Friday, March 7, 2014

Herts WW1 Post Cards at Sky High Prices

Military

A number of excellent post cards have appeared on ebay at pretty fantastic prices, but if you are interested you better take a quick look before they sell.

The 11th with bridge over the River Lea



Three show the 11th London Regiment (The Finsbury Rifles) and the posting date of June 1915 suggests they presumably relate to the reserve Battalion as the 1st Battalion went to France in March 1915. One show a bridge they built over the River Lea. 
The 11th marching from St Albans to Hemel Hempstead

One shows a route march to Essendon, and another leaving St Albans on a route march to Hemel Hempstead.


Four more cards (all unposted) relate to the 23rd London Regiment (East Surrey). Three relate to the troops arrival in Hatfield in 1915. The other is undated and shows the the troops marching to South Mimms with the title "The Return to Hatfield". This would suggest it was the reserve battalion returning to the place where the 1st Battalion trained - undoubtedly including some men (for instance older officers) who had not gone to France with the 1st Battalion, but had stayed behind to train the reserves.

The 23rd on "The Return to Hatfield"
All photographs were taken by E. Kentish of Hatfield (possibly Edward William Kentish, son of John Kentish, baker, of Hatfield).

2 comments:

  1. Just a comment on the postcard The 23rd at South Mimms on "The Return to Hatfield". They are surely already at Hatfield as the building with the ornate chimneys is the Salisbury Arms Temperance Hotel and the building in front is the Dray Horse public house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Corrected - The card actually says marching to South Mimms

      Delete

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