Summary

Envelope entitled 'A Message to You From the King', addressed to Driver Claude Ewart. The envelope would have contained a letter sent to soldiers from Buckingham Palace, inscribed '1918. The Queen & I wish you God-speed, a safe return to the happiness & joy of home life with an early restoration to health. A grateful Mother Country thanks you for faithful services. George R.I.' Museum Victoria holds an example of this letter: ST 036383, Letter - King George V to Lieutenant E.J. Gaynor, World War I, 1918.

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, 9 February 1919, 'All invalids of the A.l.F. homeward bound are handed a special message from the King on their embarkation. Each message is enclosed in a neat envelope, headed "A message to you from the King" and the envelope is addressed personally to each individual invalid.' Claude Ewart probably received the letter around Christmas Day 1918 - the day he embarked to return to Australia on the Takada.

Claude Harold Ewart, regimental number 6940, was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and was a 27-year-old driver when he enlisted in the Army on 14 August 1915. He embarked at Melbourne on the HMAT 'Wiltshire' on 18 November 1915. After three months in Egypt, he was shipped to Marseille, France, arriving 19 March 1916 and then moving to the front. On 17 February 1918 he was injured when kicked by a horse, and on 5 March 1918 he was admitted to the Military Hospital, Frensham Hill, suffering contusion of the elbow. On 31 July he was admitted to Sutton Veny Military Hospital suffering 'ICT' of the right elbow. He was discharged 29 September 1919 and worked as a storeman and, later in life, as a lift attendant, as many wounded veterans did. He died at the age of 57, in 1945.

Physical Description

Off-white envelope, printed in black in upper left, with hand-written address. The back is blank. The edges of the envelope are worn and torn, with staining on the right side.

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