“THE POSTCARDS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE REPRODUCED BY GRACIOUS PERMISSION OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, AND ARE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION IN THE ROYAL ARCHIVES AT WINDSOR CASTLE.”
Her Late Majesty Queen Mary was an avid collector of Christmas cards – the eventual size of her collection was to be 18 albums – and in 1917, knowing of her interest in cards, a postal censor presented her with a collection of confiscated picture postcards. They do contain some harshly anti-British cards – presumably why the censor confiscated them -and some rare Dutch cards that are bitterly anti-war in character. The majority of the cards (which include postally used – often to America – cards and also unposted cards) are not only in perfect condition, but are of types that are not often found in this country in such a large quantity collected together in one album.
Queen Mary was deeply involved in every way in the War firstly as a mother, with two sons on active service. The Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VIII) served as A.D.C. to the C.I.C. in France, then as Staff Captain to the G.O.C of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and finally as General Staff Officer to Lord Cavan in Italy. His enthusiasm and desire to be in the thick of things was a continual headache to Lord Kitchener (who dreaded the embarrassment H.R.H. would cause should he be taken prisoner) and to his protecting aides. Prince Albert (later to become King George VI) was a Midshipman on H.M.S. Collingwood when war broke out and he arrived back from sick leave in time to fight in the Battle of Jutland. He described the Battle to his parents as a great experience to have been through’. Secondly, Queen Mary’s involvement as Consort to a King who felt sincere personal concern for his subjects at war (civilian and in the Services) was arduous. The Royal Couple made literally hundreds of visits to hospitals, munitions factories, bomb damaged areas throughout the War and through the length and breadth of the country (and also abroad as far as the King was concerned). When the King fell off the horse loaned to him by General Haig during a visit to the troops in France and was severely injured (with extensive bruises and fractured pelvis) she undertook many of his engagements alone during his lengthy and difficult convalescence.