Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - August 16, 1918
Transcript
[St. Remi Country Club]August 16, 1918 [censor’s stamp] Dearest Mother, Yesterday, four years ago, the Kaiser gave the city of Nancy to the Empress as a gift on her fete day. Rather funny to look back on, n'est ce pas? Don't think I remembered it Michel our cook lives in Nancy he told us of it with some appropriate remarks concerning the court. We are camped now in a very beautiful French forest. The trees are all very tall and straight, there is no underbrush, and the fallen leaves make a very soft carpet. The whole country around here is different and cleaner than the one we left a few days ago. But that's easily explained the Bosche had just quitted the other place, while they haven't been here since 1914. Near here is the town
Transcript
of----- with it's wonderful old medieval castle a castle that one big gun could batter to bits in a few hours and a castle that could and did resist armies before the vogue of modern artillery. I was there early last December and went all through the castle it's one of the places I will remember most. Now I am sorry to say it has been damaged by bombing. The section is still waiting for a division. We have changed army corps and are now in reserve expecting heavy work in the next few days Probably rear work though there is quite a chance of action. We have been a busy section since about the 1st of May though only a little of our work was front work. I got a letter from Janet, yesterday. She is having a beautiful time at Douglas. She certainly writes a very grown up letter. Lots of love, Towner P.S. Ellen Lee writes that you are the best looking and most fascinating woman in town and Ellen isn't given to gushing.
Details
| Title | Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - August 16, 1918 |
| Creator | Phelan, Sidney Towner |
| Source | Phelan, Sidney Towner. Letter to mother. 16 August 1918. Sidney Towner Phelan Papers, 1899-1960. A1209. Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Sidney Towner Phelan, a St. Louis, Missouri native, wrote this letter to his Mother while serving as a volunteer ambulance driver in France during World War I. In this letter, Phelan wrote that his unit was in a French forest and described his surroundings in great detail. Phelan explained that his unit now in reserve and expecting heavy work. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--France |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | A1209 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| 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. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | August 16, 1918 |
| Language | English |