Sid & Elsie : love across the miles and down the years 1

My thanks go to Wendy Nicholson who has shared with the SCS a set of seven beautifully embroidered postcards sent by Sid in Salonika to his wife Elsie (also known as Chips) in 1917 and 1918.

Sadly there is nothing on the cards to help identify the couple; no unit or location other than ‘Salonica’ for Sid and no address or surname for Elsie. Only one (this one) has a specific date, the others are just ‘1917’ or ‘1918’.  All we can work out about them, other than Sid liked writing poetry, is that they met ‘by the tower’ – could that be Blackpool tower?

There is just one card for 1918; does this mean that Sid fell in 1918? Is he one of the 422 Sidneys commemorated in Greece? Or is the rest of his correspondence lost and he returned safely home to Elsie? I don’t suppose we will ever find out – although if you know of a Sid and Elsie who fit the bill, do get in touch – but it is good to know that these cards have survived together and in such lovely condition for 100 years.

Ever of thee
Ah! Never till life and mem’ry perish
Can I forget how dear thou art to me
Morn, noon and night , where’re I may be
Fondly I’m dreaming ever of thee.

To My Darling Wife
From your ever loving and devoted husband Sid xxxxxx
Salonica, August 26-1917

Here is a close up of the signature on the bottom of the card:

The other cards will be reproduced here between now and January.