The Repair Shop never fails to leave its guests speechless with its emotional restorations, and Wednesday night's episode left one particular guest utterly astonished.
Peter Moss and his son, Alex, visited the tent to ask bookbinder Chris and The Repair Shop regular Will Kirk to help restore a "very precious" publication named Raggle Taggle.
"This is a book created in a prisoner-of-war camp, where my father, Jock Moss, was a captive held by the Japanese Imperial army," explained Peter.
© Ricochet StaffJock, who had been part of the Indian Army in Kuala Lumpur, was held at the prisoner-of-war camp for three and a half years during the Second World War. He was sent to one of 14 camps in Taiwan, where he was used as slave labour for the war effort.
Enduring "atrocious" conditions, Jock served as the editor of the magazine, where stories, puzzles and anecdotes were penned by 800 prisoners as an antidote to the "misery and despair" they endured.
"It was terribly important to him, and there to us," Peter added.
The restoration
Raggle Taggle was made from mosquito netting, brown paper and rice glue, and Chris was tasked with conserving it for future generations. He first dismantled the book before being able to rebuild it.
After re-entering the workshop, Peter couldn't wait to see the finished project, admitting he was "intrigued" and "fascinated" to get his hands on the restored version.
"Golly. Wow!" he said with emotion. "That is astonishing. Absolutely miraculous."
© Ricochet StaffThumbing through the book, he said: "It doesn't fall to bits. Thank you so much. Just beyond words."
Still holding the new book, Peter said he was "in wonder" at being reunited with Raggle Taggle. "To hold it in my hand in a condition now which must be as near as could possibly ever be to how it was 82 years ago. And to be able to see it for the first time intact is wondrous."
Viewers react to the restoration
Viewers took to Instagram to share their reactions to the emotional restoration, with one person writing: "Incredible written history documenting that time. You are so fortunate to have that from your dad."
© Ricochet StaffMeanwhile, another said: "Incredible! So beautiful is the strength of survival!" while a third penned: "What a beautiful thing from a terrible history."
