Despatch Collection

British Army messager pigeon service
Taking birds out: to the trenches by despatch-riders to let the pigeons fly for training. Regular going and coming supply service of birds between the pigeon homing lofts at Divisional

Queen Victoria and Munshi Abdul Karim, 1900
Queen Victoria, Empress of India, listening to a despatch describing the elation of the troops at the services they had rendered to the Queen. Her Indian servant, Munshi Abdul Karim, supports her

The British Second Army in Valkenswaard, Holland; Second Wor
Photograph showing advance units of the British Second Army in the Dutch village of Valkenswaard, September 1944. This was the first settlement in Holland to be liberated

AFS despatch rider and messenger, WW2
An AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) despatch rider and messenger on a motorbike at an LFS sub-station during the Second World War

Christmas parcels for the trenches 1916
Army Post Office in Regents Park, was receiving a rate of half a million parcels for Christmas a day for the soldiers in the trenches

Jos Chamberlain / Vfair 01
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN Liberal MP at the despatch box

Despatch riders with Douglas motorcycles, WW1
Two despatch riders with Douglas 349cc motorcycles during the First World War. Date: circa 1916

Firefighters outside mobile kitchen, WW2
Firefighters enjoying a mug of tea outside a mobile kitchen presented to the National Fire Service by the Order of the Eastern Star, Manitoba, Canada, during the Second World War

Armada / Warning Beacons
THE SPANISH ARMADA Beacon-fires warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada

The Special Private Despatch by Margaret Bradley
A colour illustration of lady dressed in a glamorous ballgown accepting a love letter from a unseen gentleman. Date: 7th December 1927

RFC Woman Dispatch Rider, by W H Margetson, WW1
Royal Flying Corps Woman Dispatch Rider, by William Henry Margetson, First World War. circa 1917

Railway despatch yard, Port Sunlight, early 1900s

H. M. S. Alert - Despatch Vessel
H.M.S. Alert (K 647) - Despatch Vessel, (formerly Bay-Class Frigate Dundrum Bay K 427) - Commissioned in 1946. Date: circa 1950s

Volunteer motorcyclists during WW1

WW2 - The Girls Of Today, M. T. C
A WW2 children's book illustration from The Girls Of Today. The image shows a despatch rider of the Mechanised Transport Corps. Date: circa 1940s

A despatch orderly mounting outside the troop stable
Mount - a despatch orderly of the 17th Lancers mounting outside the troop stable. The smartest men are generally chosen for this duty

WW2, Despatch Rider
This illustration shows a young woman serving as a despatch rider for the Women's Transport Service, possibly delivering some urgent orders during WW2. Date: circa 1941

Advert, Asprey & Sons, Travelling Bags etc
Advert, Asprey & Sons, Bond Street and Albemarle Street, London -- Travelling Bags, Jewel Cases, Despatch Boxes, Dressing Case and Toilet Set. 1880

German Reconnaissance patrol WWII
German Reconnaissance patrol scouting the roads and communications in France during World War II Date: 1940

German despatch riders WWII
German despatch riders on Mercedes motorcycles in Aisne, France, during World War II Date: 1940

1915 BSA Model K with despatch rider of the 109th Motorcycle Infantry Regiment, French Army. The 109th Infantry Regiment had its origins in Troupe Coloniale Martinique et Guadeloupe, created 1772

A despatch rider of the Wurttemberg forces of the German army speeds along on his motorcycle watched by an officer

LORD JOHN RUSSELL (1792 - 1878), Presenting the new Reform Bill to the House of Commons during his second term as Prime Minister. Date: 1860

Ware butterfly bombs - A passing despatch rider
Photograph: Ware butterfly bombs - A passing despatch rider [... ] of Dower Street, Flatbridge, [... ] read a unique road sign wa[... ] beach-head against ?butterfly? bombs. Picture issued April ?

Despatch rider with Douglas motorcycle, WW1
Despatch rider with a Douglas 349cc motorcycle during the First World War. Date: circa 1916

NFS women in dispatch rider training, WW2
NFS women undergoing dispatch rider training. They were widely used to supplement the lines of communication between various headquarters

London Fire Brigade motorcycle dispatch riders training, WW2
LCC-LFB junior dispatch riders under instruction by a Brigade instructor at the New Cross speedway track in South London on 28 June 1940

Men of the Sirhind Brigade of the Indian Corps in France WWI
Men of the Sirhind Brigade of the Indian Corps in France, who took part in a successful attack, and capture two lines of enemy trenches with little loss. 1915

Motorcycle dispatch riders, New Cross, WW2
LCC-LFB junior dispatch riders during training at the New Cross speedway track in South London on 22 April 1942 -- a spot of bother with a bike. Date: 1942

NFS dispatch rider training, WW2
A firewoman dispatch rider under instruction

Friends of Sapper Wilbert, with motorcycles
One of 8 photograph postcards of friends of Sapper Wilbert, with motorcycles. Some photographs are signed and dated. From a collection of 18 photograph postcards collected by 316956 Sapper Harold

French Front messenger-pigeon service 1917
Special mobil messenger-pigeon service lofts built on a motor-vehicle chassis were used in the Western Front during World War One

Despatch-riders wearing gas-masks under their steel helmets
Two despatch-riders looking at their map at one of the villages on the British front near Salonika. Wearing gas-masks under their steel helmets to protect them against the fumes from Bulgarian gas

John George Dodson / Vf71
JOHN GEORGE DODSON Statesman Date: -

We Gladstone / Question Ti
WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE Liberal MP and Prime Minister looking completely confident at Question Time in the House (a la Mr Micawber) Date: 1809 - 1898

Disraeli / Caldecott / 1874
BENJAMIN DISRAELI Earl of Beaconsfield Giving a speech as the new Prime Minister in 1874 Date: 1804 - 1881

Aj Balfour / Furniss
ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR 1st Earl of Balfour British politician, Conservative MP, speaking in the House Date: circa 1890

Brougham / Crowquill Drg
HENRY, 1ST BARON BROUGHAM British MP and lawyer giving a speech in Parliament at the despatch box Date: 1778 - 1868

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn
SIR MICHAEL EDWARD HICKS-BEACH 1st EARL ST ALDWYN Statesman giving a speech from the despatch box Date: 1837 - 1916

William St Jf Brodrick
William St John Fremantle Brodrick, Earl of Midleton Statesman Date: 1856 - 1942

The Dogs of War - training messenger dogs at Shoeburyness
Page from the Illustrated London News illustrating the work of the British War Dog School at Shoeburyness on the Essex coast in training dogs to become messengers at the front during the First World

Pigeons and their motor lorry home at the front, WWI
H.M. " Air" Service - Petrol and Pigeons at the Front. A motor lorry behind the lines, converted into a home for carrier pigeons, used to carry message at the front

How staff are informed of movements at the Front by Matania
A scene in a stately French chateau. From the roar and the excitement of the trenches to the peaceful calm of a French chateau - a despatch rider at British headquarters with reports from

AFS regional training exercise, Wymondham College
AFS regional training exercise in Norfolk, 10-11 September 1955. Showing the Column Commander briefing the Company Commander

Two women dispatch riders, Towler and Trayner. They went on a world tour on their motorbikes, getting as far as Australia, where they both married and settled down. Date: 1958

AFS despatch riders at lecture, London, WW2
AFS despatch riders, male and female, at a lecture, London, Second World War. Date: 1940s

Departure of mail to British Soldiers
The regular despatch of soldierss letters and parcels throughout World War One. Several million letters and cards are sent weekly to different fronts

Sportsmans Battalions, 1915
An advertisement for sportsmans battalions, featuring a despatch rider on a Douglas motor cycle, pointing urgently to some smoking ruins

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping