I treasure the many mementoes saved by my parents from so many years ago, many of which travelled from England to Australia with them when they emigrated in 1951.

Among these treasures is a set of postcards, sent to my mother during World War II, by my homesick father who was stationed at Whitley Bay in England, sometime during the early 1940s.

I would like to share these postcards, along with the messages my father wrote on the back of each card.

The first postcard, above, of the Promenade and Children’s Wading Pool, has rather a romantic note written on it. I had never taken my father for the romantic type at all ~

To my wife, with every thanks for past pleasures, and thoughts of happiness and love to come. From a grateful and ever true and loving husband, Sam.

He must have been pushed for time when he sent the next postcard, of the Promenade and Slopes, as the message seems rather hurried. He did remember to include the word loving, however, with a capital L ~

From your Loving husband, Sam.

My father gets straight to the point in the next postcard, showing the Lower Promenade of Whitley Bay, saying ~

From your still loving husband, Sam.

Please send something soon, I am broke, another thing, you’ll have to send it quick because of me being moved.

I wonder where he was being moved to? Who knows.

The final postcard, my favourite photo of the series, shows The Promenades Looking South, and of course, my father has added yet another deep and meaningful note to his wife at home ~

To My Darling Wife Annie, from Sam.

(Your ever loving husband, but always broke.)

These messages sound so much like my Dad! He could be such a character and I might add also, he was never known to be great at handling his money.

The next photo was taken for me last year and emailed across from England by a very lovely friend of mine, Richard, who took a photo for me to recreate the last postcard ~

Isn’t that fabulous? I can almost see the ghosts of another era, as the shadows of their figures still walk along The Promenades at Whitley Bay.

Thank you so much, Richard! This photo and your generosity in taking it for me means so much to me.

There is one final card that I would like to add here, this one having been sent from my mother and then baby sister, Annette, to my father when he was away at war.

Oh, daddy dear, I wish you could hear

The song I’ve made up just for you.

It’s called “Come home as soon as you can”,

for you see

We want you so much,

Mum and me.

On the back of the tiny card, written in my mother’s hand, it says ~

To Daddy, from your darling daughter, Annette.

What a difficult time it must have been for young families back in the early 1940s when these cards were exchanged and families were torn apart.

These precious postcards depict World War II, seventy years ago, with my father’s words caught in a time warp of love and memories.  I will continue to treasure them on behalf of my mum, dad and big sister (none of whom are here with us any longer) for as long as time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~