Postcards as Proof of Life During the Great War

Approaching the First World War, 1,700,000 letters were exchanged each day. Photographs were far less common in homes than they are today and even newspapers didn't use them much!
Postcards were therefore an important way of receiving news.

The number of letters sent rose dramatically once the war started.
Between three and four million letters were sent each day from behind the lines to the front line
and between 1.8 and two million letters went the other way.

The infantrymen wrote on postcards, sheets of paper, or notebook pages, most often using a pencil.
They weren't allowed to state the precise location of where they were posted, the number of deaths, the next offensives, or to comment on troop morale. The letters were censored, with each one being reviewed before it was sent.

Postcards said "things are fine here" or even just "I'm alive."

Some soldiers continued to take care of their personal business from the front.
"Gouesnon, April 14, 1915,
My dear Mother,
In response to your last letter, do not send me any new laundry, I have enough. If Florentin wants to be responsible for something, you can give him a piece of cheese, if you still have some with a cloth and a handkerchief, that's all I need. I'm still expecting to stay in Gouesnon for a while, since I cannot do any better, but maybe we can return at the end of May. As for the cows, do your best, I know it's not easy.
Above all, do not worry about what may be said about me, I'm in good health and that's the main thing.
All my love. "
During the war, some soldiers who ran large farms were able to get a special "farming leave" to help out during the busiest times of the year.

Everyone waited impatiently for the postman to bring them proof that their loved ones were alive. By contrast, everyone feared the arrival of the mayor or a police officer as this was often a sign of bad news (injury or death).

Families also wrote about trivial things in their letters. Keeping up soldiers' morale was crucial, they did not need to know how difficult life also was behind the lines. These letters were also a way for soldiers to maintain links with family and their daily lives.

"Lorient, May 8, 1916,

My beloved Eugene, I received your card dated the 5th this morning. There have been no more delays for the last few days. Wonderful father, I am very happy to know you are in good health. The same is true also for your three little ones. This is despite the rather cold weather we have had the last few days. It is so cold that I have had to have the stove on for three days. Don't tell me to switch it off my darling. It can't be too good in your tent as I doubt you will still be getting coal supplied. This afternoon I'm going to see Mrs. Keriaud and will try to return for four p.m. so that Jeannette is not left at the door. Mrs. Parisot's successors have moved into their apartment. I don't remember if I told you that already. It's not as quiet as it used to be with Mrs. Parisot. They have a young child of about seven or eight months old who has already woken me up several times during the night. It's annoying I know, but these poor souls must get up despite all the inconveniences of the little one. I'm pretty sure they do not care much about neighborhood relations. At least we will get along well on that point. It would be good though to be on friendly terms with the neighbors. Dear little father, please forgive me if I don't write too much today. I still love you very much and am with you and near your heart in my thoughts. "

Between families:
People said more between families, yet they were still restrained to a certain extent as defeatism during wartime was punishable by death.
News of soldiers on the front line was given from one family to another. We see that injuries didn't matter much and the important thing was that the soldier was alive and safe during their convalescence.
"Dear Madam,
I am writing to let you know that my husband has been injured by a bullet in his arm, but it's nothing. He has a week of rest to convalesce. Imagine how happy I was to see him arrive. I hope that you are still well. Things are fine here and so all that is left for me to say is have a good day. "

Between soldiers:
It was the same between soldiers, with the exchanges revealing daily life in the barracks or on the front. In this exchange, we get a sense of the danger of life on the front at the Somme and the friendship between the two soldiers. Here again, the correspondence shows that being wounded was not the worst thing because a period of rest allowed the soldier to escape the front for a while.

Pre-printed cards with free postage:
French infantrymen in WWI were able to write and send news to their families free of charge, but what they wrote was monitored by the army.
Here is an example of correspondence from the army of the Republic.
There were fields to complete to identify oneself without saying too much, and a postal division was used so that the enemy did not obtain information if the mail was stolen.
These cards were given to the soldiers and were reviewed systematically by the officer in charge of the mail.

Unofficial cards featuring the military franking stamp:
Any traditional card could be used provided that they stated "Military franking" so they were sent free of charge.
Here is a card signed by a soldier named Salvage with the official stamp of the military postal service.
It tells the story of his activities and his daily life.

Unofficial cards with a propaganda message:

The publishers of postcards played their part in distributing patriotic and anti-German messages. One example is this young Breton girl, in line with the cards featuring costumes that were produced in large numbers, except that we can see a surprising caption:
"Breton and French girls forever, the Boche never! "

A soldier sends news to his female wartime godmother from the auxiliary hospital where he is recovering.