Repatriation Message From King George V.

[TrevorHH]

Dear All

I am trying to find out more about this form sent to a repatriated POW in Switzerland on 30th August 1918 held by the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage. Sadly at the present time it is not known who the receipient was but I would be interested wether it was a general form sent to repatriated POWs in Switzerland in August 1918 and if anyone has seen other examples or knows the history of these forms.

Many thanks

Trevor

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, TrevorHH said:

Dear All

I am trying to find out more about this form sent to a repatriated POW in Switzerland on 30th August 1918 held by the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage. Sadly at the present time it is not known who the receipient was but I would be interested wether it was a general form sent to repatriated POWs in Switzerland in August 1918 and if anyone has seen other examples or knows the history of these forms.

Many thanks

Trevor

According to the online Royal Collection Trust:

”In 1918 King George V wrote a letter, copies of which were to be sent to all prisoners of war who had been released on the occasion of the Armistice. 

The letter reads:

1918 
The Queen joins me in welcoming you on your release from the miseries & hardships, which you have endured with so much patience & courage. 
During these many months of trial, the early rescue of our gallant Officers & Men from the cruelties of their captivity has been uppermost in our thoughts. 
We are thankful that this longed for day has arrived, & that back in the old Country you will be able once more to enjoy the happiness of a home & to see good days among those who anxiously look for your return. 
George R.I.

Provenance

Formed part of King George V's War Museum at Windsor Castle, established to display his collection of First World War souvenirs; the King was assisted by the Royal Archivist & Librarian John Fortescue (1859-1933). Many of these objects were loaned to the Imperial War Museum in 1936 at the suggestion of King Edward VIII.”

NB.  The King made a habit of writing such letters using a similar format, layout and style of writing paper.  He started with a letter to all troops on their way to war in 1914.  He wrote a letter to all those wounded, and also to every US soldier on his way to join the allies of Entente Cordial in France.   And then another to thank all soldiers of the Empire’s Commonwealth of nation’s returning to their homes on the far side of the world.

Edited 10 April by FROGSMILE

[chaz]

I have one of the lower hand written style ones in my collection,  Obviously no photocopier in those days, but I doubt the King himself would have had the time to write so many himself.that said, I do have a type written letter , from the Keeper of the privy Purse, thanking him for sending 5 sons to the war, (great grandfather ended up sending 7 sons, (3 did not return) in the end. 

[FROGSMILE]

47 minutes ago, chaz said:

I have one of the lower hand written style ones in my collection,  Obviously no photocopier in those days, but I doubt the King himself would have had the time to write so many himself.that said, I do have a type written letter , from the Keeper of the privy Purse, thanking him for sending 5 sons to the war, (great grandfather ended up sending 7 sons, (3 did not return) in the end. 

Hello Chaz, it’s an interesting form of communication isn’t it.   Using the latest technology at the time.  The automated letters were just another manifestation of things like qualification certificates and officers commissions, each with a mechanised signature.

Edited 10 April by FROGSMILE

[chaz]

my thoughts, if the king had contributed , then possibly his signature only with the bulk of the letter being carried out by staff.

If I can find my copy , will check if any pressure applied when writing to check if printed or written.

I mentioned the GGF letter from the Privy Purse, that, I would have thought would have been hand written, but it is typed with signature in pen.

gleed 5 sons.pdf

[TrevorHH]

Dear Both

Many thanks for your posts about this form which are most interesting and helpful. 

Kind regards

Trevor

[FROGSMILE]

16 hours ago, chaz said:

my thoughts, if the king had contributed , then possibly his signature only with the bulk of the letter being carried out by staff.

If I can find my copy , will check if any pressure applied when writing to check if printed or written.

I mentioned the GGF letter from the Privy Purse, that, I would have thought would have been hand written, but it is typed with signature in pen.

gleed 5 sons.pdf 546.36 kB · 2 downloads

Yes almost certainly written by his private personal secretary, I should think, who would have learned what style the King liked and who had probably served him for some years.  Nevertheless, contemporary accounts of the King’s personality suggest that such missives were important to him in terms of how he wished to be seen as a deeply caring Sovereign.  Unlike Edward VII, King George V had really bought into Queen Victoria’s noblesse oblige style of monarchy.

Edited 11 April by FROGSMILE