Summary

Postcard written on the Western Front during World War I by Pte Albert Edward Kemp to his wife Annie. It is unclear if the postcard was ever sent - it has no postage markings, and may be one of several postcards which were amongst his possessions returned from the battlefields after his death. However, given the date depicted on the postcard, 23 July 1916, it is more likely that he sent it to Annie some time before he died.

Endearingly, the address section is headed 'Dear Annie [address]' rather than 'Mrs Albert Kemp'.

The postcard depicts the 'men who shortly after midnight of Sunday, July 23, 1916, took Pozieres by a splendidly dashing advance through shrapnel, shell, and machine-gun fire.' Albert's battalion, the 6th, took part in this battle, but he did not join it in France until March 1917. The same image appears on the postcard ST 039405: Australian Servicemen Before Battle of Pozieres, 23 July 1916.

Albert Edward Kemp was a 32-year-old butcher living in Caulfield and married to Annie Josephine when he enlisted. He and Annie had a daughter, Ethel Mavis, and a baby son, George Percival. Albert enlisted at Royal Park on 4 October 1916, and was assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements, 6th Battalion - regimental number 6800. His battalion left Melbourne 25 October 1916 - just 21 days after he enlisted. He was shipped to France on 27 March and was taken on strength on 4 April. On 21 September 1917, Albert died in the trenches in Glencorse Wood, Belgium. His body was never found. He is commemorated at 29 The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Physical Description

Postcard, off-white, printed with photograph of group of soldiers on obverse and hand-written and printed text on reverse.

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