Message streamer from Mont St Quentin

Aircraft message streamer constructed of two equal streamer lengths attached to a cotton weight pocket (weight missing). The streamer lengths are of red, white and blue fabric. The red or tail is plain weave red wool, the white is a buff coloured plain weave cotton and the blue closest to the weight pocket is a plain weave pale blue wool. The wools are possibly bunting. The coloured panels are hand stitched together with white construction thread. The weight pocket is constructed from two panels of white cotton cloth, machine-seamed on three sides. The remaining open side is stitched to the pale blue wool panels. The remaining edge has been shallow hemmed. The two tieing tapes are attached at the centre of this seam. The streamer is marked in pencil on reverse of pocket '32 DIV HQ'

Before the advent of reliable radio transmitters being fitted to aircraft, it was comon practice for aircrews to drop a handwritten message from the air to a recipient on the ground. The messages were contained in pockets, sewn into highly visible coloured streamers. This object is typical of the type. It originally contained a message confirming that the town of Mont St Quentin was in Allied hands and also the 'Aussies' were seen in Peronne.