339: Charles Hindley (postcard)

online resource

posted on 2024-01-12, 09:30 authored by Lest We Forget Project Team

This postcard is from my grandfather Charles Hindley to his parents and the insert with the card is dated 1914/15. The postcard is made by a company in Paris. He has written on the back "1/7 west Riding Regiment , 49 Div and BEF." The story I was told was that at some point he was "mustard gassed" and woke up in a church which was being used as a mortuary, surrounded by dead colleagues. When he went to the door to leave the sentries ran off!

Researching the regiment's movements it would appear the div was mobilised in August 1914. In April 15 they were in France as part of the BEF on the western front. It was redesignated The 49th (West Riding) Div in May 1915. The Div was a target for the first German Phosgene attack against British troops in December 1915 at Wieltje in N.E. Ypres in Belgium Flanders which may fit with the family story handed down to us.

History

Name of contributor(s)

Phil Hindley

Subject of the story/individual the object(s) relate to

My Grandfather, Charles Hindley

Date(s) the event(s) in the story took place

1914 - 15?

Location(s) where the event(s) in the story took place

Possibly near Paris given the post card manufacturer. It's also possible my grandfather was serving near Wieltje, N.E Ypres.

Object(s)

Postcard

Community Collection Day

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Keywords

Lest We Forget World War One

Licence

CC BY-NC 4.0

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