Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War 'There’s a Long, Long Trail (2)' Coloured Postcard sent to Charles MOHR

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Bamforth & Co Ltd, Publishers, Holmfirth, London and New York

c. 1917

Overview

A coloured postcard with images and lines of the chorus of a song in black ink below the images. In the mid ground is a landscape showing hills and tracks with a lone soldier gazing into the distance. He is wearing Army uniform and carries a knapsack, water bottle and a rifle with a fixed bayonet. Above this image the same soldier is featured with his head bent down and one arm around a young woman who is leaning into him while he is holding her hand. They are in an open field with bushes and trees in the distance, along with a track and a white setting moon. A pale heart shape encompasses the pair.
On the back of the postcard are details of the publisher in light gold print. A banner at the top encloses the words ‘Post’ and ‘Card’ with the Bamforth & Co logo separating the words. To the right of this is an ornate space in light gold print for a postage stamp (not used). There is a message for Mr. Charles Mohr from M L written in black ink.

Historical information

Post cards became popular in the First World War as a means of communication between those serving and their families and loved ones at home. They were cheap to buy: a half penny or a penny each with a half penny for postage in Britain and one penny for overseas postage. Soldiers paid half a penny wherever they were. Mail was collected in the field by the battalions and taken across the Channel to Britain for posting. This postcard was printed in England.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2023.14.18

Item type

Postcards

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Card

Ink

Width

38 mm

Height or length

140 mm

Weight

4 g

Inscriptions and markings

Front: “THERE’S A LONG, LONG TRAIL (2). / There’s a long, long trail a-winding into the land of my dreams, / Where the nightingales are singing and a white moon beams; / There’s a long, long night of waiting, until my dreams all come true, / Till the day when I’ll be going down that long, long trail with you.” with Rear: “To Mr Charles Mohr / for a Merry Xmas / Dec 25, 1917 / M L” written in black ink. Left-hand side across the width of the rear of the postcard: "BAMFORTH & CO., LTD PUBLISHERS HOLMFIRTH (ENGLAND) AND NEW YORK / SONG SERIES NO. 4924/2 PRINTED IN ENGLAND. "

Contextual information

“There’s a long, long trail” is the opening line of the chorus of one of the First World War’s most popular songs. Consisting of two (2) verses, each followed by the chorus, the lyrics were written by Stoddard King after hearing the music of Zo Elliott, both of whom were studying at Yale University at the time. Elliott then attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and while there was able to find a publisher for the song. Claude Yearsley of West Ltd (London) published it in 1914, with half the initial publication cost being paid by Elliott’s mother. It became popular quickly with the British and Empire forces and when the United States joined the war it was used as a recruiting tool.

Keywords

Postcard

First World War

Place made

United Kingdom

Year

c. 1917

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria