ProvenanceCard was written by Wilfred Royal Speck, to his sister Ivy Maud Hoskins, nee Speck, of Pt Augusta. It is dated 22 May 1916.
Ivy married in 1915. Wilfred survived the war, after being wounded four times, gassed and shot. He was reprimanded for going AWOL several times. His military records are digitised on the National Archives of Australia website. The handwriting and style match perfectly, and one letter in the file is written from Ivy Hoskins house in Bacon St, Hindmarsh. His great-nephew Paul Hoskins, of Mooloolaba Qld has written two books on the family history.SignificanceAt a time when families lived with the dread of losing loved ones in the ‘Great War’ postcards were a lifeline.
This postcard is a personal, South Australian example of how family’s experienced the First World War. Ira Hoskins living in Port Augusta received a postcard from her brother who was based as a soldier in Europe.
“Greetings from the Trenches” is an example of cards which were sent by AIF troops back home to Australia to stay in contact with their family.DescriptionSilk card of the type sent by Australian Imperial Force (AIF) troops from Europe to Australia during the First World War.
Base card with embroidered cotton panel. Depicts sun, trees and flowers. Marked ‘Greetings from the trenches’. Obverse marked ‘In the Trenches May 22/5/16’ Addressed to ‘Mrs I Hoskins, Port Augusta, South Australia’.
Reverse of postcard with sun:
‘Dear Ivy,
Just a card to let you know that I am keeping well hoping that you are all the same. We have been haveing [sic] whether [sic] here lately but it is starting to rain again. We are over shelling [?] now but are going in again Wensday [sic] night. It is about three weeks since I got a letter from you. So I think I will close the [illegible] following. your loving brother’Creator (person)Creator (organisation)AcknowledgementKeywordsFirst World WarDate of Creation1914 - 1916Date of Usage1916MaterialCard
|cotton
|silk Accession NumberHT 1986.0426
