Robert Kirk Brady letter to Folks - November 22, 1918
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[November] 22, 1918 Dear Folks:- Well it seems as if the censorship has been lifted so here goes as to my locations during the last 7 months - This is Dads Xmas letter and a letter to all - save this letter and save the following as I will write incidents as I htink of them - we loaded on the boat [April] 24th and sailed from [New York] harbor on the ship "Shropshire" [April] 25th - we had a very pleasant time coming over - we landed May 7th at Liverpool [England] - marched thru the city and boarded a train to Southampton [England] - stayed there a day then took a boat thru the channel to Le Havre France - went in a reast camp for a few days - then took a train of boxcars to Guerville France near Amiens - we trained here for a time with the British - this is where I left for the observation tour - was with the
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Australians on the Somme front near Salley - le - Sec - we went from Guerville on a 3 days hike to Ahimenil, near En and Le Treporte - we trained here with the French for a while then hiked and rode on box cars to Thiefosse - we did some more training and on July 15th went into the trenches in the Vosges mountains near Thaun - we went thru 4 barrages and 1 raid while there - just a quiet sector - we stayed in for 31 days - was back at rest then till [September] 1st - we left there to the St. Mihiel sector - being in reserve - we then went in the big battle [September] 26th in the Argonne - we fought there till [October] 1st - we were in the advance all that time - no sleep and nothing but fight - our losses were heavy and
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everybody exhausted so we were relieved and sent back for a little rest - filled us up with replacements and sent into the line again up at Verdun opposite Etain - this was a quit front only Artillery duels - we went in on the 13th of [October] and came out on the 7th of [November]. We are now in a little town near S. Mihiel - think we will move in a few days - that gives you an idea of my wanderings in France - you see we have had quite a bit of service - of course everybody is happy over the results of the war - Milligan & Farris leave tomorrow on a leave for 7 days - we all will have a chance to get one - I will get mine some time soon - received your letter dated [October] 31st - also a bundle of [Kansas City] papers and some home papers - the cablegram was sent by a Y.M.C.A. man and he had to go to a place where he could send it - dont know the date it was sent but I wrote a letter right after the drive - we were on the move several days after the drive was over hence the delay in writing - hate to hear of so many deaths - I guess that by now Morton's mother is dead - the Senator sure has been good to her - when I go on my leave I want to go to Paris, Breast, Nice, Marsilles, Versailles - seems as if Germany is meeting all conditions
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of the armistice - don't konw just how long we will have to stay over here - hope not long - Frank McQuen is in Co "H" 138th Inf. the last I heard of him - saw him just after the drive - he has been promoted to 1st Lieut - Capt. Joe McQueen was not seriously wounded - I saw and was with him when he was wounded - that is just after it happened - suppose you are hearing who was wounded and killed - I don't want to say because no one is certain and only the official would be right - there has been some instances of men reported killed and who was wounded - as to the names of the home boys I must now say - their parents will be notified but we had several -
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I suppose you have read that [November] 24 is "Dads Xmas Letter" so I am making this one answer - mail service ought to get better now - who knows I might be in U.S. Xmas and then I may not - ha! ha! I wish I could send you a present each one of you but we have such a time getting things over - I will try to bring home a few relics or souvenirs but we have no way such a time getting things over - I will try to bring home a few relics or souvenirs but we have no way to pack them around so will just have to grab something when the time comes to board ship - I am in the best of health and hope each of you are - I am not quite sure of the censorship being lifted but I am sending this along - my description of my wanderings is very brief
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but I will tell you more when I return - Hope that this reaches you - I wish for each one of you "A Very Happy Xmas and Prosperous New Year" - The only present I can send is "this letter and my greatest love"- Thanks to the "One Above for my safe return from the battlefields of France - I hope that this war will make a New World one in which each one of us must help to mold and build - Must close the "best of all" to each of you - Goodbye Lots of love to all, Your loving son, Kirk - Here's a verse that I thought of - getting to be a poet - "Here's to you Dad of mine, Long may your silvery hair shine, The bravest, truest, best friend of mine, I wish for you many glorious Xmas times." Kirk. Ok RKBrady Co "K" 140th Inf.
Details
| Title | Robert Kirk Brady letter to Folks - November 22, 1918 |
| Creator | Brady, Robert Kirk |
| Source | Brady, Robert Kirk. Letter to Folks. 22 November 1918. Brady, Robert Kirk, Letters, 1917-1919. C0077. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this November 22, 1918, letter to his folks in Richmond, Missouri, Robert Kirk Brady wrote about censorship being lifted, his movements across England and France, the Argonne, and his possible leave in France. Brady, a native of Ray County, Missouri, served in the 140th Infantry Regiment during World War I. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; Military leaves and furloughs; World War, 1914-1918--Censorship; Argonne; World War, 1914-1918--War work--Y.M.C.A.; Christmas |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Shropshire |
| Site Accession Number | C0077 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| 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 | November 22, 1918 |
| Language | English |