First World War: Postcards from the Front

I am absolutely delighted to say that my new book Postcards from the Front: 1914-1919 has been released today is available from places such as Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smiths etc.

Postcards from the Front - Copy

Postcards from the Front – Click the picture to purchase your copy from Amazon

This has been two years of painstaking research and writing so that I could retell the stories of a handful of men and women, in their own words and pictures, through their postcards home to their loved ones.

There are many stories in my book, all derived from the postcard collections sent by men (and women) from all over Britain. My book includes the story of two VADs, Clara Woolnough and Gertrude Unwin, who nursed at Number 25 General Hospital in Hardelot (Pas des Calais), told through the eyes of Clara’s postcards (along with the hospital’s war diaries) during the Battles of the Somme.

Postcard sent home by Clara during the Battles of the Somme

Postcards sent home by Clara during the Battles of the Somme

I have also written about two brothers; Reg and Charles Pullen. Reg fought during the Battles of the Somme; and sent home postcards from places such as the Battle of Albert during his rest periods. He was seriously injured during the first day of the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres) and his heroic actions won him a Military Cross. His brother Charles, entered the Royal Flying Corp in 1917 and was shot down by the enemy during the Battle of Amiens in August 1918. Both brothers stories are told through their postcards home, along with accounts from various war diaries.

War Diaries - 1/5 Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

Entry from 1/5 Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment’s war diaries, sent against a backdrop of the Pullen brothers’ postcards

My book also contains extensive appendices on how to research your own First World War postcards from your family, and how to discover your ancestor’s war through their postcards home. For example, how to identify postmarks, censor marks, censor signatures, and how to use First World War postcards as historical documents to squeeze as much info as possible out of them.

Page from the extensive appendices on how to analyse a postcard from the First World War

Page from the extensive appendices on how to analyse a postcard from the First World War

Postcards from the Front: 1914-1919

Postcards from the Front: 1914-1919

My first review on Amazon has called my book:

“A beautiful book. Evocative and eloquent,
but ultimately still relevant.”

If you are interested in the First World War, then this book will be of interest to you. I hope you enjoy it!

You may also be interested in my three other books:-

Sudbury, Long Melford and Lavenham Through Time by Kate Cole

Click on the picture to purchase my book

Bishop's Stortford Through Time by Kate Cole

Click on the picture to purchase my book

Saffron Walden and Around Through Time by Kate Cole

Click on the picture to purchase my book

Comment (4)

  • Mark| 24th September 2017

    Please Cani have Kate Cole
    Contact number as my mums club would like her to come and speak
    The club is Concord club which meets at Rayleigh URC

  • Ian Fletcher| 8th December 2017

    I have recently read your book ‘Postcards from the Front’ an on searching through my small collection of WW1 postcards I find I have 23 cards relating to Clara Woolnough:
    13 cards from Darl(Clara) to Evie Cripps, June 1916(1), May to September 1917(10), April June 1918(2)
    to Miss Peggy Woolnough from Babs, June1916(1), May/ July 1917(2)
    to Mrs Woolnough from Babs, July 1916(1)
    to Clara from Dick(later killed in action), December 1915(2),February/March 1916(5)
    thought it may be of some interest

    • The Narrator| 8th December 2017

      How fantastic! Her postcards just keep turning up!

      Would you be so kind as to send me scans of the postcards – front and back? They are fascinating to read and often have new information about her war service that isn’t recorded elsewhere.

      My email address is thenarrator[at]essexvoicespast.com

      Thank you so much. Kate

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