War Memorials – WW1 Postcards

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During the Great War, the Daily Mail produced a number of sets of postcards each showing an Official War Photograph. (We believe there were 22 sets each with 8 images. The total number of postcards is therefore 176 but some images were used twice, once in colour and once in monochrome.) All the images had been cleared by the censor and the cards were part of the official British propoganda effort so it is possible that some of the photographs had been posed.

Recently we had access to a few of these postcards and thought you would like to see them and one or two other wartime postcards.

Series 1 No. 1 A wounded “Tommy” being carried to camp by four German Prisoners, suddenly sees the photographer and shouts to him, “Hullo! I’m not a German”	________________Image.courtesy.of.Brian.Bouchard________________
Series 1 No. 2 Our gallant Highlanders, who love to charge the enemy to the skirl of the pipes, are fond of playing their national music in a lighter mood as seen in the picture.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 1 No. 3 This impressive picture shows a Church of England Service on the battlefield for troops going into the trenches, the Chaplain officiating from a small field alter.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 1 No. 4 This heavy gun on the British Western front, seen in action, is a unit in the tremendous siege which we are making ‘not on a place, but on the German Army’.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 1 No. 5 Heavy rains have often made the British front a quagmire, and our “Tommies” have had to put their shoulders to the wheels of ambulance and other wagons.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 1 No. 6 “I hope the time is soon coming when at the head of my men I shall die fighting.” So says our grand old man of India, Lieutenant-General Sir Pertab Singh.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 1 No. 7 An Army Chaplain is arranging a border of stones around a “Tommy’s” grave in a little field cemetery sacred to many of our fallen heros.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 1 No. 8 The first desire of German prisoners brought into camp is to quench their thirst, and the picture shows how they rush to the water tanks.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 2 No. 10 “These are the King’s soldiers and our comrades who have fought and suffered. The best we can give them is their due.” Such is the feeling of the devoted Red Cross service.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 2 No. 11 Before battle, in battle, and after battle our “Tommies” are ready for a “fag.” These men are lighting up after a scrap.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 2 No. 12 This picture vividly shows trench life as it is lived by our “Tommies.” It is a German trench at Ovillers which they made their own.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 2 No. 16 A gallant act of self-sacrifice is shown in the photograph, for the man who is carrying a wounded comrade on his back is actually under fire.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 3 No. 22 The “Gay Gordons” are marching from the trenches and they bring with them a burley German wounded soldier whose injured leg is in a rough splint.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 3 No. 23 Into this battlefield grave two dead British soldiers have been reverently placed, while the Padre reads the solemn words of the Burial Service.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 3 No. 24 A brave British soldier is seen bringing in a wounded comrade under heavy fire by crawling with him across the danger zone.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 4 No. 29 Our “Tommies” soon make themselves at home in German dug-outs when they have driven out their tenants with shell, bomb and bayonet.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 9 No. 68 Tourists who knew Ypres and its Rue de Lille in the days of peace can best appreciate the awfulness of its fate in the war.	Image courtesy of Glenda Charman
Series X No. 73 The possession of a German helmet delights “Tommy,” and such trophies have become very common in the Big Push. Several are worn by these smiling troops.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series X No. 76 The Worcester Regiment, whose colours bear the names of Marlborough’s and Wellington’s victories was singled out for special mention in the Battle of Ypres by Lord (then Sir John) French.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series X No. 78 A way-side group of gallant Indian cavalrymen, some of whom greatly enjoyed their share in the charge through the cornfields at High Wood on July 14th, 1916, with the Dragoon Guards.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series X No. 80 These are the men who shortly after midnight of Sunday, July 23rd, 1916, took Pozièrs by a splendidly dashing advance through shrapnel, shell and machine-gun fire.	Image courtesy of Brian Bouchard
Series 13 No. 99 Writing letters from the battlefield for soldiers is one of the British Army Chaplains unofficial tasks. A padre writing for a man who is disabled.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 13 No. 103 A view of a captured German dug-out near the village of La Boiselle. The wreckage of our bombardment see beyond the trench	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 20 No. 135 A happy incident during the King’s visit. New Zealanders line up along the road-side to cheer King George as he passes.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Series 20 No. 157 A party of New Zealanders who have been at work consolidating a trench and are now enjoying a rest with bread and jam.	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Not a Daily Mail Postcard but A New Zealand War Records Official Photographic Postcard Meal time in front line trenches	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Not a Daily Mail Postcard but a patriotic one “18 and 80” Youth and Age in a British Shell-filling factory	Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Not a Daily Mail Postcard but one with a Local Connection I am thinking of you at EPSOM	Image courtesy of thebignote.com