On 4 August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany, following a complex set of aggressive military operations which had begun when Germany declared war on Russia. In the wake of the declaration, thousands of men joined up; by the end of the conflict over 70 million military personnel had been mobilised. Given the Rothschild family's close associations with London and Buckinghamshire, they were inevitably involved with the local Volunteer and Territorial units. The Rothschilds, along with many others, subscribed to charities and organisations sending parcels of food and luxuries to troops at the front, as well as providing measures of support to staff and employees from their estates on active service.
This card was received by Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild from members of the 56th (London) Infantry Division. On the outbreak of the conflict the Division was initially used for garrison duty overseas in Malta. In February 1916 the Division was reconstituted as a fighting formation in the Abbeville district in France taking part in all of the major campaigns of the Western Front, seeing severe action.
