Item ST 40697 Postcard - 'Runic Leaving Cape Town', Private John 'Jack' Peile to Siblings, World War I, Aug 1915

Summary

Colour illustration of the White Star Line ship 'Runic' leaving Cape Town and was signed by 'Jack' - the nickname for John Peile, confirmed by his service number on the back (2662).

The Runic was leased by the Commonwealth Goverment of Australia until 1917 for use as a transport ship. John Peile embarked from Australia on the Runic in 1915.

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.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.

Description of Content

Colourised image of a ship, with title above.

Physical Description

Colour illustration printed on paper. Illustration features image of a large steamship near a headlans, with other sailing vessells included a sailing ship, tug boat and smaller distant steam ship in the water. The sky is clouded and coloured in tones of pink, purple and blue.