Postcard of Edith Cavell Memorial in Brussels - 3

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c. 1918

Overview

A grayscale real photo postcard showing the Edith Cavell Memorial in Brussels. The monument was designed by Jacques Marin and was erected on the spot where Edith Cavell was executed.
There is a small rectangular photo of Edith Cavell in the top left corner of the card. The monument features the words ' A MISS EDITH CAVELL; HOMMAGE A ANGLETERRE; 22 NOVEMBRE 1918' (Homage to England, 22 November 1918).
There is a black strip at the bottom of the card with the words 'MEMORIAL ERECTED IN BRUSSELS TO MISS EDITH CAVELL KILLED BY THE GERMANS 12 AUGUST 1915'.

Historical information

Edith Cavell served as a nurse with the Red Cross in Belgium before and during World War I. On August 5, 1915 she was arrested by the Germans on the charge of assisting allied troops to escape to Holland. After being held for nine weeks, Edith confessed and was brought to trial. She was sentenced to death by firing squad, along with her accomplice Philippe Baucq, and was executed on 12 October 1915.
Her story is detailed in an attached link to the Imperial War Museum.

This is one of four postcards purchased together relating to Edith Cavell and others who were executed by the Germans during World War One. Two show her decorated grave in Brussels, another shows the cemetery where 41 martyrs including Edith Cavell were buried and this one is of a temporary monument erected in Brussels to commemorate Edith Cavell.

There two other postcards in the collection featuring the Edith Cavell Memorial in Brussels, but all are slightly different.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00909

Item type

Collectibles

Ephemera

Postcards

Souvenirs

Themes

Social History

War and Conflict