The Daily Postcard No. 47

Wounded soldiers featured frequently on Great War postcards. 

This early German example was posted in March 1915,…

…and this one in May the same year (reverse below).

The date on this French card tells us that this too is an early war example (again, reverse below).

Bamforth cards would often feature a wounded, or in these two examples, dying, hero,…

…and this Daily Mail card celebrates the work of the R.A.M.C..

Above & following: Post-war British examples campaigning for the National Institute for the Blind.  No punches pulled here.

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6 Responses to The Daily Postcard No. 47

  1. Nick Kilner says:

    What an absolutely fascinating group of cards! Amazing!
    Its interesting really, people often comment that the public had no idea of what was going on in France and Belgium, but clearly this wasn’t the case. I don’t suppose the ‘Blinded for you’ card sold too many copies. That I suspect is a little too harsh for most, especially given that he clearly isn’t going to make it through the next two minutes.
    You may already be aware, but the publishers associated with the ‘How can I bear to leave thee’ card, messrs J Curwen and sons, are still going and amazingly still have the same offices! I bet there aren’t too many companies that can say the same. I also had no idea that the blind were taught massage! just fascinating

    • Magicfingers says:

      The National Institute for the Blind cards are a post-war campaign. Whenever they were produced, whether they sold is an interesting point. They are pretty easy to find today, and most are unused, like mine, so evidence might suggest you are correct. And no, I didn’t know about Curwens. Amazing!

  2. Jon T says:

    All fascinating stuff – looking at the “grittier” postcards on this post judging from the tin hats the soldiers are wearing they were produced at the earliest 1916 ? Perhaps they reflect the change in the way the war was being viewed in stark contrast to the rather more “romantic” cards from earlier in the conflict.

    • Magicfingers says:

      The three National Institute for the Blind cards at the end are a post-war campaign, but you raise a point I have often wondered about. My collection is certainly first-half-of-the-war heavy, which may just be luck, or it may be that the cards that stood out to me, as a purchaser, tend to be the earlier cards, from which I wonder whether cards did indeed become less romantic and sentimental, and perhaps plainer, as the war progressed.

  3. Margaret Draycott says:

    Great set of cards. Incredible in those days that the blind were being taught so much yes fascinating being taught to massage, how clever after all all you need is the sensitivity of your fingers.
    The Daily Mail one again one of my favourites.
    I still find it hard to believe that these cards were actually sent, they wouldn’t do anything to calm the nerves of those at home.
    Fascinating info Nick about Curwens how some companies survive through all the ups and downs

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