Soldier Letter Group: Pvt. John Turner - 101st Engineer Hq & Band (26th Div.) For Sale

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February 26, 1918. …I have been eight days on the front, three times under heavy shell fire, saw many air battles and several heavy bombardments when they blew several large towns all to bits. Iexpect to return very shortly to my company on the front…..

May 31, 1918. …you mentioned Wesley Judkins’ strenuous (?) life in a battleship band. Perhaps you’d smile if you knew that only two weeks ago I was sent on a detailed service to Regt. Hdqrs to play an Alto horn in the Regt. Band. We’re to be increased to 50 pieces according to the paper and so all the musicians and so-called musicians like myself are to be pressed into service….now I’m here there isn’t a chance to get ahead at all. Never mind this war is going yet and they do say that the first three or four years are the worst. …

August 19, 1918…Human nature is a mighty funny thing, isn’t it? I’m thinking of an incident that happened the other day. Two soldiers were talking and one was doing considerable talking – perhaps it could be called boasting and he was explaining the sensations of being at the front to the other. The second listened very attentively for about fifteen minutes then the first happened to ask the other’s regiment. Well, as it happened, the regiment that the second belonged to had seen a great deal of hard fighting and the first only one encounter. You should have seen the face of the first one and they say it’s the same everywhere. The ones who’ve seen the most do the least boasting. Even on the hospital trains and in camp, the slightly wounded are much more (???) than the seriously wounded. Oh well, life is too short to be finding fault. After all their shortcomings, the Americans are showing ‘em something, aren’t they?...

Dec. 15, 1918. Dear Friend, …everyone was in the game for one purpose and the American spirit has certainly been most amirable from start to finish. The support from front to rear and vice versa is the thing that has won the war. Back of the line companies were regiments and back of regiments were divisions and back of them army corps and so on all supported – fed, clothed and equipped by the service of supply or SOS we call it. And it went even farther back to what is known as the “Unity of Command” Marshall Foch . If it hadn’t been for the people at home, where would have been America today? What wonderful cheer there is in those letters from. I haven’t expressed myself too well but I think you know what I mean. Everyone just had to do his part , his “bit” the Canadians call it and he did it. That’s why we’re the victors today.

This item has been shown times. Soldier Letter Group: Pvt. John Turner - 101st Engineer Hq & Band (26th Div.): $18