Shock and Horror

A most poignant and ephemeral sculpture which was taken by MidgeholeDave a couple of days ago has got me thinking. The sculpture is entitled "Loss is Eternal" and can be seen here

It depicts a young woman who has just received news by letter of the death of her sweetheart in the First World War.

Unless I am mistaken that awful news would, in fact, have been transmitted by telegram. The telegram would have been hand delivered either by the postman or the telegraph boy. Hence the knock on the door bringing such awful news to the family.

The telegram you see relates to my great uncle. It arrived two days after he was wounded on April 13th 1918.. It is written in pencil.

Initially with the arrival of the telegram everyone in the house must have thought that a member of the family had been killed in action.....