‘A Prayer for my dear Daddy’ is the title of the poem printed above the kneeling child pictured on this postcard. It reads, ‘Daddy darling I am thinking, / Of dear Father far away, / And that you are free from danger, / Night and Morn for you I pray. / Though from all of us you’re parted, / Still I pray where ’er you be, / That God will keep you from all danger, / And bring you safely back to me.’ The only potentially identifying information regarding its publisher printed on the back of this postcard is, ‘(117) Entirely British Manufacture’. || A British postcard. || || Postcard || A British postcard.

A British sentimental postcard. || ‘“ FORGET-ME-NOT ”’ is printed in the top left-hand corner of this pale-lilac-coloured postcard, which bears a pencilled scribble in the centre, while ‘“ LONGING FOR YOU. ”’ appears in the bottom right-hand corner. A line of music, at the centre of which has been depicted a cherub and lyre, is the only decorative element. Five verses below, headed ‘To my Dear Little “ Chicks. ” / A Soldier’s Verse Letter to his children.’, read as follows. ‘My dear little Chicks I’m thinking of YOU, / And dear Mother throughout the long day ; / And wonder at times how you’re getting on, / While your Daddy’s so far away. // Now, be good children, and don’t worry Mummy, / Then when I come home again on “ leave; ” / My “ Kit Bag ” I’ll fill with Toys and Good Things, / Like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. // Now, tell dear Mummy, I’d like to have, / A photo of you all––as you are ; / Just to cheer me up while “ doing my bit.” / Though the distance between us is far. // I dreamt last night I was home again, / With you and Mother so dear ; / But at early dawn the Buglers blew / “ Reveille ” in tones loud and clear. // FORGET-ME-NOT, my thoughts are of YOU, / While marching or from drill set free ; / My loving thoughts for ever turn, / To Home––and Dear Ones––far from me.’. ‘From ………….’ has been printed in the bottom left-hand corner, but the sender has not filled in his name. The postmark on the reverse tells us that it was posted in Bulford Wiltshire on 26 April 1915. The recipient’s name and address has been pencilled below that: “Mrs C Duke / Stone Cottage / Ashurst Wood / East Grinstead / Sussex’. The message reads, ‘Dear May / Just a line in hope it will find you all quite well as it leaves me to sic at present. What lovely weather we are having. Hope everything is going on all right at home do not be surprised ? me come in at any time, I am still working in the cookhouse don’t seem to have any more news so will close with love from Charles’. A search of FreeBMD reveals that Charles Duke married May I Drew in the June quarter of 1913 (Cuckfield 2b 329) – Cuckfield then being in Sussex, and now in West Sussex. Ancestry.co.uk indicates that they had two children: Eric C Duke, whose birth was registered in the July quarter of 1913 at East Grinstead (2b 239); and Winifred M Duke, whose birth was registered in the April quarter of 1915, again in East Grinstead (2b 209). These must have been the ‘Chicks’ whom he had in mind when sending this postcard, assuming that Winifred had been born before 26 April 1915. || || Postcard || A British sentimental postcard

A photograph of a sad-looking child, hands clasped in prayer, is inset within the spray of flowers and greenery that takes up half of this postcard. To the right is a heading: ‘To my Own Dear Daddy “on Service.”’ The verse below reads: ‘Dear Father, whilst you’re far from Home and country / And those you Love are all so far away / I’m always thinking of you Dearest Daddy, / And send my Love to you for every day ; / At night I ask Our Father up in Heaven / To keep you safe & bring you Home once more / Where you have such an eager welcome waiting / To greet you when you enter at the door ; / And so I send you many kisses Daddy / With lots of Love and wishes Fond and True / That you may know at Home in dear Old Blighty / Your little one is thinking still of you.’ ‘The name ‘Alleyn.’ appears to the right of the last line, with ‘BEAGLES POSTCARDS’ positioned below that; ‘659.D’ and ‘COPYRIGHT.’ have been printed on the opposite side. A message has been written in black ink in an adult hand on the reverse. It reads: ‘To my Darling Daddy. / From his Little Girlie.’ The same hand has also scrawled a date to the left of the message: ‘July 28th 1918’. The printed information on the back includes the following text: ‘PRINTED IN ENGLAND BY J. BEAGLES & CO. LTD., LONDON. E.C.’ (within the stamp box); ‘BEAGLES’ POST CARDS / BEST IN THE WORLD’ and ‘TRADE MARK’ surrounding a logo that comprises a globe with ‘Best’ emblazoned across it; and ‘J. Beagles & Co. Ltd., E.C., Printers & Publishers. / GUARANTEED REAL PHOTOGRAPH.’ || A British sentimental postcard.