Part of a set of six blank books of postcards from cities in France, these were collected by John Tiddens, of Grand Rapids while he served during World War I. Tiddens was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and served in the US Army Corps of Engineers in Europe during World War I. He saw action in several of the major military campaigns during the war until he was wounded. He returned to Grand Rapids following the war where he raised his family of three daughters and was a successful master plumber. Postcard books like these were common souvenirs among soldiers and a major industry developed to meet the growing need for these products. Items such as postcards were ideal for transport or to mail home to wives and families, sharing where the solider had traveled.
