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Creativity and Ingenuity of British Far East Prisoners of War, 1942 - 45
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Photograph of both sides of a postcard, with secret shorthand messages highlighted showing their meanings. Add to board
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FEPOW Ingenuity: Secret Message Postcard

FEPOW Fergus Anckorn used the pre-printed postcards that prisoners of war were allowed to send home, to send secret messages to his parents. The postcards included four statements, two of which the prisoner crossed out, depending on their circumstances. Cleverly, Fergus used Pitman shorthand to cross out the unwanted statements, disguising personal messages that his journalist parents would be able to read.

The image shows Fergus' postcard, with the shorthand messages highlighted. 

 

Image: Explaining the shorthand crossings out, by Fergus Anckorn, © courtesy F. Anckorn