In April l906 , Miss Edna Perkins, of Adelong, New South Wales , received a postcard from a friend , gender unable to be determined, who finished the message on the back by saying goodbye ... "Yours to a cinder ." Right now, with NSW and other parts of the nation ablaze , it would not be appropriate to end an ordinary letter or even a billet-doux this way . However, a postcard researcher of note told us this method of signing off was not unusual way back, and he had even seen it used in New Zealand communications. The expression was used in romantic letters sent by soldiers , including Australians , during WWl . A book written about the war included 'Yours to a cinder ' in the title , love letters run . In the case of Edna Perkins of Adelong , it is interesting to note her postcard was sent about eight years before the outbreak of war and mentioned a dance , trees , gum leaves , rabbits and sheep .
