Image: FCP World War 1 ASC soldiers
Description: Postcard photo of ASC soldiers of the Home Counties during World War I. The postcard is unused, but in two different handwritings it says on the back: "T, ASC, Home Counties" and "Brighton". However there is no evidence that it's Brighton; it looks like Herne Bay pier and the boat looks like a Herne Bay hoy. The photographer was Fred C. Palmer of Tower Studio, Herne Bay, Kent (as printed on the back of the card). He lived there 1903-1922, and is believed to have died 1936-1939. The soldiers based closest to Palmer's studio in 1914-1915 were The Buffs, (East Kent Regiment), which raised nine battalions in World War I. (Today the Buffs are amalgamated into the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.) Points of interest: "ASC" written on the epaulettes; the spanking new leather equipment and shiny new metal water bottles; the cigarette held by the nervous soldier; the different insignia on the right arms of two of the soldiers. They have not yet been to war. Border The remaining border of this image is important for researchers of this photographer. Some photographers trimmed their images more than others, and Palmer has a reputation for producing smaller postcards than other early 20th century UK photographers. He took his own photos, developed them in-house onto postcard-backed photographic paper and trimmed them himself. It is worth adding that during hand-developing the border is actively masked with equipment which both crops the picture and causes the white frame or border to appear on the paper. This frame is part of the design and is one of the reasons why the quality of Palmer's work is so interesting, and why there is an article and category for him on English Wiki. Researchers need to see exactly where the edge of the postcard is. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Title: FCP World War 1 ASC soldiers
Credit: Scan of original postcard in my possession
Author: Fred C. Palmer (died 1936-1939)
Permission: out of copyright
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No
Image usage
The following page links to this image:
