A pair of small rectangular trinket boxes of varnished wood, each painted on the lid with a scene of a ship at sea. One depicts a large war ship at sunset and the other a sailing barge.

In early October 1914 the First Royal Naval Brigade had been deployed to help the Belgians fight German troops attacking Antwerp. During their retreat through Belgium their route was cut off. On 11 October 1,500 men of the Brigade arrived in Groningen in the Netherlands, having crossed the border to avoid being taken as prisoners of war by the Germans; in the neutral Netherlands they were interned, as dictated by international law. Whilst in the camp the internees took part in organised activities such as woodworking. The objects were sold to the public and could even be made to order.