An Italian-manufactured card, despite the French writing, featuring a captured German Taube surrounded by French officers, the photo taken in Salonika, on the Macedonian Front.
The card was written on 18th April 1917, and, of course, the plane isn’t a Taube at all. Taube was frequently used as a generic term for any or all German aircraft (the original Etrich Taube – later manufactured by Rumpler – which first flew in 1910 was a monoplane which, when looked at in silhouette, had those swept-back, almost aliform wings, if you know what I mean. Look it up – you’ll probably recognise it.). This is actually an Albatross B II, an unarmed two-seater which, along with the slightly bigger B I, was the Imperial German Flying Corps’ main reconnaissance plane well into 1915.
Very interesting photo and Sir AC Doyle detective work on the plane – in the right background is a steam ship and on the left what appears to be a sailing ship. I also notice several different hats/caps – does anyone know what these each represent?
Do you know, I was happily writing away – and I’ve had this card a few years now – when I suddenly realised I was typing Taube without even thinking about it. So then I thought about it for two seconds and realised that it wasn’t any sort of Taube I knew of. I did have to do a quick book-check to find the plane’s true identity. The Albatross B I had, in car terms, a longer wheelbase, but otherwise was identical, I believe.
The only cap I can identify is the normal French officer’s red cap with gold braid; I wonder if the light blue caps are French Air Force?
Hello MagicFingers,
A photo older than 1917? From 1914 perhaps? Don’t think many Frenchmen were still wearing the kepi cloth cap after 1916… I read somewhere they manufactured 20 million steel helmets, the Adrian helmet… the horrific losses of French troops by 1917 would mean any Frenchman with half a brain would be wearing an Adrian helmet to protect his head.
Oh absolutely. If you go out and buy a new postcard tomorrow, and I don’t advise it, I bet, if you knew it, the photos on many would be several years, and more, old. So yes, photo from 1915, postcard sent in 1917.
The plot thickens along with the grey matter – I’m wondering, Daisy, whether the Kepi hats of 1917 have some connection with Thessaloniki and nearby French North Africa with the Adrian helmets being used far away on the Western Front.
I notice different colour caps and what appears to be a solitary flat (or peak) cap in the left background. In all, a rather interesting postcard including the ships. Much analysis could be expended with much fun in these current days of being made to stay at home. And I again thank Magicfingers for his initiative.
Again, photo taken in 1915, so no Adrians, but postcard used in 1917.