This vintage real photo postcard features a photograph of the “J. Heemskerek” sailing into Cuba’s Havana Harbor. The postcard is labeled a “Souvenir of Cuba”. The “HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck” was launched in 1939. The ship was a Tromp-class light cruiser that sailed for Netherland’s navy. It was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrap in 1970. The cruiser was named after Admiral Jacob van Heemskerk (1567-1607). The ship was designed to be a torpedo cruiser. The ship had not yet been armed when Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940. She escaped to Great Britain where she was completed as an air defense cruiser. Winston Churchill visited the ship in 1940 and 1941. She was used to protect convoys and the ship seemed to be charmed because it never lost a ship under her protection. In 1942 she was assigned to the Dutch East Indies to reinforce the defense fleet. After another reassignment, in 1942, the ship took part in an operation to retake Madagascar. She then joined allied navy forces in Australia and resumed convoy duty. Toward the end of 1942, accompanied by an Australian cruiser, she attacked and damaged a German supply vessel/blockade runner. The damaged ship eventually had to be scuttled by her own crew. At the end of 1943, the “J. van Heemskerk” worked in the Mediterranean doing convoy duty. In 1945, the ship was the first Dutch warship to arrive in Amsterdam post liberation. After the war, the ship served as a barracks ship for naval trainees. In 1069, after decades of service, the “J van Heemskerck” was decommissioned. SOLD
This vintage postcard features a well armed soldier ready for battle. He is wearing an ammunition belt and at least a couple of hand grenades. He also has a rifle although only the barrel of the gun is visible. What nation is this warrior fighting for? Who is he fighting against? I wish I had answers. An inscription on the reverse of the photo indicates that the soldier is the Commandant (Commander) of his unit. The year that this photo was taken, according to the inscription is 1942. I believe, though not very confidently, that the language on the reverse of the photo is Greek. Perhaps this is a Greek or Turkish officer. This photograph was trimmed from a postcard. It measures about 2″ x 3″ and is in very good condition.
This vintage real photo postcard features two handsome uniformed World War I era soldiers posing for their portrait at a studio in Baltimore, Maryland. The photograph was taken by Martin D Trainor. His name is embossed near the bottom right hand corner of the image. The Maryland Historical Society has one or more of his photographs in their collection. The AZO stamp box indicates that the postcard was published between 1918-1930. (SOLD)
This vintage real photo postcard features an attractive couple posing for their wedding photo. Both bride and groom appear happy on their special day. Note their half smiles. The groom is wearing his German Luftwaffe dress uniform. The Luftwaffe was the German Air Force. This photograph was taken either pre World War II or during the conflict. This vintage portrait postcard is in very good condition (see scans).
This vintage real photo postcard features a handsome soldier. He is wearing a military uniform and cap. The pin on his hat indicates that he was a member of the 9th regiment of the infantry. I do not know the soldiers nationality. The message on this card includes the word “captivite”. Captivite, translated from the French means “captivate”. Was the writer of this postcard talking about capturing the town of Munsterlager, or was he referring to himself as being a prisoner of war? Perhaps a visitor to the cabinet card gallery will be able to translate the message for those of us with a French language deficit. This photo was taken in the mid 1910’s by the Schubert studio in Munsterlager. During the first World War (1916), the Breloh Camp was built in Munster by a regiment of gas warfare engineers. The next year there was construction of a facility for gas munitions. In all, three factories were built for the purpose of manufacturing chemical war material and related munitions. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 