Postcard album of a serving member of the Royal Army Medical Corps

Album, apparently compiled by a serving member of the Royal Army Medical Corps, containing postcards and pre-war photographs of northern French towns, including Aire-sur-la-Lys, Armentières, Bailleul, Béthune, Blendecques, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Estaires, Hazebrouck, Merville and St Omer. There are also later postcard views of war-damage sustained in various places in France and Belgium. With studio and group photographs of members of the Corps (presumably from the compiler's unit), and miscellaneous ephemera, ranging from saucy French postcards to loose menus for celebratory meals in the field and programmes for amateur dramatic entertainments.

1914-1920

1 volume 1 volume: approx. 370 x 200 mm. 34 ff, mostly with slits to house postcards. Dark green buckram covers with decorated panel on top cover and legend 'Album for Post Cards'. With several loose enclosures.

Purchased from The Chaucer Head Antiquarian Booksellers, Ludlow, March 2015.

The compiler of the album seems to have been a member of no. 7 Casualty Clearing Station, which was based at Merville (Nord) from December 1914 to April 1917. The names of the subjects of some of the portrait photographs (presumably fellow members of no. 7 CCS) are identified, including Sgt Alec Adams, Sgt Ronald Priestman (2 photos), Sgt Bernard Crossley (2 photos, one in civilian dress), Privates Evans and Macpherson together, Pte Avery (in civilian dress), Sgt Frederick Grayson (2 photos), Sgt Furness, Cpl Anthony Huit, Pte Gerald Warr, Sgt Arthur Shaw, Pte A. Sutton, and H. W. Hopkinson (the last three loose enclosed studio photographs). There is also a group photograph of the unit's officers. The album includes a printed Christmas card for 1915 from the unit's commanding officer, Lt Col. A.E.L. Wear, addressed by hand to a Sgt Robinson, which strongly suggests the identity of the compiler. A printed invitation to the unveiling of the war memorial at Ilkley Grammer School in July 1920, as well as one or two group photographs of members of the unit apparently taken prior to departure for France indicate a Yorkshire background. A Sgt Frederick Robinson (b.c. 1887) served in the RAMC until his death in February 1917. He was educated at Ilkley Grammar School. He volunteered for service on the outbreak of war and 'has since Nov.1914 been working in a casualty clearing station in France' (obituary in the Ilkley Gazette, 10 Feb. 1917).