3 January 1917, to Lil
Dear Lil, I shall send a letter tomorrow. This
is the first day we have been allowed to
write. We’ve had tons of work to do, hence
no letter today. Address as before. Don’t put
on an A P O but instead of BEF put IEF Italy.
Best love, G.
3 January 1917, to Lil
None of your letters have arrived yet. I’ve
not had any since Dec 23rd (1916). They’ll all
come at once I expect. G
3 January 1917, to Lil
Will you send me the ordinary Hugo’s Italian
please. You know the three paper backed
ones like the French. I have one I can borrow
until it comes. Love from G.
This is part of a cardboard box full of Gilbert Tasker Mahony’s postcards and
documents found by David Jackson in the cellar when he moved into 4 Avondale
Mount, Shipley in 1979.
Most of them are headed OAS (On Active Service) and stamped in red 'Passed by
Censor). The censor crossed out the name of the towns in most cases but we have
managed to decipher them or work them out.
The majority were written to his wife, Lil, or daughter Aileen, but some were to his
mother-in-law, Mrs Collins and one to his sister-in-law.
My thanks to David for given me access to this fascinating archive
1917 Postcards
(Click on the card to see location and a bigger image)
Gilbert Tasker Mahony
The first six cards are all the same date. Although they are from France, the request for
an Italian dictionary and the card of 4 January suggests he was in Italy
3 January 1917, to Aileen (aged 4)
How’s this? D
3 January 1917, to Mrs Collins
Hope you are better. G
3 January 1917, to his sister-in-law
Same place?
[Suggests earlier correspondence]
3 March 1917, to Aileen
Dear Aileen, I am sending you along another
pc showing some roses. I am certain you
would like a bunch like them. As I cannot
send you any from here I send you a picture
instead. Have you had the other ones I sent?
Best love xxxxxx Dad
2 May 1917, to Aileen (aged 4)
½ hour here. (leave 3.30 pm)
Please send my razor strop.
Behind the b.m. door. Cheerio!
G
4 January 1917, to Aileen
Dear Aileen, Here is a picture of some
Italian children where I am staying. Love
from D xxxxxxxx
7 June 1917, to Lil
We have arrived all right after many stops
and changes. Last night we were almost
washed away by a thunderstorm which
lasted 4 hrs. It was terrific. Letter follows as
soon as possible. Gxxxxxxxx
N.B. Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise is a commune in the Pas-de-
Calais department in northern France. It was from a chapel
here on 7 November 1920 that the remains of an
unidentifiable, fallen British soldiers, disinterred from the
battlefields, was taken to England to be buried in the Tomb
of the Unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey
25 July 1917, to Aileen
Best love, G
N.B. This monument is a memorial to the 61 men of the
Canton who died during the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian
war. It was inaugurated in 1900. 180 men from this
small town were killed in the First World War so in 1920
the local authorities added a memorial to them.
You can read more and see how the memorial changed at
http://ww1photographs.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/the-
war-memorial-of-paray-le-monial/
26 December 1917, to Lil
New address XI Corps School BEF. Best love
G. Impossible to write yesterday or for some
time.
N.B. Merville was the scene of fighting between the Germans and French and British cavalry early in
October 1914 but from the 9th of that month to 11 April 1918, it remained in Allied hands. In October
1914, and in the autumn of 1915, the town was the headquarters of the Indian Corps. It was a railhead
until May 1915, and a billeting and hospital centre from 1915-1918. The 6th and Lahore Casualty
Clearing Stations were there from the autumn of 1914 to the autumn of 1915; the 7th from December
1914, to April 1917; the 54th (1st/2nd London) from August 1915 to March 1918, and the 51st (Highland)
from May 1917 to April 1918.
On the evening of 11 April 1918, in the Battles of the Lys, the Germans forced their way into Merville and
the town was not retaken until 19 August. The cemeteries were not used again until the concentration of
battlefield burials into the Extension began, after the Armistice.
This was taken from the Commonwelath War Graves Site which you can access here
27 December 1917, to Lil
C P M Mahony 344 A G Staff.
Best love G
27 December 1917, to Aileen
C P M Mahony 344 A G Staff. How did you
like Xmas? Dad xxxxx
27 December 1917, to Mrs Collins
Here is a p.c. showing altar of church here.
The building is very fine inside. Please save
the p.c. G
N.B AG staff = Army Gymnastic Staff?
Montargis is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France on the Loing
river. The town is located about 110 km south of Paris and 70 km east of Orléans in the
Gâtinais. Montargis is the second largest city in the Loiret, after Orléans.
Wikipedia
N.B Merville church appears to have been
shelled or bombed soon after this
27 December 1917, to Aileen
Be good. Dad
29 December 1917, to Lil
I will send a letter on at the first
opportunity. There has been no
chance since Xmas day. All that
day were on fatigues. Love
from G
29 December 1917, to Lil
Still on the train. G
29 December 1917, to Aileen
Can you build one like this? xxxx from
Dad
29 December 1917, to Aileen
I sent some p cs of this place the other day. I
hope you have them. D How did santa
Claus go on?
29 December 1917, to Lil
Bull fights are held here. We are only
stopping in the station here so
unfortunately cannot see these places. How
is Ma I wonder? G
30 December 1917, to Lil
Still going! How do you like this?
30 December 1917, to Aileen
Would you like to be here? xxxx Dad
N.B First of five cards sent en
route, it would seem, to
Cannes
