Photos of the WWI cemetery in Zrebice (Poland)

Memorial Plaques were issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all the British and Empire Service personnel who were killed as a result of the war. The plaques were made of bronze, and hence popularly known as the Death Penny or ‘Dead Man’s Penny’, because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin. 1,355,000 plaques were issued which used a total of 450 tons of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war. || Private William Melia from Bury, Lancashire served in the 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. He died of wounds on the 16th July, 1916, Flanders, France. At the time of enrolling, William was a butchers assistant who lived with his parents James and Martha at 58, Fleet Street, Bury. It seems strange that William served with the Worcestershire Regiment, however, army units like the Worcestershire’s moved around the country to train, they came to Holcombe and they probably tried to recruit men from the local area whilst here. William is buried at Estaples Military Cemetery.

The name of the artist who created the image on the front of this postcard – ‘Donald McGill’ – can be read to the left of the stile on which a girl is depicted standing, her head in her hands. A cottage can be seen in the background, with an upper window lit up by a light inside. The caption below reads, ‘We’re keeping a light in the window for you.’, with the French equivalent appearing below, ‘Ta chamber et ton aimée t’attendent.’, meaning, ‘Your room and your loved one are waiting for you.’. The printed text on the reverse states, ‘Inter-Art Co., Florence House, Barnes, London, S.W. / “COMIQUE” Series. No.1377. /British Manufacture Throughout.’. There are two postmarks. A circular one indicates that it was stamped by an ‘ARMY POST OFFICE’, plus ’19 SP’, the date in the centre being ’18 No 17’. The second states ‘PASSED BY CENSOR NO 1575’. Written in ink is another date: ‘Nov 17th’, along with ‘On Active Service’ and a partly obscured name – ‘Miss L A?man’ – and an address: ‘6 Minniedale / Surbiton Hill / Surrey’. There is a message written in pencil: ‘My Dear Lucy / I received your kind letter today. I was pleased to hear you & Mother are quite well and also Peter and Smut ?. I should very much like to come and hear you at the concert but I am afraid I shan’t be so lucky as I was for your birthday. I am quite well. With fondest love from XXXXXXX Daddy XX’. || A British sentimental postcard