Historical information

Postcards were a common form of souvenirs for soldiers who were travelling around Europe either during World War 1 or just after, before returning to Australia.
These were with other World War 1 memorabilia that has come from Private John Basil McLean, 2nd Reinforcements, 37th Battalion, A.I.F. There was a large collection of postcards so he may have been collecting them as souvenirs. He also had a vesta (match) case from Belfast, so it is likely he visited there.
These scenes include the Guiness Brewery in Dublin and the Belfast Town Hall, and a set of scenes from Killarney.
J.B. McLean (Service No. 13824) was from near Maffra, Victoria and enlisted on 22 January 1916. He embarked on 16 December 1916 for Europe. His full war record is available from AWM. He spent time with the Australian Field Artillery (Pack Section). At the end of the war he worked for a year at the A.I.F. Headquarters in London before returning to Australia on the 'Ceramic', arriving Portsea in 1920.

Significance

Postcards were a very common form of communication in the first World War. Postcards as souvenirs or as correspondence would have been familiar to the first Legatees as they had served in World War 1.

Physical description

Postcards x 15 with images from Ireland and Northern Ireland. Most from 'Valentine's Series' printed in Scotland.

Inscriptions & markings

01136.1 City Hall, Belfast
01136.2 Marble Stairway, City Hall, Belfast
01136.3 Killarney
01136.4 'Tis said that passing angles paused a while / To rest within and bless the Emerald Isle
01136.5 Guiness's Brewery, Lower Level, Dublin
01136.6 Scald Bank (Unloading empty casks) Guiness's Brewery, Dublin
01136.7 Fermenting House (Exterior) Guiness's Brewery, Dublin
01136.8 The Islands, Upper Lake, Killarney
01136.9 On Middle Lake, Killarney
01136.10 Serpent Lake, Gap of Dunloe, Killarney
01136.11 Shooting the rapids, Killarney
01136.12 Ross Castle, Killarney
01136.13 Eagle's Nest, Killarney
01136.14 Colleen Bawn Rock, Killarney
01136.15 Grafton Street, Dublin
Each one has the word POST CARD on the reverse with room for an address and an area for Correspondence. Different makers.