This postcard of the "Kitchen in U. S. Army Barracks" was published by Curt Teich. It is labeled U. S. Army Cantonment Series No. 68. This seems to be a large general series of postcards illustrating Army life in the World War I era.The postcard does not identify a specific camp or location.
This particular card was mailed from Des Moines, Iowa on November 3, 1918 with a 2¢ stamp. The stamp indicates that the sender apparently was not a soldier who could have mailed the card "free" via Ssoldiers Mail. The message is typical of the type used to fill up space on a postcard without really saying anything:
Dear Raymond: I rec'd your letter and was glad to hear from you. I am well and glad to hear you are the same. I haven't much news to write. Tell all the folks hello for me. I must close as ever your friend. Charlie
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HA - yeah, that message sounds like letters I have written simply announcing I have nothing to say. Makes us all glad for an interesting front to the postcard!
ReplyDeleteI wish people would respond to my emails with a postcard message like that. I have dozens of postcards with similar banal notes, so it seems it was a common custom that sadly is vanishing like so many eMogees. (and I don't even know if I've spelled that right) The first mobilization of new soldiers in 1917 was probably scary for the folks back home. The army reckoned a picture of the camp kitchen would reassure mothers that their boys were well fed.
ReplyDeleteThe two men receiving their food don't exactly look overjoyed about them!
ReplyDeleteThey all look a little stiff and unnatural but that must be the state of colorized postcards at the time. I never pictured so few men in the dining room at one time.
ReplyDeleteNeither the servers or the diners look too happy at the food in front of them. The message on the card was so similar to the ones my grandfather wrote in the First World War, where his favourite phrase was "I am in the pink".
ReplyDeleteNot a donut in sight:) Maybe that's why they're looking so glum, Jo.
ReplyDeleteThat picture looks like some catered meeting dinners I've been to - not particularly interesting looking, but hopefully filling with some taste?
ReplyDeleteNot exactly comfort food though. Let’s hope there’s a plate of doughnuts coming through the door in a minute.
ReplyDeleteWhy am I thinking that when these two guys were together in person the conversations were pretty much the same? Men of few words who probably would sit for hours and not even look at each other.
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