This standard Italian POW postcard seems to be part of a larger form, note the tear off line at the top edge, suggesting that the upper part of the form would be the POW’s record card for the Italian authorities. My father sent two of these blue cards home. To see the second one, which is of a slightly smaller size and unsigned, click here. Both cards have have a Red Cross, Geneva postmark. This card would be the first communication sent home by a POW. Most of the DLI men captured at Sedjenane were initially posted as ‘Missing’, leading to an agonising wait for relatives until news like the card above came through. Sadly, for many relatives further news never did arrive. Many 16th DLI casualties were posted ‘Missing’ for over a year before finally being assumed to have been killed. For more on this, see the Roll of Honour section of www.16dli.net
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