I've just come across this thread. Reminded me of when my best friend passed away.

My dad.

I remember as a kid he had a tin full of little photos of when he was in REME in Egypt in 1946.

We couldn't find it for years. Asked him numerous times and he had no idea where it was.

So we're there clearing out his things. I find the tin.

That's when I burst into tears.

Mementos can be the most significant things in life.