Summary

Postcard depicting a black and white image of the Royal Hotel and beach at Weymouth in Dorset, England. It was written by Private John Peile to his mother in March 1918, and refers to the death of his brother 'Al'. John adds that 'my nerves a bit gone'.

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; 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.

George III's 1789 visit to Weymouth resulted in an influx of tourists to the site, whilst during World War I Weymouth served as a depot for wounded ANZAC soldiers and originally catered for casualties from Gallipoli. Weymouth later became A.I.F. Command Depot No.2. No. 2 C.D. and most of the A.I.F. servicemen who were no longer fit for service and repatriated to Australia would have passed through the town. Montevideo was the principle Australian camp near Weymouth, named for Montevideo House that now serves as a nursing home. In June 2005 a memorial was erected in Weymouth to the ANZAC soldiers who stayed in the area, some of whom are buried nearby at the Weymouth and Melcome Regis Cemetery.

Description of Content

Beach scene with adults and children paddling. Row of buildings behind.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph printed on paper.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Returned and Services League (RSL) Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Public Life & Institutions

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from Victorian Branch, Returned & Services League of Australia Limited (RSL), Mrs Margaret J. Hitchens, 1986

  • Author

    Corporal John '. Peile - Australian Imperial Force (AIF), Mar 1918

  • Place Depicted

    Weymouth, Dorset, England, Great Britain, 1914-1918

  • Format

    Postcard, Black & White

  • Inscriptions

    Printed on front: 'ROYAL HOTEL & BEACH / WEYMOUTH.' Printed on back: 'POST CARD. / The Address to be written here' Handwritten on back: 'Dear Mother 1[?]7/3/18 / Just a card to say I am in Blighty / not feeling to bad tho cold gets me a bit / & my nerves a bit gone but otherwise alright / I am here for home service but things are / not looking to gay over the way one may have to / go again. I recieved notice from headquarters over / the money you sent just on this date a bit of slack- / ness. I have altered my allorment money so you / will be receiving 6/- a day I can hand out on / what I get - I hope you got all that was due / from poor old Al' Printed vertically on back left: 'Published by the Australian Y.M.C.A.'

  • Classification

    Military history, Service, Recreation & tourism

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Image

  • References

    'Weymouth, Dorset, England,' History and Heritage of Weymouth and Dorset Area, at: [Link 1] accessed: June 18, 2012 Department of Veterans Affairs, 'The ANZAC Memorial,' Overseas Monuments, at: [Link 2] accessed: June 18, 2012 For Albert Peile's war record see the National Archives of Australia website at: [Link 3] For John Peile's war record see the National Archive of Australia website at: [Link 4]

  • Keywords

    World War I, 1914-1918, Death & Mourning