The card was sent by Hector Bartholomew to his father in Feilding. Dated May 1918, six months before the conflict finished, the card has no personal message on it, nor was that allowed. “Nothing is to be written on this side except the date and signature of the sender. Sentences not required will be erased,” the back of the card says, in thick black ink. “If anything else is added the postcard will be destroyed.” That sentence was underlined. Crossing out the options not applying to him, Bartholomew lets his relatives know “I am quite well”. Shennan said he assumed the book’s previous owner used the postcard as a bookmark. When he saw the date he realised he’d uncovered an item of WWI history.