An exhibition of Christmas cards from the First World War are being displayed at Westbourne Library on Alum Chine Road.

The cards belong to Jenny Young, Westbourne Library Manager, who has been collecting various items from the Great War for several years.

"Even though the war was expected to be 'over by Christmas', in the run up to Christmas 1914 commercial outlets began selling festive greetings cards which carried patriotic and military designs and illustrations published by companies such as J Salmon and the Regent Publishing Company", said Jenny who has also done much research on the men from Bournemouth fighting in the conflict, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice and did not make it back home.

The cards were eagerly bought by friends and family to send to relatives at home or serving overseas and as the war continued British units deployed across the world designed and produced their own greetings cards.

It took two days for a letter to reach the front and in December 1917 alone 550,000 mail sacks to France brought comfort to the battle weary men, especially at Christmas when thoughts from home was a much needed symbol of hope for the future.

To the men at the front sending a private message to a loved one, often hidden at the back of the card reminded them why they were fighting and took them back a brief moment to happier Christmases of the past.

The exhibition runs until January 6 during the opening times of the library.