Postcards home
By Marg Powell, Specialist Library Technician, Metadata Services | 21 March 2016
When Corporal Ernest Gordon Warner wrote this postcard home to his 8 year old sister Ada, he had recently returned from hospital suffering the from the effects of mustard-gas-poisoning.
Postcard from Gordon Warner, 51st Infanty Battalion, to his sister Adeline Mary Warner, 30 April 1918. Source: Item 2, 29459, Adeline Mary Warner Postcard Book, State Library of Queensland.
Gordon Warner was a stockman from Springsure, he enlisted in Rockhampton in January 1916 and was assigned to the 52nd Infantry Battalion. He shortly after departed Brisbane for Sydney in April of that year and by June had landed in France.
The 52nd Battalion's first major battle was at Mouquet Farm in September 1916, it was during this time Gordon was promoted to Corporal.
Handmade postcard album, by Ada Warner. Source: Item 1, 29459, Adeline Mary Warner Postcard Book, State Library of Queensland
Early in 1917 Corporal Warner was evacuated to London ill, but he rejoined his unit again in September. Sadly in October while in the trenches at Abbeville, he was poisoned by deadly mustard gas. Gordon was evacuated to a casualty clearing station and then England to convalesce.
Card from Gordon in France, to Ada, 1918. Source: 29459, Adeline Mary Warner postcard book, State Library of Queensland
Gordon wrote to his sister Ada (Adeline Mary Warner) and told her how the French harnessed the dogs to carts, and used them to churn the butter. He signed the card "I remain your loving brother, Gordon".
Corporal Warner survived the remaining years of the war relatively unscathed, transferring to 50th Battalion in May 1918 and was detached for duty with the Overseas Training Brigade, in England.
At the end of the war he returned home to Springsure in April 1919 to be reunited with his parents and six siblings, Florence, Stanley, Leslie, Sidney, Kenneth and Ada.
In 1936 Gordon married Daisy Charlotte Parsons, sadly they only had a short time together, Gordon passed away just 4 years later in 1940, most probably due to the debilitating and lasting effects of the gas poisoning received during his service in the First World War.
Interior view of the postcard album, by Ada Warner. Source: Item 1: 29459, Adeline Mary Warner bostcard book, State Library of Queensland
Ada married Edward William Prowse in 1931, and it is her daughter that donated the postcard album to the State Library of Queensland. Many thanks to the family for allowing us to share Ada and Gordon's story.
Ada's delightful little album, which was handmade with brown paper, has been fully digitised, and can be viewed in high resolution, from the State Library of Queensland's catalogue.
Read more ...
- Service record: Warner, Ernest Gordon
- 29459 Adeline Mary Warner postcard album, State Library of Queensland
- Battle of Mouquet Farm. (2016, March 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
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