A British sentimental and patriotic postcard || Three cute children, one dressed as a British soldier and the others carrying Union flags, are portrayed on the front on this postcard, entitled ‘The Recruits.’. Postmarked ‘CHELTENHAM in Gloucestershire / 9.30 PM / MAR 10 17’, the postcard has been addressed in black ink to ‘Master L. Evans / 14. Lulworth Rd / Birkdale / Southport now in Greater Manchester’. The message reads as follows: ‘March 10th / Dear Laurie / I am sending this P.C. because I thought you would like to have a P.C all to your self sic. It as sic been snowing like anything here. With love from Marie.’. The printed text on the back states: ‘This card is printed in England.’ and ‘A. ? DAVIS & Co. / Quality cards / London’. || || A British patriotic postcard || Postcard || Front

Typed memoirs of a British soldier || My father, John Stafford, served at the Battle of the Somme. My mother convinced him to write a memoir of his experiences as he was obviously suffering, mentally, with memories of his wounding. This memoir has been typed for safekeeping. The subject of the memoir is the Battle of the Somme, specifically an attack on the fringes of Trones Wood 6-8 August 1916 (crossing No Mans Land across what was known as Death Valley). Stafford describes the kit he carries, including 2 large cans of water for his section. He describes their attempts to dig-in while waiting a day or more in No Man's Land. Stafford has a terrible premonition of his wounding, and of his survival. However, when he is shot through both legs and crawls into a shell hole for safety he is stranded for 2 days, less than 20 yards from the Germans who he can clearly hear. He is saved finally by a reconnaisance patrol of British soliders from the unit which replaced the Liverpools after the attack. He describes their rescue attempts and their bravery, as well as the death of another soldier in the same shell hole. Finally he goes on to describe his treatment - including the chilling label pinned to his chest - Maggots! Private John Andrew Stafford, from Liverpool, served in the 5th Liverpool Regiment. His regiment number was 3083 (then 200947). His Medal Award card (online) shows he was eligible for the Victory medal and the British medal (reference H/2/102 B35 p4971), as well as the 1915 Star (reference H/2/7B p1598), and that he went overseas to France on 21 February 1915. Later he moved to Preston. He was awarded the MBE (Member of the British Empire) for services during the Second World War. || || John Andrew Stafford || Memoir || Preston || 53.763201,-2.7030899999999747

A British sentimental postcard || The faintly inscribed initials of the artist who drew the scene on the front of this postcard – ‘M S W’ – have been inscribed beneath its title, ‘The Absent One.’, which has been printed in the bottom right-hand corner. Above, a small girl is shown standing on a chair beside her mother, kissing a photograph of her soldier–father on the mantelpiece. On the back, the printed details inform us that the postcard was produced by ‘C. W. Faulkner & Co. Ltd., London, E.C.’, along with ‘British Production (Copyright). / Series 1525 E’. There is a name and address written in black ink, as well as a message to ‘Miss K. Carr / Waterstock Rectory / Wheatley S. O. / Oxon.’. The message reads, ‘I hope to have a letter from you in the morning. There is now only one post. We have had no rain since I came. Daddie said it was snowing at Keswick. Mother’. The postmark is incomplete, but the postcard may have been posted on 24 September 1916. || || Postcard || A British sentimental postcard