ABSTRACT
The Army’s ‘Field Service Post Card’ that arrived at Oatlands Road, Grahamstown, early in 1916 was cryptic and concise: ‘I am quite well’, it read, ‘Letter follows at first opportunity’. These were printed lines among a list of choices provided by the Army. The writer chose those most appropriate to his circumstances and crossed out the rest. It was dated ‘24/1/1915’ and initialled ‘BFJS’, though Schonland surely meant 1916, for the year had already changed. But then there were many other things on his mind. This was the first indication to Mrs Schonland that her eldest son was now at war [1].
