worldwar1

Messines Ridge British Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War located in the Ypres Salient in Belgium on the Western Front. The town of Messines, now known as Mesen, was the location of a number of battles during the First World War, beginning when it was captured by German forces in late October-early November 1914. Later in the war, it formed the southern corner of the Ypres Salient and in June 1917, the New Zealand Division drove the Germans out in the Battle of Messines, taking 3,700 casualties in the process. In March 1918, it was lost to the Germans in the Spring Offensive and returned to Allied control again in September 1918, when it was seized during the Hundred Days Offensive. The cemetery, designed by the English architect Charles Holden[3] and located on the Mesen-Wulvergem Road, to the west of Mesen, holds the remains of 1,493 Allied soldiers, over half of whom are unknown.[2] It was established on land that formerly belonged to the 'Institution Royale'.[3] Within the cemetery are special memorials to several soldiers who are believed to be among the unknown remains buried at the cemetery; four British, ten Australian, thirteen New Zealanders and one South African. In addition, there are special memorials to thirteen British soldiers buried in other cemeteries in the area during the war but whose graves were destroyed by artillery fire.[2] In total, 1,534 soldiers are buried or remembered at the cemetery.[3] Bodies continue to be occasionally discovered in the area and are often interred at the cemetery; one was found while digging a pipeline and was formally interred on 25 February 2013. Although the identity of the soldier was not known, he was believed to be a New Zealander, as badges and paraphernalia from the New Zealand Rifle Brigade was found with his remains. This followed another interment of an unknown New Zealander the previous year. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messines_Ridge_British_Cemetery

Well they pose like Americans! And they look like their swank! But those are typical Irish names are they not? So there's a case their ancestors emigrated to the states not so long ago that the've still connections back home. So the photo could be from France with them back from the front line waiting to be sent to action. There might also be a possibility band members being allocated to act in the medic/ambulance role. If it is taken in Ireland I guess the're either to or from France. The're might be a case for using Cobh or Derry port rather than sending a troopship closer to the u-boats than necessary. All speculation. Any clues on the back?

Notes in the catalogue say Blank Postcard

Deirge Del Deirge, you say Doheny is typically Irish, yet there are only 10 Dohneys in the 1901 census and 5 in the 1911 census. Perhaps at the time of this postcard there were more Dohneys in the USA than Ireland? Niall McAuley

National Library of Ireland on The Commons I'm only a guessing Doheny looks like it might be an Irish surname, it sort of rolls off the tongue. A possibly more fruitful approach might be searching American serviceman records but that's not my area of expertise, I don't have a clue where to start or find the relevant database, or how to get access. For the UK www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/wwi would be a start point ... I don't know the US equivalent though I see a few wanting my dollars.

314 Dohenys, in 1911, a more common spelling/version of the name in Ireland.

Poster showing scenes of naval activities, and small portraits of Admiral Sir David Beatty and Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.

For the same poster in English

loc.getarchive.net/media/british-navy-at-war-geo-pulman-a...

At the LOC, 1915

www.loc.gov/item/2003668159/

Bottom centre HMS Dreadnought

Centre left HMS Revenge

Also available in Portuguese -
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000516320
... in French -
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000516310
... in Dutch -
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000516319