Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Postcards/Mail from Salonika front


DCS

Recommended Posts

Here a few postcards and other mail items from the Salonika front I've put together; hopefully these will be of some interest.

Zeitenlik1_zpsdbe628d1.jpg

Color postcard depicting the British camp at Zeitenlik. There appear to be several editions of this card. This one was made in Italy by a firm called IPACT (about which I haven't been able to find further info), and is part of a numbered series (#119). On the reverse is a written message in French, from a soldier to his relatives; whether this card went through the mail is uncertain as there are no postmarks or censor stamps.

GreekChurch1_zpsc5f8f849.jpg

Another Italian-made color postcard (#131 in the IPACT series) depicting a "Greek Church" (otherwise unnamed). This one also bears a message in French (headed 24 August 1917), from a soldier to his wife in Auvers-sur-Oise. Like the first card, it is uncertain whether this was mailed.

France8B_zpsa03f8f32.jpg

One more from the IPACT series (#157), again in color and depicting houses in Salonika. Pictured is the reverse side, with a blue "Armee d'Orient Convois Automobiles Section T.M. (Transport de Materiel) 513" handstamp on the left and a second, badly faded, handstamp on the right. The card is inscribed "Souvenir d'Orient" by a soldier, and addressed to (presumably) his parents in Paris.

Will post more later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting!

The church in the 2nd pic is actually the Church of the Annunciation at Moudros on Lemnos, not in Salonika. This is a mistake made on several different PCs of the period!

Adrian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for pointing that out, Adrian. I guess that's why my search didn't turn up any churches like that in Salonika.

Here is the picture side of the third postcard:

France8A_zpsb1004808.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Monastir_zpsf4c13271.jpg

Map postcard showing Monastir (now called Bitola) and its environs; its text mentions Monastir's military importance as a railway center and road hub. Its final line reads "Towards the liberation of Serbia: The recovery of Monastir"

Salonika3_zpsfd48df07.jpg

This color postcard made in Italy (another from IPACT, #148 in the series) depicts "Salonika and Eastern Macedonia". The city is shown at center right; beyond it are the Aegean Sea ports of Kavala and Dedeagatch (now called Alexandroupoli, it is partially visible at the upper right corner of the card). To the city's left are the Allied encampment and the Vardar River, coming down from distant Serbia (upper left corner). Mountain ranges, including the Rhodopes and the Pirin, dominate the background.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greece2_zps47afb283.jpg

A registered letter from the Bank of Salonika to the French bank Société Générale, postmarked Thessaloniki 24 March 1916. This piece, passed by a French military censor, bears both censor tape and handstamps; postage was paid by two 25-lepta Greek stamps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting!

The church in the 2nd pic is actually the Church of the Annunciation at Moudros on Lemnos, not in Salonika. This is a mistake made on several different PCs of the period!

Adrian

I think my favourite "error" are the Souvenir of Salonique postcards showing views around Marseille!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:) There are loads, from all over the place!

Lemnos especially, but also Gallipoli/Dardanelles, Malta, Mytilene, Kilkis, Florina, Monastir, Veles, Belgrade... all captioned "Salonique".

Also the numerous portraits of Malagasy and West African natives labelled as Macedonian "Brigands" and "Comitadjis" etc.

(Don't actually recall any from Marseille offhand, Martin! Can you post an example?!)

I think the background is that French publishers were so overwhelmed by the sudden demand for PCs from Salonika, that anything remotely exotic-looking was pressed into service for a time.

Adrian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salonika2_zpsa5cedd07.jpg

A French military band entertains the troops, ostensibly at Salonika. Speaking of mislabeled postcards, this may be another example; note the church in the background, which bears at least a passing resemblance to the one posted earlier. Another card from the IPACT series(#149).

Wine_zps8d4a063a.jpg

Oxcarts carrying wine barrels to the Allied camp. This photo postcard was published by the Salonika firm of Abastado & Matia, 59 Egnatia Street. The reverse bears a message in French (headed 21 July 1916), addressed to a man in Orleans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:) There are loads, from all over the place!

Lemnos especially, but also Gallipoli/Dardanelles, Malta, Mytilene, Kilkis, Florina, Monastir, Veles, Belgrade... all captioned "Salonique".

Also the numerous portraits of Malagasy and West African natives labelled as Macedonian "Brigands" and "Comitadjis" etc.

(Don't actually recall any from Marseille offhand, Martin! Can you post an example?!)

I think the background is that French publishers were so overwhelmed by the sudden demand for PCs from Salonika, that anything remotely exotic-looking was pressed into service for a time.

Adrian

Double checking, the MArseille card I have is not mislabelled - but it is relevant as it is the relevant memorial for the French.

The cards I was thinking of are actually Nice and Monte-Carlo !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next is a rather interesting item. It's not actually from Salonika, but it is related; a postcard sent from Bulgarian-occupied Skopje to Bernburg, Germany.

Front side: Rila Monastery [bulgaria], by German painter Willy Moralt.

Bulgaria4A_zpsfca05e33.jpg

Reverse side: At left is a portrait of Lt. General Nikola Zhekov, Commander in Chief of the Bulgarian Army; at right, three Bulgarian stamps canceled by Sjopke postmarks (29 October 1917). This card also bears a Sofia military censor's handstamp in red; the date is smudged, but appears to be 2 November. Bulgaria4B_zps368e7e54.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ordnance2_zpse0f08099.jpg

French photo postcard showing an Allied munitions cache at Salonika, mailed to Hollington, Hastings in 1917. On the reverse are a British "FPO 67" cancel and a "Passed By Censor 271" handstamp; the message conveys Christmas and New Year wishes from "Uncle George."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nestle1_zps07762a7c.jpg

Censored letter from Salonika to an officer of the 2/20th London Regiment, Salonica Forces, postmarked "British Army Post Office, 8 February 1917" on the reverse.

The officer addressed poses something of a question. Apparently his full name was Walter Merry Craddock - but, with the possible exception of an item in the London Gazette, I haven't seen him listed as a Major. In issue 31093 of the Gazette (31 December 1918), his name appears in a list of men awarded the DSO:

Capt. (A./Maj.) Walter Merry Craddock, M.C., 2/20th (C. of L.) Bn., Lond. R., attd. 2/19th Bn.

Can anyone tell me what the "A." stands for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next is another censored letter (with Armee D'Orient handstamp) from the Bank of Salonika to the Société Générale, postmarked Thessaloniki 18 January 1917.

Greece10_zpsea4278b0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nestle1_zps07762a7c.jpg

Censored letter from Salonika to an officer of the 2/20th London Regiment, Salonica Forces, postmarked "British Army Post Office, 8 February 1917" on the reverse.

The officer addressed poses something of a question. Apparently his full name was Walter Merry Craddock - but, with the possible exception of an item in the London Gazette, I haven't seen him listed as a Major. In issue 31093 of the Gazette (31 December 1918), his name appears in a list of men awarded the DSO:

Capt. (A./Maj.) Walter Merry Craddock, M.C., 2/20th (C. of L.) Bn., Lond. R., attd. 2/19th Bn.

Can anyone tell me what the "A." stands for?

A would stand for "Acting'" in this case, so he would be entitled to call himself major, I think. I wonder what his connection with Nestlé was, unless it was just a spare envelope he happened to have.

cheers Martin B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Officers of Acting rank appear to have reverted to their substantive rank when on leave so I'd guess the correct term would have been Acting Major at all times, although I'm sure that mouthful would have been often contracted.

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A would stand for "Acting'" in this case, so he would be entitled to call himself major, I think. I wonder what his connection with Nestlé was, unless it was just a spare envelope he happened to have.

cheers Martin B

Thanks for that, Martin. It would be interesting indeed to know his connection with Nestlé; unfortunately only the envelope is left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another postcard from the Salonika front, with a seasonal theme. This card, made in England by the Photochrome Co., was mailed to London in 1917.

Christmas2_zps78ee8af0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another postcard from the Salonika front, with a seasonal theme. This card, made in England by the Photochrome Co., was mailed to London in 1917.

Christmas2_zps78ee8af0.jpg

Another postcard from the Salonika front, with a seasonal theme. This card, made in England by the Photochrome Co., was mailed to London in 1917.

Christmas2_zps78ee8af0.jpg

That's good. Can someone identify all the nationalities?

cheers Martin B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello too All please allow me too identify the Soldiers on the Postcard as i had it in my mind .

Beginning with the left Standing Soldier who is British the next one in the Rank standing is French again the next is wearing Russian Uniform the fourth men must be an Sikh (British)and the last two types are one Italian (Bersaglieri )and a Serbian Soldier very easy too identified while he is wearing a Kukuvica Cap.

The Left outer side man ist not a Soldier but an Cretan Gendamerie-officer together with the man kneeing at outer right (only differences they wear different types of vests Maybe the one is formal uniform and the other for walking -out or so.)the 3 other types must be an tiralleur Senegales -a French officer in Colonial uniform and the last one a soldier from Indochina .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...