WWI postcard sent by Fred from Perham Down Camp

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c. 1915

Overview

Postcard sent by Fred from Perham Down Camp to his wife during World War One.
The front of the postcard features a lilac coloured cloud with six illustrations at the top and a poem below. The largest scene is of a soldier in uniform and peaked cap, wearing his bandolier and sitting on a wooden crate in a hut. He is looking upwards at the other scenes, all of which are decribed in the poem underneath. Each is a reminder of his home and family far away. At the bottom of the card is written in ink, 'Fred Perham Down'.
The reverse of the postcard has printed instructions about what to write where, and also has a box in the top left corner with 'Half-Penny Stamp' to show where a stamp would be affixed if the card were to be sent through the mail. Fred's message is written in pen on the left hand side and across the bottom.

Historical information

Perham Down is a village close to Tidworth on the edge of the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.
The camp was part of the Tedworth Estate purchased by the British Army in 1897. At the outbreak of World War One, Tent City was home to some of the new Kitchener Battalions of British soldiers and recruits who were concentrated on Salisbury Plain and under canvass until at least Dec 8 1914. Marquees blew away in winter gales from over their sleeping heads - hence the nickname, Perishing Downs. Things improved in 1915 when a hutted camp was built on the site for 5,000 men.
It was one of four Australian command depots in the United Kingdom dealing with soldiers who had been discharged from hospital and needed training before being sent back to France. Command Depot No.1, capable of accommodating 4,000 men was established at Perham Down in the summer of 1916, before moving to Sutton Veny in October 1917.
This postcard came with another Real Photo Post Card (RPPC) dated April 1918, which shows the Australian Rising Sun Badge cut into the chalk hills at Salisbury Plain.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00726

Item type

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Card

Ink

Width

90 mm

Height or length

140 mm

Inscriptions and markings

On front of card:

"MEMORIES OF HOME
Last night as I sat in our old camp hut,
Many scenes appeared to my view:
Thoughts of peaceful and happy days,
Brought visions of Home and YOU.
My pictures were framed in rings of smoke,
The first was a peaceful scene;
It showed me the place where we oftimes met,
'Twas like some pleasant dream.
I next had a glimpse of our Wedding, Dear,
The scene was "Merry and Bright";
Juts showed that all was happiness,
Then faded from my sight.
And then I saw a picture, wife,
That filled my heart with joy;
Baby fingers - baby curls,
'Twas bliss without alloy.
My next view seemed to be clouded o'er,
For our parting seemed so drear;
Till you showed me the poster on the wall,
"Your Country needs you," Dear.
But Cheero, my Dear, the best one came last,
For it told of my Safe Return;
To YOU and Dear Ones when victory crowns,
"The Day" for which we yearn."

"From Fred At Perham Down"

On reverse of card:

"With love to
dear Wife from
Fred.
My Pal and I
often sit in the Hut
of a night and think
of home. Our thoughts
are like the Poetry on
this card so I thought this card nice to send all."

Keywords

Place made

Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Year

c. 1915

Primary significance criteria

Social or spiritual significance