Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War Postcard ‘British Mine Exploding at Beaumont Hamel’ sent from Pte. Edward Charles MOUCHEMORE, 6351

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Pte E.C. MOUCHEMORE

c. 1917

Overview

Coloured photographic postcard of a typical battlefield with sandbags in the foreground and lots of smoke over the horizon. There is a handwritten letter on the back plus black printed postcard markings and brief description of photograph.

Historical information

Part of an extensive collection of postcards received by Vera VERGE from her sweetheart Private Edward Charles MOUCHEMORE 6351 who served with the 28th Battalion during the First World War. They met in Albany while attending the same school. Edward was killed in action at Bullecourt, France on 3 October 1918 at the age of 22. The collection was kept by Vera throughout her life and donated to the Princess Royal Fortress by a family member in 2019.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2019.16.53

Item type

Postcards

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Card

Width

138 mm

Height or length

88 mm

Weight

5 g

Inscriptions and markings

On front “ ’Daily Mail’ / WAR PICTURES / 13. BRITISH MINE EXPLODING AT BEAUMONT HAMEL / OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH. CROWN COPYRIGHT RESERVED” with “POSTCARD / DAILY MAIL WAR PICTURES / The preparation and explosion of immense / mines have been a feature of this war of high / explosives. The great smoke cloud pictured / is from a British mine” on back. Handwritten on back “From England and / all so that souvenir / from Petticoat lain / I had a letter from Ben / last Week he is Well / he is having a Pretty / rough time. They have / to make up there roads / as they go along. The / night he wrote he said / he could hardly hear / yourself talk for / the sound of the / guns. How is mum / [sic] any Give her / my love also / little Bob and the / girls. I Will say Good / Bye now Love you / must excuse this short / note as news is scarce / at Present. Well Good / Bye dear Will Write threw / the Week I am your ever / true Ted xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx”.

Contextual information

This postcard is one of many to be produced by the British War Propaganda Bureau during the First World War. The ‘Daily Mail’ and ‘The Times’ produced several series of them using Official War photographs.

Keywords

Albany

Postcard

Ted Mouchemore

First World War

Place made

United Kingdom

Year

c. 1917

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance