried in their uniforms, are commonplace in war films or television series.
While these stories may seem fanciful, they did actually happen in real life - and more often than you might realise.
Indeed, the Green Howards Museum, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, has several such items in their collection.
One of these is a silver lucifer box, or match case, which almost certainly saved the life of Hugh Levin.
Born in York, on January 16, 1886, Hugh was the son of Major H L M Levin, of the 19th Foot regiment - later The Green Howards.
Commissioned as Second Lieutenant on January 28, 1905, he was promoted to Lieutenant on October 3, 1906.
He became a Captain prior to the outbreak of the First World War on April 23, 1913.
During the conflict, he went to Belgium with the 2nd Battalion and was severely wounded at Gheluvelt, on October 29, 1914.
It was while lying with his leg broken that his life was saved when the silver lucifer box he carried in his breast pocket stopped a shrapnel bullet.
For the remainder of the war, Hugh was employed on the staff at home. He retired in March 1921, but was recalled in September 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War. He was awarded the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Colonel and an OBE for his service.
His lucky escape lucifer box is now in the Green Howard museum’s collection, alongside several other 'lucky' lifesaving objects.
- Meet the Bishop Auckland 'grafter' who paints about things that bother him
- How did this County Durham town become an unlikely centre for swordmaking?
- Why this lost historic house built by infamous Bishop Auckland man was never lived in
Other examples in the collection include:
- Service and pay book belonging to Private John Newill, torn by a bullet 1942-1945
- Record of service book which was worn in the top pocket of Second Lieutenant Harvey Jackson's tunic. It deflected a bullet down his left arm away from his chest and saved his life on February 8, 1945
- Leather wallet containing a piece of shrapnel - it passed through Arthur Huggin's coat but was stopped by the wallet before it could seriously injure him.
- Tin containing matches with large bullet hole, it saved Private James Smith's life during The First World War.
- Brandy flask struck by a bullet saving Captain Matthew Liddon in South Africa, in about 1900.
For more information on the Green Howards Museum and its collections, visit: greenhowards.org.uk/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here