Summary

Book of 24 detachable postcards, of which only 15 remain in the album, from World War I.

Part of a collection of material relating to the World War I service of brothers John and Albert Victor Peile. It is unclear which of the brothers owned the postcard album. Both brothers 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. 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

Post card album from Egypt, World War I.

Physical Description

Rectangular booklet with a small black image in the lower left corner of a pyramid and printed text on hard-back brown cover. Back cover is blank. Inside the booklet is a collection of detachable, crudely printed colour postcards in the following order: 'Le Caire - Ascension de la Grande Pyramide' - seven figures in native dress apparently helping two figures in European dress climb a pyramid. 'Cairo - Pyramids at Buffalo on the Nile' - Two youths in native dress in a river. One is standing to the left of frame whilst the second sits astride what looks like a water buffalo, both are looking towards the camera. Two pyramids can be seen on the opposite side of the river. 'Cairo - Mohamed-Aly-Mosque' - large mosque with a figure and horse drawn carriage standing in front. 'Cairo - Sultan Hassan mosques and Holy Carpet' - Streetscape with what appears to be a procession making its way down the street. A crowd has gathered to watch the procession, which includes uniformed men on horseback and camels. 'Cairo - Pyramids' - river lined with trees on the right hand side and three pyramids on the opposite bank in the distance. 'Cairo - The Holy Carpet' - procession through a streetscape, followed by a large crowd. There are buildings in the background and trees and carriages in the foreground. 'Cairo - General view with the mosques / of Sultan Hussen' - large mosque and cityscape. 'CAIRO / Statue / of Memphis' - colossal statue on its back surrounded by trees. A figure in native dress stands near its head, facing the camera. 'Cairo - Barrage Bridge' - large bridge acriss a waterway with huge, turretted towers at each end. 'Le Caire - L'Obleische d'Heliopolis' - large obelisk surrounded by trees with three figures in native garb in front of it. One of the figures is standing off to the left, one is sitting on the ground towards the middle whilst the third stands off to the right with a cow. 'Cairo - Kasr-el-Nil Bridge' - view down a bridge with high sides and two lions on pillars on either side of the entrance. There is a crowd of people, most of whom appear top be in native dress, on the bridge. 'Le Caire - La Route des Pyramides' - what appears to be a river leading down to a small dam with three pyramids in the distance. What looks like a railway track is on the right bank and there is a small boat out on the waterway. 'Cairo - The Pyramids' - large group of figures in native dress milling around a mediumn sized body of water, under some palm trees. Three pyramids in the distance. 'Cairo - El-Azhar-Mosque' - a collonaded walkway around a large square. Several figures in native dress are seated in groups both in the square and on the walkway, some appear to be deep in conversation whilst others are reading. 'Cairo - General view' - view of a cityscape that appears to have been taken from an allevated position.

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