Sentimental Sunday – Edmond et Jeanne
This “Sentimental Sunday” post is not of an ancestor but rather a part of my own history, and something that is of great sentimental value to me.
WWI Postcard
It was my first visit to Paris when I first met my future husband. One day during my visit we decided to go to “Les Puces“, a most amazing flea market which spills through countless city blocks of St. Ouen.
We eventually made our way to a booth where there were a couple of wobbly tables holding several boxes of old postcards, and rifling through a box I found this one and immediately knew that I had to have it. It is dated 1918, sent from a WWI soldier of France to his beloved. The reverse:
Ma Cher Petite Jeanne, 21 Apr 1918
…and the translation:
Sunday 21/4/18
My dear little Jeanne,
It is with pleasure that I have received your sweet letter from the 4th. You will forgive me if I didn’t respond sooner, but it was impossible for me because we were in the midst of changing position, now we are in the middle of the mountains and I want you to believe that its worse than where we were before.
For me I’m still in good health and I’m very happy to know that it is the same for you.
Say hello to your family for me and receive, dear Jeanne, the most tender kisses from the one who loves you and who sends you kisses from the bottom of his heart.
Your Edmond
We bought it for a few pennies; and I thought that it would be complete if we could find an old frame for it from around the same era. We had been searching for a couple of hours without luck when we came upon a small antique shop, and there amidst stacks of dusty, old framed prints and paintings we found this battered, embossed tin frame, glass intact and the perfect size for the postcard. I don’t know if the frame matches the timeframe of the postcard, but it seemed to and so it was perfect. 
A few francs later we left the shop and brought the treasure home, where the tin frame got a good cleaning and became the permanent home for Edmond’s sweet and sentimental postcard.
Unfortunately there are no surnames to trace the writer and the recipient, but we have always fervently hoped that Edmond returned home from war safe and sound to his dear little Jeanne.
© 2010-2013 Mardistudio. All Rights Reserved 
What a wonderful story Mardi! Right up there with my Leander and Eleanor!!! I love old postcards. I have a collection as well, and I often wonder about their stories. I know I’m going to have Jeanne and Edmond on my mind for a while
Thank you Claire! I have a collection of old postcards too, and this one is my favorite… as much for the memory of the day we found it as well as the little glimpse into the story of Edmond and Jeanne.
Oh,I wish there had been something to trace.I love orphan pictures myself which I find at stores. I suppose I I should label it so the kids don’t wonder who is this? .Wouldn’t it be fun if Edmonds family saw it here. Enjoyed your post.
Thank you for stopping by!
I really wish it was possible to trace them for possible descendants of theirs, (and I’m hopeful that there are descendants of this lovely couple).
It would be amazing if one day someone who knew either of them would recognize the postcard but I don’t think there’s much hope of it. Still, stranger things have happened!
Hallo MarDi, Just wanted to let you know that I have nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog Award. Please visit my blog for your badge and acceptance rules. (http://rootsresearcher.wordpress.com )
Kind regards,
Christine
I just did too!!! MarDi your blog is lovely and definitely one of my favorites
Claire, thank you so much! I’m so honored that you and Christine included my blog, it’s so very sweet of both of you.
My poor little blog hasn’t been too lovely the past few weeks, it’s been so neglected… but with a week of free time I’ll have many hours to post here and finally catch up on reading both of yours! I’m looking so forward to doing both.
This is such a lovely story MarDi. Makes me wish I had a lovely old postcard like that. I wonder if it is possible to check war records and try to whittle it down to see just how many Edmonds there were at that time and maybe see what troops were “in the middle of mountains” at that exact date? It would be wonderful if you could find the family of either Edmond or Jeanne. I hope he made it through the war.
Kind regards,
Christine (rootsresearcher at So That’s Where I Get It From)
Christine, I don’t know how your comment escaped me for so long!
Quite a while ago I did try searching through military records online but I gave up… there were so many Edmonds and so many possible areas to search!
I’d love to find their families and I think the only hope is if there are descendants who may recognize Edmond’s writing from other postcards or letters that he wrote to Jeanne that may have remained in the family… it would be fabulous if there are, and they dropped by here to find this postcard!