How sad - Postcards sent to WWI soldiers in 1916 discovered in train station
 

How sad - Postcards sent to WWI soldiers in 1916 discovered in train station
By: Ann W. Schmidt - Fox News - 11-1-21
Re: https://nypost.com/2021/11/15/postca...train-station/

Photo link: https://nypost.com/wp-content/upload...trip=all&w=744
Officials are trying to track down the soldiers' families. - Network Rail/SWNS

Postcards from 1916 that were sent to soldiers fighting in World War I were recently discovered in the roof of a Scottish train station while it was being renovated.

Earlier this month, workers found the bundle of postcards as well as other papers in the roof of the train station in the Scottish village of Cambusbarron, according to SWNS.

The news agency reported that many of the postcards were branded with the name of Caledonian Railway, a major Scottish railway company that was absorbed into another railway company in the 1920s.

The postcards were apparently sent to soldiers stationed in the Cambusbarron barracks, where soldiers were trained, according to SWNS.

According to a report from The Scotsman, the soldiers never received their postcards.

Now, officials with the U.K.’s mail railway, Network Rail, are trying to track down relatives of the soldiers to find out what happened to them, SWNS reported.

In particular, officials are looking for information on 2nd Lt. J M or H Campbell of the 11th Gordon Highlanders, Private W Reddiford of B Company of the 11th Gordon Highlanders, Private George Rankine of the 6th Black Watch, Officer Commanding A Company and 11th Gordon Highlanders, according to SWNS.

2nd photo link: https://nypost.com/wp-content/upload...y=90&strip=all
The postcards were apparently sent to soldiers stationed in the Cambusbarron barracks, where soldiers were trained. - Network Rail/SWNS

Network Rail has already been able to track some of the whereabouts of Captain and Quartermaster Arthur James MacDonald of the 8th Battalion of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, though officials are still hoping to find out more information about him.

Thus far, officials are aware that MacDonald was wounded on Oct. 28, 1918, possibly at the Battle of Cambrai.

According to SWNS, officials believe MacDonald survived and made it home since his injuries happened so close to Armistice.

Network Rail is working with the regimental museums for the Gordon Highlanders, the Cameron Highlanders and the Black Watch in its search for the soldiers, SWNS reported.

“It’s been incredible to see these postcards, many of which are more than one hundred years old and to find out about some of the items that were sent on the railway,” Helen Agnew, Network Rail project manager for the Stirling Station roof works said, according to SWNS. “Finding these items in the roof of the station has already offered a fantastic insight into the past, but to be able to trace any family members of those who served would be incredible.”

According to SWNS, the postcards and papers will have to be properly preserved before they can be displayed, because of their fragile condition.

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That's regrettable - but as they say - 'shit happens'