A rectangular varnished wooden trinket box, hand painted on the hinged lid with a scene of a port-bow view of an approaching coastal or torpedo boat at sea; the base of the box has four small brass feet. Lined in padded purple velvet. The lid of the box is painted with the inscription 'ROYAL / NAVAL / DIVISION / 1915' and the base is marked 'Made by A Southin, B Company, Benbow Battalion, Interned in Holland (Groeningen)'

This box was made by Charles 'Alec' Southin, a member of the British 1st Royal Naval Brigade, part of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, who were interned at Groningen, Holland after the siege of Antwerp in September 1914.

The 1st Royal Naval Brigade had been made up of Royal Navy Reserves in August 1914; after the fall of Antwerp the Germans cut off routes out of the area and the Brigade was forced to withdraw into the Netherlands where they were interned at Groningen Camp. Whilst in the Camp the interns were able to carry out crafts such as woodwork and many made trinket boxes decorated with ships or military insignia, which were then sold; it is likely that Alec Southin's box was one of these, although it appears unusual that it was signed by the creator.

Alec Southin was one of the few men who managed to escape from the camp. He did so with a friend, after eight months of internment, by dressing in civilian clothes, which had been smuggled to them, and hiding after their morning church service. They caught a train to Rotterdam; however they failed to change train at the correct station and travelled on to Amsterdam, where for a short time they were hidden by British residents. They later caught a train to Rotterdam and made their way onto an English ship by blackening their faces and masquerading as ship's stokers. Not quite out of danger yet, the ship had to change course to avoid German submarines, but eventually landed on the East Coast of England, where Southin made his way back to his parent's home in Enfield.

Once back in England Southin did not give up on his military career, he re-joined in the 21st London Regiment and fought in France in 1916 and Salonika, where he gained the Military Cross for bravery. Shortly after he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps where he became an instructor, serving in Egypt and Palestine. In January 1918 Southin returned to England as a flight instructor, but died in a flying incident in February that year; he was 23 years old.