Research for film: Information on Postmen and Death Notices

[LeilaLay]

Hi all,

 

I'm doing some research for a feature film which revolves around life on the home front in a rural British town (it is actually based on Manningtree in Essex if that helps provide some context).

 

In particular, it focuses around a Postman who delivers both the good and bad news and have a few questions!  

 

My questions so far are:

1) Would you be able to distinguish an official death notice specifically from the envelope? Were the official telegrams a specific colour or with any official markings?

I do understand that a family could be notified in a variety of different ways but I'm specifically speaking about the official telegram.  I read somewhere that you would only be able to distinguish that it was an 'official' telegram and so could contain a number of different outcomes.  If so, could the contents within these official telegrams ever be positive? Or would it usually inform of MIA, POW etc.  To stress, I am looking for the more usual cases and not the exceptions.

 

2) Am I correct in believing that a postman could be the one delivering these? 

I understand that this again could depend on a variety of factors e.g. rank in which case, up to which rank would typically receive it from the postman rather than a special visit?

 

3) Does anyone have any photographs of official death notices? Transcriptions would be great to read too.

I have read a number of these but would be great to see more.  Excluding higher ranking officers, would these be very similar from one to the next?

 

4) I read one article where a postman referred to himself as being called the 'angel of death' due to how he could deliver both good and bad news - has anyone ever heard of this?  It's impossible to research without articles coming up about WW2 and Josef Mengele.  Or were there any other affectionate or not so affectionate names that Postmen/women were known by?

 

Finally, if anyone has any great stories about postmen during WW1, I would love to hear them!  I read a post on here about one who stole from the packages being sent to soldiers.

 

EDIT: Photographs are especially welcome!

 

Thank you so much for any help that you can provide on this.

 

Edited 17 September , 2020 by LeilaLay
Additional info

[Old Owl]

Welcome to the Forum LeilaLay,

 

As far as I am aware the postman would have delivered telegrams containing such news to all families regardless of the rank of the soldier that had been killed. All telegrams were the same colour (a pale pink) so I doubt it would be possible to differentiate between a telegram relating to a death, as opposed to a wounding or other. I doubt very much that anyone would have received an 'official' visit relating to a death--but of course there are always exceptions to such things.

 

There was a battalion of the London Regiment called the 8th (Post Office Rifles) Bn The London Regt.

 

Many postmen were killed during WW1 whilst serving with local infantry battalions as well as in the ranks of the 8th Londons.

 

Although I am certain that other members will reply to your request, I do have medals to three postmen who were killed during WW1 whilst serving overseas and can supply you with information and copies of some original documents and photographs if these are of interest.

 

Best of luck with your quest,

 

Robert

[LeilaLay]

9 minutes ago, Old Owl said:

 

 

Although I am certain that other members will reply to your request, I do have medals to three postmen who were killed during WW1 whilst serving overseas and can supply you with information and copies of some original documents and photographs if these are of interest.

 

 

Hi Robert,

 

Thank you so much for your response - I would love to see these if possible!  

 

I might add to the original post that photographs of particular interest.

 

Thanks so much again for your insights,

Leila

[headgardener]

Hi Leila - I have a couple of telegrams, but think that they're in a box in a friend's attic atm, so not easily accessible. Sorry! The telegrams themselves are pretty perfunctory, no more than 2 sentences. They don't differ much from other telegrams (reporting wounds or illnesses, missing) - clearly, the words differ, but they still followed the same template, namely a simple 'cut-and-paste / insert casualty's name here'. 

 

I'm sure that lots of people on the forum will have stories to tell. I recall my grandmother saying that the local postman dreaded the walk to the recipients front door as the fear and raw grief that they encountered could be very difficult to take, especially in small communities. 

 

Here's a link that you find of interest :

http://www.epitaphsofthegreatwar.com/killed-in-action/

 

 

[headgardener]

Btw, that link that I posted... I think the author is wrong in implying that only officers' next-of-kin received telegrams. Telegrams were (theoretically, at least) the initial notification which would (theoretically) be followed by an official letter, but I'm not sure it always happened in that order. 

[LeilaLay]

13 minutes ago, headgardener said:

Hi Leila - I have a couple of telegrams, but think that they're in a box in a friend's attic atm, so not easily accessible. Sorry! The telegrams themselves are pretty perfunctory, no more than 2 sentences. They don't differ much from other telegrams (reporting wounds or illnesses, missing) - clearly, the words differ, but they still followed the same template, namely a simple 'cut-and-paste / insert casualty's name here'. 

 

I'm sure that lots of people on the forum will have stories to tell. I recall my grandmother saying that the local postman dreaded the walk to the recipients front door as the fear and raw grief that they encountered could be very difficult to take, especially in small communities. 

 

Here's a link that you find of interest :

http://www.epitaphsofthegreatwar.com/killed-in-action/

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this link - extremely useful and interesting.  

 

I do have a question re the pale pink if anyone can answer - was it the telegram itself that was printed on pale pink? Or was there typically an envelope which was pink? Or both?

 

I can see a pink-ish tinge in the photographs and I assume they have faded too so it is a little hard to tell.

 

Thanks for the clarification - I'd also be very interested to hear about the (theoretical) order of notifying ones next of kin and how the official letter was different to the telegram and what this contained too if anyone has any information.

 

Yes, it does seem an awful job and particularly, as you say, in closer knit communities.  

 

Thanks so much again for your help

[headgardener]

The 2nd image on that link I posted shows a copy of the official letter. 

 

I believe that the telegrams came in ordinary brown envelopes.

[LeilaLay]

Ah ok I see.

 

So would there be no way of telling from the envelope what it contained? (I don't necessarily mean a death notice but that it was an 'official' telegram) Or would the envelope itself have an official stamp?

[headgardener]

I'm sure someone will swiftly correct me if I've got this wrong, but as I understand it the telegram message was generated in the War Office and transmitted to the local post office where it was transcribed and placed in a standard envelope for delivery to the next-of-kin. I don't think post offices had supplies of special envelopes specifically for WO communications. I think I'm right in saying that a small local community post office would therefore know of the demise of any local causalty before the family themselves (unless, for whatever reason, an official letter happened to precede the telegram). 

[Guest]

    Telegraph forms  can be found in some surviving service service files held at The National Archives at  Kew.  Please remember that the dreaded  knock could mean a telegram from the War Office for other reasons- reporting that a man was badly wounded, for example.  The War Office had a scheme where the NOK of a badly wounded- effectively,dying - man at a rear area hospital in France could travel to France, at War Office cost, without a passport - the telegram was to be produced to the port embarkation officer, usually Dover or Folkestone, and usually some other proof of ID. The telegram itself was authority to travel.  These are very moving when you work out  when parents arrived to late to see their son alive. An example of this sequence of telegrams  should still be available online at the Llloyds of London  online  site for their casualties of the war- the sequence is given for Second Lieutenant George Herbert Turner, 13th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment who died of wounds in hospital at Le Treport on 14th June 1916.

   The outstanding thing for me with these telegrams is just how matter-of-fact and scruffy they are- always scrawled in pencil as if it was a shopping list on a piece of waste paper.

 

There  is a problem with "local" post offices. The Post Office had  control of the telegraphs, which had been nationalised c.1870 from a medley of private companies. BUT it should not be assumed that every local post office had  a telegraph link.  Nor that it was postmen  who always delivered the telegrams. 2Telegraph boy" was a common occupation for juveniles before the Great War. (I seem to remember they had blue uniforms)

    As to local post offices knowing before the family-well, yes.  But please remember that the Post Office was part of the Civil Service- in fact,its largest department (Which is why PO appointments, including posties, turn up in the London Gazette). Normal CS rules of confidentiality applied. I have another local family to me which lost 2 sons in the war- The father, Urban Bennett, was a Superintendent in the Central telegraph Office. I have often wondered if he knew or was tipped off in advance of telegrams going through his own office.

  Although it is now closed pro tem, The Postal Museum  should have the definitive answer to all your questions. Alas, the Post Office Rifles was a territorial unit first raised from amongst Post Office staf in central London- it was a normal "rifle" battalion.

  I enclose my local write-up for George Turner in case Llloyds has disappeared

 

TURNER,  GEORGE  HERBERT

Second Lieutenant, 13^th Battalion. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, New Armies, attached  15^th  Battalion. (2^nd. Birmingham), The  Royal Warwickshire Regiment, New Armies

Died of Wounds received in action near Vimy Ridge, at  3 Military General Hospital, Le Treport, 14^th June 1916 age 25

       George Herbert Turner was born in Forest Gate on 17^th January 1891, the third son, of four, of James and Marian Turner. The family were then living at 48 Minden Road. Both his parents were originally from Birmingham. James Turner was a solicitor and built up his own firm, James Turner and Co., of Basinghall Street in the City. He specialised  in  the Licensed Victuallers trade-brewers and publicans-which provided much work in  late Victorian and Edwardian times in the eternal struggles against the temperance movement. In 1898 James Turner purchased “Derncleugh” a purpose-built detached house in The Grove, Wanstead. It had 7 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms and it’s spacious grounds included a tennis lawn. As well as the  Turner sons, the family was prosperous enough to usually have 2 domestic servants and a cook.  James Turner was much involved in public and charitable work in the Wanstead area. In time, George Turner’s older brothers both qualified as solicitors as well- James Algernon Turner in June 1907 and  Cyril Turner in October 1908. Both practiced in their father’s firm. By the 1911 Census  the three eldest sons were all working in the City, as well as being unmarried, so  “Derncleugh” was a prosperous commercial household.

      George Turner was educated at Forest School, entering on 27^th January 1902 and afterwards went into the City  as a clerk with G.F.Barker and Co., Lloyd’s brokers. When war came Gorge Turner enlisted along with his brother Cyril in the Honourable Artillery Company at Armoury House on 28^th August 1914. Their service numbers were consecutive-1726 and 1727 ,as were their  signatures in the H.A.C. “Vellum Book”,  its record of enlistments. Both were assigned to  A Company, 1^st HAC, which despite the name of the battalion, was an infantry unit. The HAC  was a natural choice, being a socially elite  Territorial unit (then as now), strongly stocked with City men. It was also the unit in which George Turner’s eldest brother, James Algernon Turner, had already served from 1904-1909. He in turn  rejoined HAC  a week after his brothers, on 5^th September 1914, and was similarly assigned to A Company of 1^st HAC. 

     George and Cyril Turner  were both in the first draft of the HAC to be sent to France,   arriving  at St.Nazaire on 20^th  September 1914. As the London elite territorial battalions- HAC, London Scottish and London Rifle Brigade- were already in a high state of proficiency, they were sent off as soon as they were up to full-strength, fully equipped and given short but intensive training courses to bring up to the standards of the Regular Army. The battalion was blooded through the wet and miserable winter of 1914-1915 as the trench system settled into stalemate while the British recovered from their early setbacks and prepared the vast intakes of the  “New Armies” at home. For this, George Turner ,  earned his 1914 Star with clasp for having been under fire.  Casualties in the line from shelling, sniping and occasional trench raids ate away at all battalions that winter but illness was the  main cause of casualties. George Turner was  taken out of the line with severe diarrhea on 21^st February 1915 and treated at 7^th Field Ambulance- a forward post. He did not improve  and was transferred to 8^th Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul on 23^rd February, where the more serious condition of colitis was diagnosed. He was moved again to 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen on 24^th February, Rouen being the major centre for British long-term hospitals throughout the war. He was passed fit for light duties on 14^th March 1915 and rejoined 1^st HAC in the field on 1^st April. On return, he was promoted to Acting Corporal on 20^th April 1915 and to full Corporal on 9^th May..

      The Spring of 1915 was not kind to the Turner family. His brother Cyril was wounded on 14^th April but rejoined on 24^th May, while both brothers were wounded on 30^th May during HAC’s attack on Hooge, where the 1^st HAC lost over 200 men.  A fellow Old Forester wrote back to the school magazine recounting details of what had happened to some other Old Foresters, of whom there were many in the HAC:

From STANLEY PRYKE, H.A.C , " In the Field," June 13th. " I don't know if you have read or heard yet that we have been in it again, but I thought you would like to have news of the few O.F.'s who, as far as I know, are still out here. " We started off soon after dawn, and were under both shell and rifle fire. S. A. K. Money, who was our Platoon Sergeant, was shot through the head early in the morning, while we were still in our own trenches. Death must have been instantaneous. There was a Medical Officer of the Wilts next to him, so that if anything could have been done it would have been. Later some of us advanced to the second line of German trenches under fire. G. H. Turner was amongst us. He was hit in the arm, when we got there. I was with him till about 3 o'clock. I learned later that he had got safely down to the dressing station

 (The Forester, Trinity term 1915)

   Cyril Turner was evacuated to England  but his health was permanently damaged and he was susbsequently posted, as a Quartermaster Sergeant, to a reserve unit in late 1916. George’s wound was not serious but he was more badly wounded again on 16^th June, with a gunshot wound to his left arm during an attack on the German lines. At the same time, he was buried by the explosion of a German shell  and had the sense to remain partially covered by earth until dug out later in the day. He was treated at 9^th Field Ambulance, then on to 3 Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul again,  afterwards  evacuated to Lahore General Hospital –also at Rouen. He was returned to England on 21^st June 1915 to recuperate.

    As a Corporal, twice wounded  and with a professional background he was encouraged to apply for a commission on 4^th July 1915. Following officer cadet training, which fitted well with his recuperation, he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant into the 13^th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 29^th November 1915. He was at officer cadet school in Oxford both before and after Christmas 1915 and later returned to Oxford early in 1916 for a further course of instruction.  During the war the elite London regiments, well supplied with educated and professional Other Ranks, provided a steady stream of officers to other regiments-over 4000 men of the HAC were commissioned during the war. That George was commissioned into the Royal Warwicks reflected his family’s Midlands background, for the regiment was essentially a Birmingham regiment. He was transferred to the 15^th Bn  Royal Warwicks (2^nd Birmingham) for service in France, arriving there on  3^rd December 1915.

      The late Spring of 1916 saw the British preparing for their great offensive on the Somme but for the  Regular and Territorial battalions, front line service was “as usual”. On 30^th May 1916 the battalion moved into the trenches near Vimy Ridge, relieving 2nd Kings Own Scottish Borderers.  George Turner’s company-A Company - was  on the right flank with B Company in the centre, C Company on the left, while D Company manned the Thelus and Observatory redoubts. The weather was unremittingly wet but the front line was quiet- a casualty or so every day from odd shelling and firing. On 31^st May the war diary for the battalion reported matters “Very Quiet” but with  3 casualties, all wounded- 2 Other Ranks and George Turner.

     George Turner  had received a serious gunshot wound to his right shoulder and lung. He was  evacuated  to 3 General Hospital at Le Treport- on the coast, where the sea air was thought to aid  lung wounds. James Turner received news by telegram on 2^nd June:

“Regret to inform you that 2 Lt. G.H. Turner 13th attd 15th Royal Warwicks was wounded 31/5/16. Any further news will be wired when received”

     The successive telegrams  to James Turner tell the sad story:

3^rd June 1916

“Beg to inform you 2/Lt G.H. Turner Royal Warwicks admitted 3 General Hospital Le Treport. Gunshot wound shoulder and right lung serious. Any further news will be wired.”

14^th June 1916

“Regret to inform you 2 Lt. G.H. Turner now reported dangerously ill in No. 3 General Hospital Le Treport. You are permitted to visit him. No passport is necessary .This telegram must be produced to Assistant Embarkation Commandant Folkestone when you must satisfy as to identity.”

   The permission of the Army Council to visit  a son in France was invariably because the son was dying: George Turner died of wounds at 6pm the same day, before James Turner could get to him. There was one last telegram:

15^th June 1916

“Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lieut. G.H. Turner 13 Warwick Regt attached 15th died of wounds at 3 General Hospital Le Treport. The Army Council express their sympathy.”

   George Turner was buried at Le Treport Military Cemetery. His death proved too much for his father. George’s brother Cyril was already seriously wounded and in England, unfit for further front line service. James Algernon Turner was wounded on 29^th September 1915 at Loos  and similarly not fit for further front line service. George Turner’s mother, Miriam, had died in January 1916. James Turner did not survive the year: With  one son dead, 2 others badly wounded and a widower, his health deteriorated rapidly and he died at Bath on 1^st December 1916

    With the death of James Turner, the household at Derncleugh broke up. Both surviving  serving sons were still on war service and the house itself was sold by auction in May 1917, followed shortly by a separate sale of the contents the next month. George Turner is remembered on the Wanstead War Memorial, the memorial at Forest School  and on that at Lloyds in Leadenhall Street.

Solicitor’s Roll of Honour, Lloyds Roll of Honour (online), The Forester,1915-1916  War Diary 15^th/16^th Bns Royal Warwickshire Regiment,TNA; Officers Long Service File WO 339/49564, TNA, Essex County Chronicle 8^th December 1916, Wanstead Parish Magazine, July 1915, G. Goold Walker: The Honourable Artillery Company 1914-1919 (London, 1930).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[headgardener]

In case it's of relevance, and in addition to the comments by Old Owl regarding the 8th London Regiment (also known as the 'Post Office Rifles'), in the early days of WW1 the PO Rifles recruited heavily from postal staff from across the UK (not just London, despite the regiments name). In addition, a unit called the Army Postal Service was formed as an element of the Royal Engineers, and this also recruited particularly PO staff. Therefore, many Postal workers joined up in the early days of the war. Conscription was only introduced in 1916, so as the war progressed male postal staff consisted increasingly of older or medically 'low grade' men, or of men who were able to successfully defer their 'call up'. 

[LeilaLay]

 

This is so interesting, thank you for mentioning it and for your write-up of George Turner's case. 

 

I did also wonder about telegram boys but wasn't sure if they were less common during the war because of the numbers of men who had left to war and whether they increasingly merged the roles with the Postmen/women.

 

I did think of contacting the Postal Museum but know they are closed at the moment, maybe they are replying to emails though.  Will give it a shot!

 

And thank you @headgardener for the extra detail - I also think that many more women were drafted into the postal service as a result?

 

 

[Kath]

I find this account of the news of the loss of the transport Royal Edward reaching Baynards Place, Truro, very moving.

It is taken from a former website by Janice Brooker.

 

One of the lost from the sinking of the Royal Edward was Joseph Waycott Thomas who had volunteered with his neighbours.

 

“Joseph's daughters remembered how the news of the terrible loss of life was received. The shocking news reached the local newspaper office, and then spread by word of mouth through the city.

Joseph's wife Rosa knew of her loss before any official telegram arrived, as she heard the dreadful cries of her neighbours, spreading from house to house. They lived in Baynards Place, and nearly every house in that little street had lost father or son, brother or uncle.”

[FROGSMILE]

Leila there is useful information about casualty notification at the associate website to this one, the long long trail.  https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/what-happened-to-a-soldier-who-died/

I enclose some images of Telegrams (still called “Telegraph” during WW1) and the War Office casualty notification forms (AFB 104-82) mentioned.  Notice that one type of telegraph already had the first line “Regret to inform you” printed at the top.

 

You might also be interested to know that as the war went on and casualties increased some bereaved parents sent postcards seeking information regarding their loved one’s to the German Authorities and sometimes their units too, in the hope that close comrades might know more than they (the parents) had been told.  This kind of communication was via the post office too, but of course going in the opposite direction.

 

Another postal aspect is when several letters might be returned unopened (to sender) by the military postal system endorsed with the rubber ink stamp “Missing”.  These too were delivered by postmen. These were common after a death notification was received but because of a lag in official notification they frequently arrived before and so were the first inkling a family might get that something was awry.  Of course occasionally it turned out that the soldier concerned was a prisoner of war.  This was especially common during 1914 and 1918 when large numbers of British troops were enveloped (no pun intended) and captured by the Germans.
 

There was also the British and associated Dominions tradition of personal letters of condolence expressing sympathy that were deeply ingrained in military culture.  Commanding Officers would usually write to the mother’s of any of their officers killed in action, as did often the company commander.  
 

Nurses in military hospitals would without fail write to the mothers of those who died in beds under their care.  This was often the last thing they did after an exhausting spell of duty.  In the case of soldiers killed the platoon commander, if himself a survivor would commonly write to the mother/parents of the man concerned.  All these letters were routinely delivered by the postman.http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/LUw_XSQiQOihECRtQRzsLg

 

When searching you might find the terms “WW1 Casualty Notifications” more useful.  Add “British” for further refinement.

 

 

Edited 19 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[pierssc]

I know that there could sometimes be more than one postal delivery a day, but I thought the telegraph system was for priority messages which were delivered by a telegraph boy (or sometimes a boy scout) on a bicycle.  I don't think the messages sat around awaiting the next postal delivery.

 

I'm away from home just now but I seem to think that Cecil Lewis in "Sagittarius Rising" mentions an incident where he sends a telegram to his mother telling her that he was coming home or something, not realising the shock she would get when she received it and the flood of relief when she realised it wasn't notification that something had happened to him.

[helpjpl]

To:  Dr G C Porter

Re son:  Lieutenant R E Porter RAMC - Killed in Action 26 October 1914

 

1.  28 October 1914 - No further details received:

 

 

2.  11 November 1914 - reported to have been killed by a shell at Bois Grenier:

 

JP

[FROGSMILE]

17 hours ago, pierssc said:

I know that there could sometimes be more than one postal delivery a day, but I thought the telegraph system was for priority messages which were delivered by a telegraph boy (or sometimes a boy scout) on a bicycle.  I don't think the messages sat around awaiting the next postal delivery.

 

I'm away from home just now but I seem to think that Cecil Lewis in "Sagittarius Rising" mentions an incident where he sends a telegram to his mother telling her that he was coming home or something, not realising the shock she would get when she received it and the flood of relief when she realised it wasn't notification that something had happened to him.

Yes, I agree.  I understand that there were at least 3-deliveries per day in most places (4 in London I think).  Telegraphs were delivered by a uniformed boy on a bicycle as you say, and in most Cities there was a scheme using uniformed Boy Scouts to meet the increase in demand and activity.

 

 

 

Edited 18 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[LeilaLay]

Thank you all so so much for all this incredibly useful information and the amazing photographs.  I'm working my way through it now so thank you for the tips on what to search for @FROGSMILE and the links which are proving very useful.  Does anyone have any photographs of the postman uniform?  Were they similar to the top two photographs in the post above which I assume is of the telegraph boys?

 

I do understand that there would usually be a specific telegraph boy but wondered in smaller rural towns whether they would have less resources and the roles merge into one general postman?  I guess it may have depended on the town.  Thank you for drawing to my attention that there would be multiple and as many as 4 deliveries a day, it makes sense but is something that I hadn't considered.

 

So it seems that the best indicator of a death notice was likely a telegraph in itself? (although obviously there were exceptions @pierssc, thank you for that anecdote) By this I mean, as opposed to a letter although I do also realise that condolence letters could arrive before the notice as well.  Would telegraphs typically come in envelopes?

 

[FROGSMILE]

18 hours ago, LeilaLay said:

Thank you all so so much for all this incredibly useful information and the amazing photographs.  I'm working my way through it now so thank you for the tips on what to search for @FROGSMILE and the links which are proving very useful.  Does anyone have any photographs of the postman uniform?  Were they similar to the top two photographs in the post above which I assume is of the telegraph boys?

 

I do understand that there would usually be a specific telegraph boy but wondered in smaller rural towns whether they would have less resources and the roles merge into one general postman?  I guess it may have depended on the town.  Thank you for drawing to my attention that there would be multiple and as many as 4 deliveries a day, it makes sense but is something that I hadn't considered.

 

So it seems that the best indicator of a death notice was likely a telegraph in itself? (although obviously there were exceptions @pierssc, thank you for that anecdote) By this I mean, as opposed to a letter although I do also realise that condolence letters could arrive before the notice as well.  Would telegraphs typically come in envelopes?

 

Leila, you must try and think of mail delivery at that time on a scale proportionate to its day of the mailing and texting that people do today online and via cell phones (WhatsApp, and similar, are effectively modern telegraphs sent direct to the recipient).  Apparently, at its height in London mail could be delivered almost hourly (although that rate was never quite reached it gives an idea of scale).  Women were able to write love letters in the morning and receive a reply in the afternoon, which facilitated many a tryst or elopement.
 

Obviously people who lived in more remote areas could not receive the same frequency of service, but it was proportionate and most places would receive one, or several deliveries a day, whether by foot, bicycle, horse, or boat, and for a universal price.  I enclose some useful links regarding the increase in scale during WW1 as well as the culture within the General Post Office (GPO).  At each link there are further links (usually at the bottom) that lead to additional information:

 

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25934407
2. http://ayearofwar.com/the-post-office-mail-service-in-wwi/
3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office

4. https://www.worldwar1postcards.com/soldiers-mail.php
5. https://postalheritage.wordpress.com/tag/first-world-war/page/2/

6. https://www.postalmuseum.org/collections/highlights/postal-uniforms/

7. http://www.forcespostalhistorysociety.org.uk/society/displays/royal-naval-mail-ww1/index.html

 

As regards how Telegraphs were packaged, [edit] It seems that they were 'portered' (carried by hand) in a dusky pink “porterage” envelope.  Typed or handwritten onto a ‘form’ (as seen in my previous post) they were then folded and sealed in an envelope with the addressee details written on the outside.  The pink envelope was then carried by the messenger in his leather belt pouch.

 

Turning to uniform, the basic suit was similar to a military uniform, with dark blue (almost black) frock coat (3/4 length jacket) in winter, long trousers and a peaked cap, all made from heavy serge wool and trimmed with scarlet (a colour scheme that remained until the demise of the GPO).  ‘Telegraph Messenger Boys’ (their title) wore a lighter and shorter ‘frock’ (working jacket), but also had a peaked cap of a slightly different style.  After 3-years of war the number of men available had plummeted and like many other services women were recruited to make up the shortfall.  They too wore a dark woollen uniform and a straw hat with wide brim.  Rather like policemen, all post men, women, and boys were given a personal number that was affixed to their collar.  This was so that members of the public could identify who they dealt with via the number.  I enclose some images of these uniforms.  Service [conduct] stripes were worn horizontally on the chest.
 

In general Telegraphs were delivered by the Boy Messengers, who were employed specifically for that role, even in small towns, and if there was a ‘post office’, then a few Messenger Boys would be employed.  As the Telegraphs were small and not bulky or heavy, they were carried in the leather pouch attached to his waist belt.  He was a messenger in a traditional sense and usually carried one telegraph at a time, returning to the office on his issued bicycle ready for another delivery immediately after.  “They were expected to behave in a manner befitting one who wore the uniform of the Queen, and were required to complete a daily drill. From 1915 to 1921, morning exercise [called 'Swedish Drill'] was added to these requirements” ( see images).

Conversely postmen carried large sacks of quite heavy mail, including notification letters and other military mail.  In the group photo of men you can see the Telegraph Messenger Boy seated on the ground at front, notice his different (lower) cap, which is also based on a military type from the 1860s.  The men’s style cap is known militarily as a ‘shako’ and the boys’ style was more like a ‘kepi’.  I doubt that they used those names unless ex military, and I suspect it was more ‘me ‘at’ or ‘me titfer’.  They were invariably men, women and boys from the working classes.

 

NB.  There was a summer and winter uniform for postmen, but both were militaristic and made from heavy wool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 18 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Neill Gilhooley]

Well, this is a very interesting thread.

-

Another wee snippet or two. Postmen who were also Territorials were not always mobilised with their battalions at the outbreak of war. Charles Park was 'granted leave on embodiment being telegraph operator', mobilisation in Aug 14 being a very busy time for telegraphy. Also Tom Brown, 'for nine years he had been rural postman, his round including such widely separated places as Cardrona and Glenlude. He had a cheery word for everyone, and an obligation had only to be asked to be conferred. He could be freed from his duties only after the Christmas postal pressure of the year.'

-
We should also say that Field Service Postcards were the most common means of communication home e.g. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205131476 

Photographs of the men themselves made into postcards were also very common.

-

I don't know of Manningtree in the First World War, but there would have been anti-invasion measures, a lot of traffic and naval activity nearby, Eastern Region HQ in Colchester, perhaps troops billeted from different parts of the country etc. Sounds like an excellent project, do keep us up to date with it. 

[Ron Clifton]

Another point to bear in mind was that, generally speaking, a telegram was almost always seen by ordinary people as carrying bad news. The mere sight of a telegraph-boy or postman coming down the street filled many people with dread. Sometimes, of course, the news would be good, e.g. that a missing soldier had returned to his unit or been traced to a hospital, but these would have been rarer.

 

Lieutenant Wilfred Owen was killed on 4 November 1918. It is said that his mother received notice of his death one week later, when bells were ringing out and the country was rejoicing at the signing of the Armistice. Something along these lines might well be incorporated in your film.

 

Ron

[Matlock1418]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

 

Frogsmile - once again a cracking mine of info and collection of photos from you in your posts.

Any idea on date of this particular photo?

Interesting to note that six men have various numbers of horizontal 'stripes' on their left breasts [and in your last solo old postie photo]

Might these 'stripes' be long-service/good-conduct equivalent to inverted chevrons on soldiers' left cuffs? - my first thought

Or 'rank'?

And puttees seen on two of them - rural rounds with lots of mud?  Or on a bicycle to avoid the dreaded trouser in chain scenario?

The post boy appears to have leather gaiters - again presumably for cycling??

:-) M

[headgardener]

I just want to sound a slight note of caution regarding the 'telegram boys' - maybe we're overemphasised their importance to Leila's project. One of the links in Frogsmile's earlier post [EDIT: this one.... https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/what-happened-to-a-soldier-who-died/] appears to confirm that it was only the next-of-kin of officers who received telegrams, while those of all other ranks received letters.

 

All telegrams appear to have looked the same, there were no features to distinguish 'good news' from 'bad news', but we haven't really established whether the official pro-forma letter from the War Office (see previous links above) was clearly recognizable as being a 'report' of some kind. Does anyone have any knowledge of this? Also, were 'bad news' telegrams really pink? I can't say that I've ever seen a WW1 telegram that didn't appear to be a sandy buff colour (as per those on the links posted earlier). 

 

I used to live in Colchester, just a couple of miles from Manningtree, and while the modern-day town has been swelled by London commuters, it must have been very small during WW1. About 20 years ago I researched a large number of local casualties using the 2 local newspapers (Essex Chronicle? County Standard? Can't remember what they were called... ) and Manningtree featured in the 'local news' section alongside many small places that were no more than villages. So the size of the place may have some bearing on the use or otherwise of uniformed 'Telegram boys'. 

Edited 18 September , 2020 by headgardener

[FROGSMILE]

14 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

Frogsmile - once again a cracking mine of info and collection of photos from you in your posts.

Any idea on date of this particular photo?

Interesting to note that six men have various numbers of horizontal 'stripes' on their left breasts [and in your last solo old postie photo]

Might these 'stripes' be long-service/good-conduct equivalent to inverted chevrons on soldiers' left cuffs? - my first thought

Or 'rank'?

And puttees seen on two of them - rural rounds with lots of mud?  Or on a bicycle to avoid the dreaded trouser in chain scenario?

The post boy appears to have leather gaiters - again presumably for cycling??

:-) M

Yes, the gold braid chest stripes are for service.  I did mention this at the end of the section covering uniform.

 

The photo was around 1917.  Yes, it was a rural area I believe and, as you suggest, the boy’s leather gaiters (and puttees in the case of the men) were to protect the trousers (which had a thin red outer welt), from the bicycle chain, which was not fitted with a guard in those days.

 

The cap seen was a very specific type issued a little before WW1.  It was made of blocked wool felt and styled with a cloth peak at front, and back.  The badge was the floriated brass GPO in cursive script.  A similar, smaller badge was worn on the collar and alongside a number.  The womens' hat was made of straw.

 

Notice that the postmen of WW1 had adopted a very distinct style of wearing their outer jacket, the top now turned back to form a lapel in a more civilian style, only the top one, or sometimes two buttons are fastened, so that the long sleeved waistcoat beneath, with its all important pocket watch can be reached, in order that his collection from the postbox can be timed.

 

Edited 18 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

4 hours ago, headgardener said:

I just want to sound a slight note of caution regarding the 'telegram boys' - maybe we're overemphasised their importance to Leila's project. One of the links in Frogsmile's earlier post [EDIT: this one.... https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/what-happened-to-a-soldier-who-died/] appears to confirm that it was only the next-of-kin of officers who received telegrams, while those of all other ranks received letters.

 

All telegrams appear to have looked the same, there were no features to distinguish 'good news' from 'bad news', but we haven't really established whether the official pro-forma letter from the War Office (see previous links above) was clearly recognizable as being a 'report' of some kind. Does anyone have any knowledge of this? Also, were 'bad news' telegrams really pink? I can't say that I've ever seen a WW1 telegram that didn't appear to be a sandy buff colour (as per those on the links posted earlier). 

 

I used to live in Colchester, just a couple of miles from Manningtree, and while the modern-day town has been swelled by London commuters, it must have been very small during WW1. About 20 years ago I researched a large number of local casualties using the 2 local newspapers (Essex Chronicle? County Standard? Can't remember what they were called... ) and Manningtree featured in the 'local news' section alongside many small places that were no more than villages. So the size of the place may have some bearing on the use or otherwise of uniformed 'Telegram boys'. 

Yes I believe you’re right that ‘Telegraph’ forms (changed to Telegram forms by WW2, but not WW1 - it’s all a bit confusing as the envelope was marked differently to the form), were used to notify the families of officers, as a kind of - rank has its benefits - courtesy, as they were quicker, but also more expensive than ordinary mail.  

 

“It seems that the cost of sending a telegraph/telegram was dependent upon the length of the message and the distance that it was being sent. As a method of communication, it was at least 30 times cheaper than using a semaphore system and so was instantly more appealing to the commercial sector. Where charges were made per word or for each set of ten words, customers were advised to be frugal with their language and resist worrying about the usual etiquette associated with written letters;
‘Naturally, there is a right way and a wrong way of wording telegrams. The right way is economical, the wrong way, wasteful. If the telegram is packed full of unnecessary words, words which might be omitted without impairing the sense of the message, the sender has been guilty of economic waste’.
It is from advice such as this that the tradition of using the word ‘stop’ in the place of punctuation in telegrams originates. There would be an additional charge for punctuation as it would require a change in the pace of the telegraph operator.”

 

British Telegraphs were on buff paper as you have mentioned.  The only pink forms that I know of were used in Australia, and I don’t know when that commenced (I suspect that the pink aspect refers to the envelopes in Britain).

If a town had a post office 'district' of a certain size it had an establishment of Telegraph Boys.  There was a criterion and as you will know post offices were graded according to size.

 

It was said of the Telegraph:  “Messages would now travel far and wide, and the telegraph demanded a language ‘stripped of the local, regional; and colloquial,’ to better facilitate a worldwide media language.”

 

Edited 18 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE