Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - February 7, 1918
Transcript
[February] 7, 1918 [censor’s stamp] Dearest Mother, I am so glad to hear that Jack Carter has won the Croix de Guerre be sure to congratulate Mrs. Carter for me. I haven't seen Jack since August when I met him somewhere at the front. We are still doing nothing waiting for spring and I hope action not that I like action but I would feel so much more satisfied with myself if we had more action. I spent yesterday as planton (Orderly, Ed.) at the hospital. (Planton is the messenger boy we have at the hospital. In case of a call he brings word of it from the hospital to the section).It's a very dull job just sitting and reading or talking to the French hospital orderlies. They are all very curious about America and ask how many soldiers we have over here and other leading questions.
Transcript
Some of them took great pains to explain that the meat they are eating came from a worn out Paris cab horse and that beast as you know is the last word in horse flesh. (needless to say they didn't mean it literally.) That for the censors benefit he may be one of those horribly literal persons. I have written May Birkhead to send you a beret but I think I will send one as I can buy it in a nearby town. I will also send you a fourragere. Don't forget to send me 15 copies of that article on Section 5 which appeared in the P.D. the one written by Robert Drake. Also get the picture Sunday supplement of the New York Tribune of December 30th. It has a picture of our posts. Send me any clippings or interest that appear in the home papers. Lots of love Towner From S.T. Phelan S.S.U. 646 Convois Automobile Par B.C.M. Paris A.E.F.
Details
| Title | Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - February 7, 1918 |
| Creator | Phelan, Sidney Towner |
| Source | Phelan, Sidney Towner. Letter to mother. 7 February 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 still inactive and waiting for spring. He also described a recent assignment he had as a hospital planton (messenger). |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--France; World War, 1914-1918--Medical Care |
| 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 | February 7, 1918 |
| Language | English |