A British sentimental postcard
The name of the artist who created the central image, of a child sitting at a desk, writing, can be seen below the chair: ‘L Hocknell’. A black-and-white photograph of soldiers marching appears above. The verse below reads, ‘I’m proud of Daddy, / Mummy is too, / So I am sending / Some kisses for you. / X X X X X X X X X.’. Printed details on the reverse include ‘Valentine’s Series’ and ‘Printed in Great Britain’. The postcard has been franked, and although the postmark is largely illegible, the place name may read ‘ANTR’ and the date may include ‘8’. It has been addressed in black ink to ‘1312 Pte Private A Davey / C. Squadron / North Irish Horse / 3rd Division / British Exped Expeditionary Force’. The message reads, ‘Dear Dad / Received your P.C. to-day sorry to hear you are gone up the line again Lilla is being a good girl but daddy is a queer long time coming. With fondest Love from Lilla & Mummy / xxxxxxxxxxX / Did you not get the baccy ? before you moved. I suppose not’. Based on these details, research has revealed that Allen Davey served first as a private in the North Irish Horse (regimental number 1312) and then in Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers) (regimental number 41250). The son of Mr and Mrs W J Davey of Dunloskin, Carrickfergus (in County Antrim, Northern Ireland), he married Sarah Elliott Patterson in 1912 and they lived in Carrickfergus. He enlisted in the British Army in Belfast in 1915 and was killed in action in Flanders on 19 April 1918 aged thirty. He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Postcard
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