Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - July 11, 1917
Transcript
[American Ambulance Hospital of Paris] July 11, 1917 Dearest Mother, I just got your letter of June 14 and 20 today. Hope Donna is all right by this time. That accident is awful when I heard the news I thought of Mort Price. So you think I am still in the Field Service under that damn crook A. Pitt Andrew (Legion of Honor). Well you know now that I am not. You don't need to worry about my going to the front as it looks like a long time before we get there. I get pretty depressed about it at times but that is no help. I do know that I will get there eventually but it takes a long time in army service.
Transcript
[American Ambulance Hospital of Paris] Those who stay in the Field Service, some of them will reach the front before we do but I wouldn't be in the Field Service if they sent me to the front and paid me a salary much as I want to get to the front and much as I need the salary. If things come out as I expect they will I want Val over here but don't let him come until I write that everything is all right. When he does come he will be credited to the American Ambulance and not the American Field Service. I like my job as sergeant quite well. It makes me work all the time both on duty and off. I have a good squad and things are going smoothly. We have a peach of a section. The men are about 2/3s from Clarke College
Transcript
[American Ambulance Hospital of Paris] Worcester, Mass and the other third are older fellows, college graduates, successful business men and etc. They are the real backbone of the organization. We have 10 officers you know the section director Lieut. Doles who has had six years service in the U. S. Cavalry the assistant section director Lieut. Brashear four sergeants, Wells who has U. S. service medals for the Spanish Amer. War and the Philippines campaigns, Peck a successful business man, Tilctmer the leader of the Clarke College men and myself. Then each sergeant has a corporal under him and nine privates. Gordon Sutherland is my corporal. He is a peach of a fellow, a shoe salesman selling over $100,000 worth per year. He is a good
Transcript
[American Ambulance Hospital of Paris] [ms illegible: 1 wd] , a very good driver and the best mechanic we have. He is a hard worker and has lots of strength and "guts". We are on the same car which is nice for me. Val probably knows him as he is from St. Louis (Smith Academy). We get along excellently together. Our work is interesting now. We have to get our section in shape to go to the front when they send us (probably not until the middle of August or 1st of September) and do our share of the Paris work (evacuation of trains and hospitals). It costs more to live than estimated but I have enough. Have to go to lunch now. I am on all day guard duty with half my squad. Lots of love and write me more often. Towner
Details
| Title | Sidney Towner Phelan letter to mother - July 11, 1917 |
| Creator | Phelan, Sidney Towner |
| Source | Phelan, Sidney Towner. Letter to mother. 11 July 1917. 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. He wrote numerous letters to his mother while overseas. In this letter, Phelan wrote that he was no longer in the field service. He also explained that it would be a long time before he was on the front lines. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--France; Ambulance driving |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; American Ambulance Hospital of Paris |
| 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 | July 11, 1917 |
| Language | English |