Sepia Saturday: Flowers and crosses
On the left side of the photo there is a florists's sign that reads 'Wreaths and Crosses' and I'm following that link in this blog. In World War 1 a relative was sent an album of pressed flowers from the Holy Land and Jerusalem. There are about 12 pages like those below. The album is about A4 size and has a cover made of olive wood. Some of the pages have crosses, some not. The flowers are in remarkably good condition and retain a lot of colour.
Also during the war a family member, David Ray Leed, was killed in France. This photo was sent to his parents.
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| David Ray Leed's cross, Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France |
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| Private David Ray Leed, 23 Battalion, Killed in Action Pozieres, Somme, France 15 Jul 1916; Buried Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. |
About 15 years ago friends of ours visited the cemetery and gave us these photos as well as a pressed red poppy they gathered from a field there. As you can see, the cemetery looks much different now. It's under the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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| Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France |
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| David Ray Leed's headstone, Rue-Du-Bois Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France |
At about the same time, between 1910 and 1920, this postcard was sent to a lady in Melbourne for her birthday. Now why would you put a cannon on a birthday card??? Even if it is covered in flowers.
To celebrate Sepia Saturday's 200th anniversary we have been asked to repost our favourite post. You can see what posts the other participants have chosen on the group's webpage.
My goodness. You and ScotSue should compare notes. Many postcards back then used military themes - usually in tandem with flowers, birds, butterflies & such. Perhaps they were meant to honor the war effort?
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace David Ray Leed.
ReplyDeleteI cant imagine the emotion that would have been provoked in a parent on seeing such a photo for the first time....
On the other hand.......A Psychedelic Cannon! I'm not sure about that at all.......
I like this post because it reminds me to look at all the details of the prompt and not necessarily go for the obvious, which is my usual way.
ReplyDeleteBlasting you with birthday wishes? The graveyards in France are wonderful to visit in a sad way.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice that they're taking such good care of David's grave. I sort of liked the rustic cross but the new gravestone is much more grand, and will last a lot longer. I think this is a great post for the book.
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Oh, that military photo makes me think of "Gallipoli" and "Breaker Morant". I love the pressed flower-cards. I used to have a couple of pressed-flower plaque-art that hung in my kitchen. It looked very much like these (without the crosses), but I had a cross over the kitchen doorway, so close enough!
ReplyDeleteNowadays oes anyone every slip a violet into the book they're reading and leave it to be pressed and found again years later. I must start doing that again. I love the word "yarning". It paints a whole picture.
ReplyDeleteI adore cards with flowers but this is the first time I have ever seen a cannon so decorated. The pressed flowers reminded me of how I used to do that growing up for Girl Scout activity of a sort. I haven't pressed flowers in a book for a long time, but what a nice thing to do. Maybe now that the cold autumn is here and leaves are all over I will pick some up and toss them in pages of various books. Good post from WWI to a cannon floral
ReplyDeleteOh my, that cannon with flowers is almost frightening, especially to have been sent in the midst of war. I would wonder what the secret message was! I hope David's grave is near that tree. Trees in graveyards are comforting, I think. They are beautiful pressed flower arrangements.
ReplyDeleteThe pressed flower cards (album, you say!?) are beautiful. I went to the cemetery at Fleurbaix last year as I have an ancestor there too - a very moving place, and so well tended by the locals.
ReplyDeleteInteresting take on that theme. The post is adorned with beautiful tributes. Great post for Sepia Saturday 200!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Wendy’s comment about looking for the details in a prompt; it gives a whole different slant. I enjoyed this first time round and I think you’ve chosen well.
ReplyDeleteThis and Scotsue's post will be appropriate to 'commemorate' (if that is a word we want to use) the upcoming centenary of the start of WW1 next year. The War Graves Commission does a tremendous job on our behalf.
ReplyDeleteA very good post about why photos and cards get saved for their memorial sentiment. The generations before the Great War knew tragedy too, but the scale of casualties in 1914-18 was so immense we still have trouble comprehending it.
ReplyDeleteA great choice for our book, and such a treasure for you. The postcards are amazing, and yes the last one is like nothing I've ever seen before.
ReplyDeleteSuch a poignant choice, Lorraine. Particularly with Remembrance Day not so far away, now.
ReplyDeleteI have a distant relative buried there near Normandy. It was good to see the different images and yes sad to see where the soldiers are buried.
ReplyDeleteI liked your lateral interpretation of this theme having noticed the wreath signage. Isn't it amazing that those flower "collages" have survived do well and now you also have photos of them. I too have a relative buried at Fleurbaix but a different cemetery. Sad years!
ReplyDeleteI remember this one. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I liked the bio and agree with the housework comment. I say something similar on my blog introduction :)
I always find soldier's graves to be sadder than others, somehow.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure you have with that pressed flower album! Wonderful pictures in this post. The cannon reminds me of a Rose Parade float or something.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
Nice memorial piece for David,
ReplyDeleteand that cannon was perhaps in hope of Peace one day
as it would finally lay silent?!?
:)~
HUGZ