The fact that When the War is Over, Mother Dear was recorded is testament to its popularity at the time. Prior to radio, songs were largely heard in music halls and people visited music shops mainly to buy the sheet music of tunes they liked. If a song was particularly popular, it would then be recorded by professional musicians.

The song was composed by A.J. Mills, J.P. Long and Bennett Scott. In this 1915 recording, the singer is Stanley Kirkby (1878 – 1949), an English baritone and variety artist. He sang mostly in music halls and variety theatres and was a prolific recording artist. Kirkby has been credited with making the largest number of records in Britain from the 1900s to the 1930s. He recorded for every British record label of that time, under a variety of pseudonyms as well as his own name.

Arthur J Mills was a prolific lyricist born in Surrey, who often teamed up with Bennett Scott. Their names appear with others on a large number of songs but it is difficult to determine each writer’s actual contribution. Even less is known about J.P Long.

The image accompanying this entry is from the postcard publisher Bamforth & Co., founded by James Bamforth in 1870. He started as a portrait photographer in West Yorkshire, before turning to making lantern slides and silent films. The company is best known today for the thousands of comic and risqué seaside postcards it produced. Bamforth 'Song Series' Postcards usually featured a popular sentimental song or hymn and a scene depicting a soldier missing a loved one – either his sweetheart or mother.

When the War is Over, Mother Dear - lyrics

Soldier laddie, somewhere in France
In the trenches at the close of day
Writes a letter to someone he loves
In the home town, far away
Cheer up, mother, you needn’t sigh
There’s a good time coming bye and bye
When the war is over, mother dear
When the bands all play and the people cheer
And the boys come marching through the dear home town <
The joy bells ringing gaily as the sun goes down
Though your heart is aching, mother dear
For your soldier boy never fear
I’ll come back some day, and kiss your tears away
When the war is over, mother dear
Soldier laddie, dreaming of home
Sees the light in mother's dear eyes shine
All in fancy he'll list to her prayer
'God protect you, son of mine'
How he longs for dear England's shore
And to clasp her in his arms once more
When the war is over, mother dear
When the bands all play and the people cheer
And the boys come marching through the dear home town
The joy bells ringing gaily as the sun goes down
Though your heart is aching, mother dear
For your soldier boy never fear
I’ll come back some day, and kiss your tears away
When the war is over, mother dear