John L. Barkley letter to Father - March 7, 1919
Transcript
on the Rhine March 7, 1919 Dear dad. You may be surprised at me writing so often. I am now here on the Rhine making these Dutchman step around. I havn't herd a shell burst for almost three months. I am getting anxious to hear them bust again. Some how they never did scare me much any how but it always best to take any chances without it is necessary. Some people would expose their selves when it was not necessary and many lost their lives on account of it. When a man sees a batallion of Dutchman comming for him and he has got it on them with a
Transcript
machine gun and then is time to put out your best. I have had this to happen to me one time and it is Quite a Sensation. I boiled my gun dry and she refused to fire when I thought of my canteen which I always carried full and never drank without I saw I could get more. I pored this into the gun and she started off firing 800 shots per minute. The Boche has got it on the world for machinegun Baby maxium. I know their gun as well as ours and by learning machinery guns at home has become a great benefit to me and you may hear from it later. I never saw a Dutchman that look bad to me when I had my snippers rifle. The French was afraid of them when we came over.
Transcript
[page 3] How many acres of corn are you going to farm. I dont know when I will get out of this mans army. am going to com home the moment uncle Sam hands me my slip of paper. I am also sending you a warrent of my promotion. A man to be a corpral must snap out of the dope and hit the bull's eye 5 and 6 hundred years real often. How is my cattle. I hear Wesley Atkins had bad luck. I never got hit in the hip but I had a Snipper drain my canteen with a bullet, probabley that who pecked Wesly. Well Must close. Answer You son John.
Details
| Title | John L. Barkley letter to Father - March 7, 1919 |
| Creator | Barkley, John Lewis |
| Source | Barkley, John L. Letter to Father. 7 March 1919. John Lewis Barkley Collection, 1917-1919. 1996.33. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | In this letter dated March 7, 1919, John L. Barkley wrote his father, Frank Barkley, concerning an incident with his gun and his promotion to corporal. |
| Subject LCSH | United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 4th; United States. Army. Division, 3rd; United States. Army--Promotions. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Army of Occupation |
| Site Accession Number | 1996.33 |
| Contributing Institution | National World War I Museum and Memorial |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the National World War I Museum and Memorial: (816) 888-8100. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | March 7, 1919 |
| Language | English |