Real postcards from the First World War that survived a century
These notes sent between those at war and home were preserved as part of the Wartime Canada project at the University of Western Ontario
Canadian writing home from the line. May, 1917. (PA-001399/LIbrary and Archives Canada)
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These postcards are ephemera of war. Travelling between loved ones, the dashed-off jottings were never intended to survive a century. And yet, they now exist for posterity, preserved as part of the Wartime Canada project at the University of Western Ontario. Along with the postcards, the collection includes pamphlets, posters, event programs and other disposable materials. By surviving, these items offer an intimate look at people’s lives in between the larger events captured in history books.
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MORE ABOUT REMEMBRANCE DAY:
- We printed the names of Canadians killed in the Great War. You gave their stories life.
- Conscription divided Canada. It also helped win the First World War.
- How censorship became deadly during the First World War
- How lost Canadian First World War soldiers were identified after a century