German & Austro-Hungarian Official Field Postcards

Great War postcards are strange creatures.  They allow us the most personal of insights into the men and women who wrote them, and yet at the same time they represent one of the largest military administrative operations ever seen, considering the millions & millions of letters and cards sent to and from soldiers on active service across the different armies throughout four years of war.  We’ve seen the standard British & French cards before (link at the end) but this post we shall take a look at some official Central Powers field postcards – ‘feldpostkarten’ – from my collection which I show you not for any great aesthetic reason, nor for their written content, particularly as I guess none of us can read them, but rather to show what information one can glean from them if you have an idea of what you are looking for, language difficulties notwithstanding.  It might be more interesting than you think.  Continue reading

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A Subaltern’s Lot

So, young man, you think you have what it takes to be a subaltern in the King’s Army? Continue reading

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French Flanders: Richebourg Part Two – Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery

Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery was begun in January 1915, and when it closed in February 1917, only around one hundred & fifty men had been buried here.  Continue reading

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French Flanders: Richebourg Part One – Richebourg War Memorial

Four months ago now, we completed our tour of the cemeteries and memorials around Neuve Chapelle.  Continue reading

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Wytschaete War Memorial, the London Scottish Memorial & the First Battle of Messines (1914)

Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery, Wytschaete church and the Messines Ridge.  Continue reading

Posted in Belgian War Memorials, Messines | 11 Comments

Christmas 2023 – Bonne Santé

A Christmas card for Christmas day.  Journée du Poilu – literally, Poilu’s Day.  The poilu on the left on this postcard is living up to his name, poilu meaning ‘hairy’.  Continue reading

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Ypres – Divisional Cemetery

It has to be said that, over these many years now, and twenty five Flanders trips, or however many it is, I have generally been very lucky with the weather.  Continue reading

Posted in Vlamertinge, Ypres (Ieper) | 6 Comments