From 1914 until the end of World War I in 1918, George Brown (no relation to the Toronto college) was stationed as an ambulance attendant in France and Belgium. He relied on the postal service to send souvenirs to his family back in Canada. Birthdays, Christmases and other occasions were marked by the arrival of envelopes containing pressed flowers, delicate lace handkerchiefs, exquisite embroidery, and carefully handwritten cards, sent to children who were so young when he left they had no real recollection of who he was.
George survived the war; so did some of the mementos he sent, now passed on to us.
It's always a pleasure to find something other than a bill in the letterbox.
No comments:
Post a Comment