The production quality of this black-and-white postcard isn’t of the best, but the two main elements are clear enough: a boy dressed as a British army officer beneath the slogan ‘Are we down-hearted? No!’. ‘Printed entirely in England’ is stated on the reverse. A postmark shows us that this postcard was franked ‘LONDON.W. / 4. –– ON / 17 MAY 16C’. A name and address have been handwritten in black ink: ‘Miss Barrow / Oakfield / Ersham Rd / Hailsham / Sussex’. There is a message, too: ‘Dear Liv. ? Many thanks for letter received this morning. Mother is coming up tomorrow Wednesday. Trust you are well do you like these cards. Much love Cath ? B’. || A British patriotic postcard || || A British patriotic postcard || Postcard

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 || A British sentimental postcard || Front

A British sentimental postcard. || The only information about this postcard’s manufacture is typeset on the reverse: ‘Printed in England. CPC Series 39?5’. A small girl and boy have been depicted on the front, by an unknown artist, watching their soldier–father kiss their mother goodbye. Behind them is a train carrying military passengers, and another soldier stands on the platform. The caption below reads, ‘God watch over you till we meet again.’. There is a handwritten name and address on the back – ‘Miss Vi Appleby / Thomas St / Retford in Nottinghamshire’ – as well as a pencilled message: ‘Come over should be pleased to see you from Neddie’. The postmark is unclear, but may include the place name Bawtry, which was in the West Riding of Yorkshire during the First World War and lies in the vicinity of Retford. || || Postcard || A British sentimental postcard