Tuesday 15 August 2017

When the story is the address ........ postcards from Oldham during the Great War

Now for some this postcard offers up little in the way of a story.

Silk cards like this one were common both during and after the Great War, and many have survived the century or so since.

Along with ones destined for home and family which, were for “a loving wife” or “dearest daughter” there were those carrying the regimental badge or name of a unit of the British army.

Most of the ones in the collection are for the Manchester Regiment, but there is one for the Post Office Rifles, a few from Canada and this one for the Cheshire Regiment.

All belong to David Harrop who has kindly shared them with me and some appeared in the book on Manchester and the Great War.*

In the case of this one there is a story and it revolves around the address on the reverse.

It was sent by Private James Moseley of the Cheshire Regiment who addressed it from D Company 12 Tent, Chadderton camp, Royton, near Oldham.

Chaderton Army Camp was on land requisitioned by the military at the outbreak of the war and had been part of the estate belonging to Chadderton Hall.

In time I will go looking for Private Moseley but for now it is that address directing the postman to Tent 12 that intrigues me and offers up the start of a story about military training under canvas during the Great War

Location; Oldham during the Great War

Picture; silk postcard, undated, courtesy of David Harrop

*A new book on Manchester and the Great War, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/A%20new%20book%20on%20Manchester%20and%20the%20Great%20War

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