Floyd A. White letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley -January 1, 1919
Transcript
A.P.O. 727 [January] 1919 [William] Ochse c/o Meyer [Brothers] Drug Co St. Louis [Missouri] Dear Mr. Ochse: Enclose please find a souvenier & history of same. It is supposed to be used as an indentifaction tag on the left wrist. Would have it engraved & set upon a leather band but such things are impossible in a small town like this. or it could be used as a watch fob. Recd a letter from Mr Whelpley which I appreciate very much. am expecting to leave on a furlough in a few days for “Nice” & “Lyon” and will write him after my return
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Want to thank you for attending to sending my Best girl her remerberances. Tell Mr Lee had a letter from LaBorg, he is enjoying life in Steinfort, Luxemburg, but home sick; and Floyd A. is to. Will write later on when I have some live news Best Regards to all Sincerely Floyd Sgt Floyd A. White “5th Inf. Repl. Co” 1st Infantry Replacement Unit A.P.O. 727 A.E.F. [censor’s signature]
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[page 1] This souvenier was made by Frank Sovicki, Co “C” 4th Regiment, 3rd Div. he was the first American Soldier that was taken prisoner to escape from the German Prison Camps. He is now with the Supply Co 162nd Ind, 41st Div. awaiting there return to the U.S. Franks home is in [Pennsylvania] not far from Philadelphia, a [Russian]-Polander by birth, came to America in 1910, speaks very poor English and is hard to understand but will give you the Data the best that I remember taken from his talk to Non-Coms a few nights ago. He has been in service about two years and was in the Verdun front, then in the Chateau-Thierry drive, where he was taken prisoner July 23rd, 1918, in an advance he was surrounded when hiding in a shell hole and trying to get back to his Company was Captured and sent to Laon for 1 month and 15 days then to Belgium for 2 days on his way to Hetherstadt (this town am spelling by the way he pronounced it) Germany where he was kept for 15 days, then he along with other prisoners was sent to a Farm in the Interior close to the Switzerland border about 9 miles, he could see the snow crest mountains in the distances he ask a Frog what place that was and being told Switzerland, ask him how long he had been there and being told 3 years he said “Me no stay here” in the German Camp where the prisoners of all nationality, French (Frogs) English, Russian Cossacks and Poles. While in the camp he was subject to some very hard work and torture for the American Soldier was truly made to pay the limit, also the Cossacks who the Germans hated. outside of being poorly fed, 3 lbs of bread for 7 men, soup 3 times a day they were forced to sleep in the place that a pig would envy and undergo other hardships. The American Red Cross sent packages to the Prisoners but as the Germans cut open all such packages for inspection they were usually spoiled, but what they did get was appreciated. Frank ask this Frog who had been captive for 3 years to escape with him but he had cold feet, and he told him how they did some Cossacks who were caught, trying to escape. Made the Cossacks run around in a circle, with Bayonets stuck through their thighs and run till they fell from exhaustion and loss of blood never to get up again. would tell of the other deeds but the U.S. Censor will not allow the same freedom as the French will allow be sent by their mail service. (such as the Petite Parisian ), will save this to tell whenever we get home.
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[page 2] After 16 days on the Farm, he made his get away the night of [October] 8th 1917, going the 9 miles to the Border that night, there kept in hiding all day watching the Sentinels and planning what to do next as he still had a bob-wire fence and river to cross before reaching neutral ground, the second night he dug under the wire fence and in trying to vault to river fell in the middle and had to swim, he made so much noise that he dont know whether the sentinel shot at him ot not for it was moonlight and he could see them in the distance. Seeing the snow covered mountains, he knew he was safe in Switzerland, looking around saw a light burning in a cabin half way up the Mts. making his way there about half forzen and ¾ starved, was exhausted but the Swiss took him in, gave him a big glass of wiskey and food then a bed where he rested that night, giving him new hopes, then he was directed to some town where they fitted him up in Civilian Clothes as a citizen of Switzerland, from this place was sent to Berne where the American Legation is, here he was given a royal welcome and furnished Beaucoup Francs to spend and he did, on Wine Woman and Song, in his words, he said, Me had the best time of me life” that was soon gone and he was given more money to blow in. As an escaped prisoner of war, he was a free man but prefered to return to his Company in France, being given his Passport #4157 dated [October] 14, 1918 he was sent back by the way of Paris then to his Hdqrs. where he rejoined his Company still on the front and was in the game again until his Captain, made a report of his return, which came to the attention of Genl. [John] Pershing, who sent for him and told him he had no business up there fighting again and to stay away for he had done his bit. After a short stay with his Co was sent back to the Classification Camp Noyer St Aignan then here, where all he does is eat, sleep and make souveniers. This one is made from a French Machine Gun Bullet. The “Chan-Chat” (Sho-shot Its value is only its History, which I send with My Best Regards. Sgt. Floyd A. White. X“5the Infantry Replacement Co” 1st Infantry Replacement Unit A.P.O. 727 A.E.F. [censor’s signature]
Details
| Title | Floyd A. White letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley -January 1, 1919 |
| Creator | White, Floyd A. |
| Source | White, Floyd A. Letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. 1 January 1919. Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley Collection, 1826-1929. A1737. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Floyd A. White sent this letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. Dr. Whelpley was the dean of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and editor of the Meyer Brothers Druggist magazine. White told the story of a POW and provided Dr. Whelpley with a souvenir that the POW created. This letter was written on Knights of Columbus letterhead. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; United States. Army. Infantry, 1st; Prisoners of War |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | A1737 |
| 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 | January 1, 1919 |
| Language | English |