why was he there?

[cecile]

I have a family member who was in the Cyclist Corps during WW1. I have a postcard that he sent to his mother just to wish her 'Happy Birthday'. It is from Rouen in France. I just wondered why he was there. Was that part of the front line? I have looked up Rouen but it doesn't say anything about WW1. Could he just have been on a bit of R & R?
Does anyone know anything about this town? I would be most glad to here from anyone.
Many thanks
Cecile

[avm228]

Hi - is this old query related?

www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/forum/topic9924.html

As people on the other forum were saying, any date on the card would be a useful clue.

[cecile]

Hello
Had a look at the message you mentioned and it could be my cousin, she was the one to pass the postcard on to me. I have just had another look at it but there is no date, no post marks at all. As my cousin says, it could have been sent in an envelope. He is just wishing his mother a happy birthday and hopes to be with her for her next birthday. I just wondered what was happening there during WW1.
Many thanks for getting back to be
Cecile

[Hackstaple]

Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city. Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot

In the champ de courses on the outskirts of Rouen, the British established Number 12 General Hospital, British Expeditionary Force, in 1914. This was taken over by the American Medical Service on June 12, to replace the British staff. This was a 1,350-bed hospital, almost completely made up of tents. Two other hospitals were operated within the racetrack. One was a British hospital for captured, wounded enemy prisoners and British prisoners who had self-inflicted wounds. And the third was a British colonial hospital.

[cecile]

Thank you so much for that information. Being in the Cycling Corps maybe he was a sort of messenger for the hospital. I have never heard of him being injured. I doubt if we will ever know but many thanks once again for those details.
Best wishes
Cecile

[km1971]

These silk cards were sold in a tissue envelope and usually the soldier placed that in a normal envelope to protect it. They also made cards with a silk pocket and a greetings card was placed inside the pocket.

Samples here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=ww1+silk+postcards

Ken