Summary
Postcard depicting a 'General View of Heliopolis', Egypt, sent around 1915, during World War I, by Private John Peile to his mother. He describes local Egyptians as 'dirty and rotten' in the postcard. The missive on the back of the postcard is signed by 'Jack,' which is actually a reference to John Peile as ST 40697 is also signed from 'Jack' and lists his service number (2662) with the return address.
From a World War I album from Egypt containing 33 postcards, most featuring Egyptian themes. Of particular interest amongst these postcards is one containing a letter written to 'Father' (presumably John Peile Snr) signed by 'VS' that mentions Albert Peile. The inclusion of this postcard suggests that the album either belonged to or was compiled by John Peile Snr or another member of the Peile family.
Part of a collection of material relating to the World War I service of brothers John and Albert Victor Peile, who both died in the conflict. Younger brother Albert enlisted first. He was a 22-year-old unmarried clerk when he enlisted on 27 August 1914, service number 769, 3rd Battalion. He served in Gallipoli and later France, and was eventually promoted to the rank of corporal. He died in Bullecourt, France on 4 May 1917 and his body was never found. He is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. His brother John Peile was a 38-year-old unmarried miner when he enlisted on 25 June 1915, service number 2662, 2nd Battalion. He also served in in Gallipoli and France, and was similarly promoted to corporal. He died in France on 18 September 1918 and is buried at Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Their mother died only a few years later in 1926, aged 73. Their niece was Mrs M. J. Hitchens, the donor. Margaret Joan Hitchens (1916-?) was the daughter of Albert and John's sister Alice and her husband John Henry Dinwoodie.
Heliopolis was developed in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company as an upscale district in north-eastern Cairo. It is this relatively modern suburb of Cairo that is depicted here.
Description of Content
View of low-rise city across fields.
Physical Description
Black and white photograph printed on paper.
More Information
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Collection Names
Military Memorabilia Collection, Returned and Services League (RSL) Collection
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Victorian Branch, Returned & Services League of Australia Limited (RSL), Mrs Margaret J. Hitchens, 1986
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Author
Private John '. Peile - Australian Imperial Force (AIF), circa 1916
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Place & Date Depicted
Cairo, Egypt, 1914-1915
Approximate date, based on dates of World War I -
Format
Album
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Inscriptions
Printed in black ink on the front of the postcard: 'General View of Helipolis' Hand-written in purple pencil on the back of the postcard: 'Heliopolis ; no. 2662 / were we are camped / Dear Mother / I have a arrived in Egypt have / not been in the best of health but feeling akright / now we gad a good trip over and the scenes from / Port-Suez to Cairo surprised me all irrigated / plantations cotton. corn & sugar can for miles / Cairo is not a bad city as far as buildings go vut / dirty and rotten the Egyptians are a ? the streets / with their wares they have all Australian prices now / so a fellow like me can't play up to much ib 2/- / a day we are camped out about 8 miles from the / city. I hope you got the photos alright. I will write / a long letter ? time hoping you are all well / with fondest love to all Jack' Hand-written in purple pencil on the back of the postcard, upper right corner: 'address. ; Intermediate / Date / 8th ? Batt / 14th Inf Brigade Egypt - ' Printed on the back of the postcard: 'CARTE POSTALE'
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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overall dimensions
140 mm (Width), 89 mm (Height)
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References
'Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb),' Wikipedia, at: [Link 1](Cairo_suburb); accessed: August 6, 2012 For Albert Peile's war record see the National Archives of Australia website at: [Link 2] For John Peile's war record see the National Archive of Australia website at: [Link 3]
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Keywords