A unique photographic record highlighting historical connections to a tragic drowning more than a century ago is set to be auctioned off.

The tragedy saw three Sea Scouts, their two Scout Masters and a naval instructor drown when their boat capsized on the river Waveney at Somerleyton.

The Carlton Colville Sea Scouts from the 1st Carlton (St Marks) troop were returning from a week’s camping on the Duke’s Head hills and were rowing back to Oulton Broad on June 1, 1914 when their boat capsized.

They were scoutmaster Thornton Lory, a Lowestoft solicitor, James Lewington, 34, an ex-naval instructor, assistant scoutmaster Sydney Scarle, 18, and scouts Reginald Middleton, 14, Arthur Beare, 14, and Sydney Thrower, 16.

Another Sea Scout, 17-year-old Stanley Wood, was the only survivor.

He managed to get clear and saved himself by swimming ashore, but is understood to have died two years later at the Battle of the Somme during the First World War.

Now a unique memento is set to go under the hammer in Norfolk later next week.

A set of postcards relating to the incident, including views of the funeral procession, boats, and the individuals involved, is to be auctioned at Keys Auctioneers and Valuers in Aylsham on Wednesday, March 23.

The photos were taken by H Jenkins, a photographer based at 2 Pier Terrace, Lowestoft.

The funeral procession attracted large crowds, who joined more than 300 Scouts lining the route to St Marks Church as the cortege passed by in six horse-drawn hearses.

Today a memorial stands in the cemetery in Carlton Colville, commemorating the three boys and the three adults who died, as well as sole survivor Stanley Wood, who was killed in July 1916.

David Broom, of Keys Auctioneers and Valuers, said: “This is a unique collection of images which bring to life a tragedy which is still very much remembered in Carlton Colville.

“Photographic cards – what we would today call postcards – were a very popular way of bringing to life incidents like this, in an era before social media.

“There are 18 cards relating to the tragedy in the collection, along with 17 other postcards, mainly of Lowestoft.

"This is a fascinating piece of local history.”

The postcards will go under the hammer at Keys’ Aylsham salerooms, as well as live online at bid.keysauctions.co.uk with a pre-sale estimate of £80 to £100.

Visit www.keysauctions.co.uk