There is nothing on either the front or the back of this postcard to indicate the names of the family of three in the photograph, or whose photographic studio they visited in order to pose for their group portrait. The photograph is not of the best quality, and smudges have apparently obscured both the baby’s left eye and his or her mother’s right eye. The single stripe on the baby’s soldier–father’s sleeve signals his lance-corporal status. || A photograph of a British soldier's family.

A real photographic postcard || The studio scene printed on the front of this real photographic postcard shows a small girl dressed in white, with a big bow in her hair, perched on a stool next to her mother, who, by contrast, is dressed in black. Her wedding ring is visible on her left hand. Behind them is the girl’s soldier–father. His cap badge is that of the Royal Artillery, and he wears a bandolier and a light-coloured lanyard. The single stripe on his left sleeve denotes the rank of lance corporal. || || Photograph || A photograph of a British lance corporal and his family

Printed on the reverse of this real photographic postcard is the legend ‘From the Studio of Horace Dudley’. (Research shows that this photographer had a number of studios in the Midlands and elsewhere in England.) The family who visited this particular studio for their group portrait comprise a smartly dressed young boy and his sister (who is wearing a rosary around her neck), their mother, and their soldier–father. The single chevron, or stripe, on his left sleeve tells us that he is a lance corporal. || A real photographic postcard || || A photograph of a British lance corporal and his family || Photograph