This album was salvaged from a landfill by Richard Mehaffey in 1997, thereby making its true provenance unknown. It can be speculated, however, that it may have belonged to Joseph Messenger since he is depicted in some of the photographs.

The album measures 7 x 11” with black paper pages and black leatherette covers. It is in very good condition. It includes 39 black and white postcards of various French provincial and city scenes; and 124 black and white photos ranging between 1 ¾ x 2 ½” and 2 x 3” and 3 ½ x 5 ½”. There are no captions. One photo, depicting a soldier in a formal pose, has handwritten on it “Il est beau de souffrir sans se plaindre. Joseph Messenger, Savenay France 1918.” The other photographs depict war encampments, biplanes, artillery equipment, soldiers at work and posed, officers, bomb ruins, trenches, nurses and farmers.