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Postcard - World War I, Flowers of France, Edgar James McCarthy, 17 Jan 1917
Reg. No: ST 036590
- Summary:
- Souvenir postcard from France 17.1.1917. Card headed 'Flowers of France gathered for you' with an embroidered spray of flowers. Written message on back headed "France 17.1.17. Dear Ethel...' - probably Miss Ethel Simms - and signed 'Edgar' Edgar James Mccarthy.
Edgar McCarthy was a 19-year-old labourer from Rosedale, Gippsland, Victoria, when he enlisted on 4 February 1916. As he was under 21 years of age, his father Henry gave his consent. Edgar was placed in the 8th Batallion, 17th Reinforcements (no. 5422) on 19 January and embarked for England on 4 April on the HMAT Euripides. He was shipped to France on 30 December 1916 and joined his unit on 4 February 1917 and his battalion on the 7th - probably in preparation for moving to the front. He was wounded in action on 16 April, including a fractured back and a severe head injury ('SW Head' may refer to a shell wound, although another document in his file refers to a gunshot wound). Edgar died at 8:40pm on 22 April at the 13th General Hospital, Boulogne, France. He had survived as little as ten weeks at the font.
Eight years later records in the National Archives indicate that his mother was 'still a patient at the Kew Hospital for the Insane'. Alice's incarceration was not related to the death of her son - she had been admitted there in 1899, probably as a result of post-natal depression. It is not known to whom thisand other items relating to Edgar was given, although a note in the Museum's supplementary file says that the donation of his material was 'handed to me (possibly the donor) from his mother, Alice McCarthy, about 1950'. - Description:
- Off-white postcard with printed inscription and embroidered spray of flowers, red, white and blue, with dyed grasses, green, red and blue. Written message on back.
- Description Of Content:
- SOUVENIR POSTCARD FROM FRANCE 17.1.1917. CARD HEADED "FLOWERS OF FRANCE GATHERED FOR YOU EMBROIDERED SPRAY OF FLOWERS, RED, WHITE AND BLUE, WITH DYED GRASSES, GREEN, RED AND BLUE. WRITTEN MESSAGE ON BACK HEADED "FRANCE 17.1.17. DEAR ETHEL PROBABLY MISS E.
SIMMS, AND SIGNED "EDGAR" EDGAR JAMES MCCARTHY. - Acquisition Information:
- Donation & Subsequent Transfer from Returned Servicemen's League of Australia Limited (RSL) Victorian Branch, 1981
| Discipline: | Technology |
More information
| Tagged with: | wars conflicts, death mourning, postcards, world war i 1914-1918, military memorabilia, militaria australian |
| Themes this item is part of: | Arms Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection |
| Primary Classification: | MILITARY HISTORY |
| Secondary Classification: | Personal Effects |
| Tertiary Classification: | correspondence |
| Inscriptions: | Printed on front: 'Flowers of France/ gathered for you'. Hand-written inscription on reverse: 'France 17.1.17. Dear Ethel...' |
| Format: | Postcard: Colour |
| Author: | Private Edgar McCarthy - 8th Battalion, A.I.F., France, 17 Jan 1917 8th Battalion, A.I.F. |
| Organisation Named: | 8th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force (AIF) |
| References: | National Archives of Australia - Edgar James McCarthy, item barcode 1939171. |
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