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WW I Patriotic & Propaganda Postcards


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A Boy Scout home defense postcard.

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A youthful soldier boy off to send a box full of good wishes home.

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A Bernhardt Wall designed postcard explaining to all who've never been in the military that the bugle serves as a soldier's alarm clock.

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The last card for this round was printed in Great Britain. It depicts a company of "Yanks" led by a mounted officer (who sorta' resembles Pershing) "on the march through Flanders".

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The first of two Xavier Sanger postcards, both of which are part of a six card series titled "Proverbes Americains". This example is titled, "Damned who thinks evil".

No wonder our Yank is smiling. I would be too! MHJ

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Hi.

 

While searching the web for something I came across this I thought I'd share. It wasn't identified in any way, but looks like dated 1906 in the corner? Hope you all have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

 

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Mikie

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world war I nerd

Mikie, thanks. What a great addition … a soldier, a sailor and the American bald eagle breaking bread.

 

Here's the first of yet, another batch of WW I era patriotic themed postcards. The scope of their varied subject matter still astounds me. I'm beginning to think that they will never end!

 

A sentimental postcard whose theme is wishing for the safe return of a loved one.

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This one is sort of a mixed emotions concept in respect to departing for "Over There".

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Another iteration of the "wishing you luck" card.

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Another example, from a very long list, of training camp themed designs.

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A Charles Twelvetrees designed child sailor postcard.

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An action card depicting U.S. Marines aggressively storming an unknown beach.

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Once again the postcard designer Xavier Sanger doing what he did best during WW I, which was depicting soldiers and sailors from the Allied armies interacting with beautiful French maidens.

 

This example is from a series titled, "Amitie Franco-Americaine" (French-American Friendship).

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I guess Bernhardt Wall was the America's counterpart of Xavier Sanger, minus the soldiers of the Allied nations and the beautiful women of France, as he designed numerous U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and other patriotic themed postcards during the Great War.

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America's favorite uncle dressed as a farmer and boasting about getting the Kaiser's goat.

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A home front postcard proclaiming the virtue of alleviating some of the burden the war placed upon America's industrial might, by sewing one's own garments instead of purchasing ready made clothing.

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world war I nerd

This 1918 dated postcard is the second card in a series of an unknown quantity that I own devoted to the good work that the Red Cross did during the war. In the world of postcard collecting, of which I am a neophyte, these cards are relatively hard to come by, and are typically priced higher than many of the other wartime postcards.

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A British made postcard showing the goddess Victory, as well as a flag waving American soldier.

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Along with poorly written verse, wartime postcards, such as this one, often featured captions that included extremely bad puns.

 

In the early 18th century, it was said that, "A man who will pun, will pick a pocket." … Hmmm.

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This batch o' postcards closes with another Xavier Sanger offering titled, "Coeurs Unis" or "United Hearts"

 

Thanks again for looking, but there's still many more WW I era postcards to come ...

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This batch o' postcards closes with another Xavier Sanger offering titled, "Coeurs Unis" or "United Hearts"

 

Thanks again for looking, but there's still many more WW I era postcards to come ...

I guess these cards show one reason why our troops were so eager to go "Over there".

Mikie

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world war I nerd

Mikie, you might be right about that. The various Xavier Sanger postcard series, definitely make one wonder if the French females were as welcoming to the soldiers of their Allies as his postcard designs suggest.

 

Now it's time for yet another installment of American WW I themed postcards ...

 

A French made card depicting America's presiding president in 1917, i.e. Woodrow Wilson.

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And more of the same in the form of another President Wilson postcard that was also printed in France.

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world war I nerd

Sticking with the French printed postcards, here's one showing France's 'Lady Liberty' and the soldiers of France, Italy, America and Great Britain.

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This French made postcard, titled "Courage Sammy", is from the series "Les Sammies in France". Sammy is hurrying to the aid of his French and British counterparts as they fend off Germany's Imperial Eagle.

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One of several similarly designed American flag postcards, each of which features a different rhyming patriotic caption.

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This recent addition to my collection is a repeat of the 4th Division - 3rd Army postcard posted earlier in this topic by McCooper.

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An interesting variation of the training camp style of postcard. This example shows a soon to be Doughboy departing from Camp Custer.

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A nicely rendered "Hungry to hear from you" card.

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Rousing patriotic verse placed beneath American soldiers storming an unknown beach.

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This has got to be the weirdest (and the first postcard of this kind) that I've ever come across. I guess I'd call it an "Anti-Slacker" themed postcard?

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world war I nerd

I'll end things with Xavier Sanger's "We meet again at last" postcard, which shows an American woman embracing a French soldier.

 

Be advised that I still have plenty of patriotic postcards to add ...

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world war I nerd

More patriotic postcards … mostly US made, some French made … and one German made anti-U.S. postcard.

 

Another semi-romantic double entendre postcard, based on a common military term.

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An "I'm OK" postcard, designed by Bernhardt Wall, intended to make a soldier's family worry less about the fact that he's in military service.

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A soldier soaring "Off to Victory" on the wings of an eagle.

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A boy sailor running at top speed towards the war in Europe to prove he's not a slacker.

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A semi-romantic postcard depicting a youthful sailor lad proudly bearing arms.

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Another naval themed card, on which a woman proclaims that her most ardent desire is to be an "Air Scout". Presumably an observer is someone keeping an eye on the proceedings taking place below from the basket suspended from an observation balloon.

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An interesting 1915 copyrighted postcard that was printed prior to America entering into the Great War. For reasons unknown, the artist Wallace Robinson, selected the Pit Bull Terrier breed of dog to represent the strength and determination of the USA. Here, several kittens, residing in the folds of an American flag are "SAFE under the right protection" from a nosey Great Dane.

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In this 1915 copyrighted postcard, also designed by Wallace Robinson, a Pit Bull swathed in red, white and blue proclaims that, "I'm Neutral, BUT - Not Afraid of any of them - them being a pack of various dog breeds, each of which represented one of the belligerent European nations embroiled in war

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A very nice French postcard, designed by an artist known only as "Right". It bears a rather youthful image of America's Uncle Sam and France's Marianne. For those who don't already know (one of whom was me, until I looked it up), "Marianne" is an enduring symbol of the French Republic, and of France in general.

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American Red Cross postcard depicting the painting by J.F. Bouchor, the official painter to the French Army, of the American flag saluting the statue of Strasbourg during the AEF's July 4, 1917 parade in Paris.

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A very angry young Army recruit, with mop in hand, complaining about his current duty.

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A Doughboy explaining what the hidden message written between the lines of his homeward bound missive to his sweetie means to an officer, whos duty is to censor each soldier's outgoing mail.

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The message written on this nifty German anti-U.S. propaganda postkarte is still not completely clear to me. However, the gist of the message is: Uncle Sam (I think, depicted as President Wilson), standing on a pier with a soldier a sack full of military supplies, and military ammunition (each of which, I think, sort of represent his or America's children), gazes up at the gathering storm clouds, currently obscuring a sun (that I think, is represented by a Japanese soldier - at the time Japan was thought to be unfriendly to the US), and at the U-boat infested Atlantic ocean in front of him, mutters something like … "Children I believe we should stay home", or something like that.

 

By the way, can anybody accurately translate the German text on this card into English?

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More mediocre verse combined with a rifle and images of the flags of the Allied nations in the form of a WW I patriotic postcard.

 

 

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Last card of the day ...

 

Another postcard in the string of "The Sammies in Paris" series of postcards designed by the French artist Jean Tam. In it, a cherub Sammy dressed as a cowboy drinks champagne and smokes tobacco with a patriotic French damsel decked out in red, white and blue garb.

 

More cards to come, including AEF Christmas, New Years, Easter, and other holiday postcards.

 

Thanks for looking, and if you have any, please add comments or any WW I/American themed patriotic and propaganda postcards.

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world war I nerd

I guess I would be able to buy a few more cards if I had a nickel for each card posted so far. Hmmm … Maybe I should start a go fund me page?

 

Okay, now on to the postcards ...

 

This one alludes to what most, if not every recruit hoped to receive during mail call.

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Not really sure if this postcard counts as an "official" patriotic card or not. But what the heck, any port in a storm - right?

 

Anyway, it's a hand colored photo of Private Earl F. Pritchard of Liberty, Indiana taken while he served at Field Hospital No. 2 at Fort William McKinley in Rizal, Philippine Islands. What's really neat about this postcard is the hand painted, ahh, frame around the photograph.

 

I'd really like to know if the artwork was done at the photographer's studio, or if it was done by the soldier depicted, or if it was done by a family member? Regardless it is definitely a one-of-a-kind item!

 

Has anyone ever seen a similar hand painted photo-postcard?

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Every WW I recruit's worst nightmare, or one of them anyways.

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This card regales the folks at home with the many training duties in which new army recruits were involved.

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A sea sick sailor having second thoughts about enlisting in the Navy instead of the Army.

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Another please mail me a letter postcard with a place, location or training camp banner, which on this example is Louisville, Kentucky.

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A WW I ode to the slacker.

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The flags of the Allied nations are depicted on this postcard.

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A French made postcard bearing an imposter Sammy, Doughboy or Yank.

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Not really sure if this is mother to son card or a sweetie to sweetheart card … You'll have to figure that out on your own.

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With language such as "old man" and "the fellows join me", this card is presumed to have been made for soldiers to send to a respected officer.

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Singing was a major pastime for off-duty soldiers during the Great War. That, of course, is the theme of this particular postcard.

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My powers of deductive acumen tell me that the message on this card was intended to prompt, or coerce, the United States into entering the European War sooner rather than later.

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This card which is dated December 12, 1916, and bears a 1916, El Paso, Texas postmark was presumably sent by a National Guardsman who was posted to the Mexican border earlier that year. The card itself shows the damage done after the first day's hike.

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This card, "Vive l'Amerique", or "America Forever", is the last card for this round. It was designed by Xavier Sanger an Austrian born artist who's migrated to France long before the first shots were fired during the Great War.

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world war I nerd

Instead of posting new WW I era patriotic postcards here, this week I started a new topic devoted to WW I era military Christmas postcards, as well as other holidays. I'll be adding new Christmas cards to that topic over the next three days. After that I'll put up the few "other holiday" military postcards that I have. here is the link that will take you to the Christmas and hiliday cards and postcards:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/320868-ww-i-era-military-christmas-other-holiday-cards/&do=findComment&comment=2577468

 

I'll continue to post more patriotic postcards here next week, as I have plenty more to share.

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world war I nerd

1915 dated postcard, displaying a sailor, soldier and a Boy Scout, proclaiming Americas' readiness to defend the nation.

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Japanese postcard printed around 1905 to 1910 commemorating a visit by the American Navy.

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This patriotic American flag postcard, printed in either 1917 or 1918 depicts, uhh, a United States Marine, which I think in a parallel version of the English language translates into "United States Sailor".

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This is one of many from a series of Navy themed postcards printed in the "Republica De Cuba" in which cigars are always prominent.

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Quite naturally, President Woodrow Wilson shows up with some regularity on WW I era patriotic postcards, like this.

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Another patriotic postcard depicting President Wilson's visage.

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This postcards combines mediocre verse with the flags of the United States and France.

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An uber patriotic Stars & Stripes card.

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1918 postmarked bugle themed postcard mailed from Camp Dodge, Iowa.

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Another (sort of) bugle themed postcard.

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This American Doughboy card titled "Old Glory", printed in the United Kingdom, features, of all things, a British Bull Dog.

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Despite bearing a postmark from 1920, this card designed by the artist Charles Twelvetrees was actually produced in either 1917 or 1918.

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Another camp or location postcard with a fill-in-the-blank pennant.

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French made souvenir "remembrance" postcard featuring a faux Doughboy.

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The last one for this week is a nifty 315th Engineer regiment, 90th Division, AEF, postcard with a 1919 calendar that was printed in Germany.

 

 

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world war I nerd

Time for another trip to WW I era patriotic postcard land ...

 

1907 copyright dated card depicting a "Miss Admiral", a woman decked out in a high-ranking Navy uniform.

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"Dropping You A Line", a 1906 copyright, and 1906, postmarked Navy postcard.

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Based on the fact that this is the third of three very similar navy oriented postcards designed by an artist naked Clare Ungell, and the second that I've posted here in this topic, it is part of a series of comic postcards devoted to the U.S. Navy during the Great War.

 

This example was postmarked in April of 1918, and sent by Eugene, a sailor who's address was "Armed Guard Receiving Ship, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania".

 

What is an Armed Guard Receiving Ship?

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Not entirely sure of the time frame this "Etats-Unis" (United States) themed French postcard was produced, but I'm pretty sure it was WW I.

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Allied flag postcard aimed at the "Brave Chap" at the front.

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"Warm Reception", another French made postcard designed by Right (?) depicting an American Sammy and what I presume to be an updated version of Marianne, the icon of the French Revolution and later all of France.

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Here's another French card designed by Right. This example portrays Sammy and Marianne as French style rag-dolls.

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One of a twelve card series that are all addressed to "Our Soldier Boy".

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This postcard is also part of a twelve card series (a couple of which I've already posted), all of which feature some sort of interaction between America's Uncle Sam and Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.

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"Cold Steel" a painting depicting the U.S. Marines during the battle of Belleau Wood, as featured on a postcard published by the Chicago Daily News.

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The inscription on this French made President Wilson postcard translates in to "For Law and Civilization".

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Pigs dining from a German spiked helmet.

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French made postcard devoted to the Inter-Allied games that took place in Paris in 1919.

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One of a series of, probably twelve (that seems to be the magic number published by U.S. postcard makers) postcards that what I would categorize as "Romance" or "Sweetheart" postcards.

 

Based on how many of them that are around, this style of postcard must have been a big seller, because American card manufacturers printed loads of them during the war.

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world war I nerd

This is the last (of six postcards) designed by Xavier Sanger in the "Mode Americaine" (American Style) series, all of which have now been posted in this topic. I'm guessing that this is supposed to represent an aviator's outfit.

 

Also, this is the last postcard for this week.

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Salvage Sailor
On 1/5/2019 at 4:55 AM, world war I nerd said:

Based on the fact that this is the third of three very similar navy oriented postcards designed by an artist naked Clare Ungell, and the second that I've posted here in this topic, it is part of a series of comic postcards devoted to the U.S. Navy during the Great War.

 

This example was postmarked in April of 1918, and sent by Eugene, a sailor who's address was "Armed Guard Receiving Ship, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania".

 

What is an Armed Guard Receiving Ship?

 

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The US Navy Armed Guard was established in WWI to provide gun crews to merchantmen on the high seas.

 

The origins of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard date to World War I, during which some 384 U.S. merchant vessels carried guns and Navy personnel. This earlier version of the Armed Guard was disbanded following World War I and its modest scope hardly resembled that of the Armed Guard of World War II.

 

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A receiving ship is a naval version of the replacement depot. Sailors on orders to a new vessel or station would report to a receiving ship at a Naval Station (usually a recommissioned obsolete ship or hulk pulled from the reserve fleet) and await transportation to their command or disposition of their orders (hospital, transfer, discharge, etc.) They were often turned into 'floating buildings' and had a very unique appearance.

 

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world war I nerd

Salvage Sailor, much obliged for the information. so the receiving ships were, in a way, floating barracks, sort of like the English prison hulks of the 1700's … well, except the prison hulks were floating houses of penal servitude, err, I mean, prisons.

 

Prison hulks were actually decommissioned Royal Navy ships that were stripped of their masts and all other nautical equipment. After which, they were used to incarcerate convicted felons back before England began transporting all of their convicted criminals to Australia.

 

PS, It's probably not hard to tell that I know very little about how the WW I Navy operated.

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