1918 July Report

We have a lot having gone on in July - we lost a man, Private First Class John H. Breese and our original commander, Lloyd F. Allen, was relieved of duty and a new commander, James W. D. Seymour, took over.

I found John H. Breese's grave through ancestry.com - he can be found at Plot D, Row 36, Grave 35 in Romagne, France at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.
I also found the military abstract for him:

John died a year and 10 days after enlisting. How sad. He had been promoted at the same time as Herb.

Those pesky insects in our food....

We've spoken about this before, here and here. And I can't say that I am ready for it... though I did screw up my courage to ask at a GNC store about beef blood protein.... I don't know whether I would have voted with my wallet on that one, but I did ask the question if they make or sell dried beef blood protein. It was a while ago at this point, but they did not have any on the shelf.

Protein, in all forms, is officially trending. The original superfood, protein builds muscle and aids weight loss, and this year it was pumped into practically everything in the grocery aisles, whether snack chips or Cheerios. But the quest for amino acids may be headed to even stranger heights. Food entrepreneurs are now betting that protein-rich insects—think mealworm bars and milled-cricket flour—will be the next foodie frontier.

I blogged a little bit about the cost of raising protein on the planet here. I believe that raising goats for meat is a much more economical way to get the animal protein - and the goat milk is much easier to digest for many people.

I took the quote from my favorite magazine, The Week, 12/31/2014.

Bastille Day 1918

I believe I made a mistake earlier, thinking that Jane Parker was Russell Parker's sister in this post. According to the 1900 Federal Census, Russell had two sisters, Ida and Kathryn. Unfortunately, I have no clue what might have happened to to this mentioned sister. However, I do know that both of Russell and cousin Edith's children died relatively young, Howard at only 16 and Ruth at 25. Very sad. I believe Howard always had a weak heart - at least that is what I believe my 3rd cousin/Chas' great grandson Chuck told me.

The day following the writing of this letter, Herb and his Section 580 leave Bussy le Chateau, Marne and spend the next month in Suippes.



July 14, 1918
Dear Mother,
It’s Sunday again almost before I had realized it. The days seem very long, but strangely enough, the weeks seem very short. They can’t be any too short for me.

This is the French National holiday so I suppose everyone will be celebrating.

I had a letter from Dad this week, enclosing a letter from Aunt Ida. Too bad about Russell Parker’s sister, wasn’t it. I met her several time at Edith’s and she seemed like a very nice girl. I was glad to hear that Aunt Ida keeps so well. Hope you’ll be able to get down for a week or two.

That package from Wanamaker’s hasn’t put in an appearance yet, though we’ve had a couple of deliveries of second class mail.

There seem to be more Americans around here than ever. I guess they’re settled down here to stay. Hope so.

Tell Dad that if he can manage to send some tobacco I’d like to have it, though I do manage to worry along with what I can pick up at the Y.M.C.A.’s and what I can get from the Commissary. Don’t send an from Wanamaker’s though.

Affectionately,
Herb

I wrote + thanked Ren Fleming, but if Dad sees him have him thank him for me. He may never have gotten my letter.
Herb

Herb's birthday

Dang - to think that my great grandmother couldn't vote... not until 1920. So Herb is indicating that his father and his brother are the two votes in the family as Herb is overseas fighting.

I wasn't able to find anything on Willie Heart.

Olive is Herb's younger sister, and I now believe Marnie is Margaret. Margaret must be 7 years old.

I figured I should include a photo of Herb, in honor of his birthday in our series of letters:

This photo was taken in 1926 - so at this time he is home with a daughter. (And, NO! he is not married to Karolyn, he is married to Florence and I have no idea when they met, or what happened to Karolyn!) Handsome looking dude, wouldn't you say?

July 7, 1918
Dearest Mother,

This is a very special occasion today – not only Sunday, but my birthday as well – the second in the Service and I hope the last. I should have liked to have gone to church, but there is no church for Protestants.

The mail has been pretty backward so I have looked in vain. For word from you or for the packages that Dad had sent to me. That probably means that I’m due for a lot all in one bunch in a few days or so.

The weather is very fine and gives promise of staying so, warm but not too warm, and fair practically all the time now.

Lots of American troops have been coming up in to our Sector the past week. It certainly seems good to see them – that is to us, I don’t believe it pleases Jerry very much.

For three or four days we had an American band in the village and every evening we had a concert. It did sound good to hear real American music. However they went away the night before the 4th.

I have just been writing to Charlie and am going to write the Shermans in a day or two. I wrote Tom, as perhaps I told you, but haven’t heard from him yet. It’s pretty soon to be expecting a reply anyway.

We get a couple of English papers every day, so I manage to keep up with the news now. On the hole it’s very satisfactory, I think.

My own birthday brought to my mind the fact that Harry must be nineteen and that the kids must be rapidly growing up. And yet I can remember Harry toddling around the back yard and crying because Mr. Merrill’s dog had knocked him down.

The papers speak of Willie Heart’s determination to run for Governor. I think he has an unprecedented gall, but then, he’s had that a long time. I’d like to be home to vote. However, we have two votes in the family anyway, haven’t we?

Whenever [sic] you get that money I’ve allotted to you out of my pay, please let me know. Don’t worry about it if it doesn’t come, though, because those things often take several months. If you need it, use it, but if you don’t, put it in the bank.

Ask Olive to write me, Mother, I’d love to have her. And Marnie, too, those queer scrawls of hers are awfully amusing.
Your affectionate son,
Herb

"Kids" old enough to be drafted

Tom is, of course, Tom Nial.

Will Groesbeck is another cousin....2nd cousin to Herb, through the Kirkpatricks. Seems William's father died in 1916, so William was taking care of his mother and sisters - at least that is what is written on his draft card. By 1920, though, he is married. It seems he was working at the Watervliet Arsenal.... I suppose that might be the same Arsenal that Herb talks about for his brother Harry. I suppose Cousin William was doing his part for the war effort by being a machinist at the Arsenal.

I still don't know who the Whites are.... Friends from Troy, certainly. (I have been researching my German heritage and that has been taking up a ton of my time... No excuses, but that's my excuse. Hopefully I will write a bit about them some time soon.)

Mr. Friedman is Herb's former supervisor at Case Pomeroy on Wall Street.

Makes me smile to know that Herb liked Rag Time music, but sorry that he is feeling melancholy due to homesickness. Poor Herb.


June 30, 1918
Dearest Mother,

News are scarce as usual. I got your letter written June 10th to-day – a pretty good record.

Those clippings of the open draft quotas were certainly revelations. I noticed the names of so many “kids” I had known. It took me several minutes to realize that they are all old enough to be vote [sic]. I must be growing older myself.

The package Dad had sent for me hasn’t shown up yet. I’ll let you know as soon as it does. It was mighty good of him to go to all that trouble.

A whole gang of Americans came in here last night. It certainly seems good to see them. There was a regimental band with them and we’ve been promised some real American rag time this evening.

I was glad to hear from you that Tom seems to be getting along nicely. I’ve written him.

Did I tell you that had a very nice letter from Mr. Friedman and one from Mrs. Friedman too. He writes that he expects to be over here in the fall but doesn’t say in what capacity.

By the way, how does Will Groesbeck stay out of the draft?

The Whites are certainly in it pretty deep aren’t they [sic]. Still, it’s something that can’t be helped and I know Mrs. White would rather have it that way than to have all the boys ducking it. She’s a fine woman.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Promotion to private first class

Hmmm. I don't recall Herb mentioning this to his parents, but back in February of 1918 he was promoted to a private first class. Uh-oh, those to-be missing colleagues were also promoted at the same time - Arthur K. Drake and Russell C. Harrison.

What was he doing at this time? I guess he was moving up to the front.... and still in a French Camp.

To my readers, if you wouldn't mind saying hello, I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment on this post or any other. Best, Alexandra

Furloughs have started...

According to the History Channel nothing of import is going on the week of June 23rd in 1918.

June 23, 1918
Dear Mother,
I rather expected a letter from you this week but the mail man comes empty-handed every day.

There’s nothing new around here. The sector continues very quiet – for which I’m not a bit sorry. The weather is clear enough but quite cool – much cooler than it is at home this time of year.

Friday marked the end of a year in the army for most of the Section so we celebrated with an extra-good dinner and a sort of party afterwards. I didn’t enjoy the party much myself because it made me think of the ones the gang used to have at school and likewise those we used to have at 193 Sterling Place, sometimes in the evening.

Our permissions, or furloughs, have started, though I don’t know just when mine will come. We get seven days, exclusive of travelling time, which makes a nice little vacation.

Somehow I can’t think of anything to write that will get by the censor. Keep me posted as to how Harry is making out. I’m interested.
Love,
Herb

Don’t worry. I’ve never felt better in my life.

Helen is Herb's first cousin, daughter to Uncle Will and Aunt Ada. We have some photos here.
Olive and Marnie are Herb's younger sisters, though I am still sorting through the nickname Marnie. I always knew her as Margaret.

From June 14th to July 15th, Herb is in Bussy le Chateau, Marne.



June 18th, (1918)
Dear Mother,

Everything is fine. We’re back on the line again – on active duty. I mean rather because this base is quite a ways back of the lines, even further than the place where we were first off – several months ago. The sector is very quiet. I hope it continues so because these sturing ? times are very hard on one’s nerves. We have very good barracks and are very comfortable, taking it all together. The weather’s been rather rainy lately – though not too rainy, and altogether I think the weather is cooler than it is at home.

I was much pleased to hear of Harry’s good luck in getting a good place and I do hope that he’ll be able to come through. I know he will if it can reasonably be expected of any one of his age and experience. The kid merely has backbone to go trailing down there there [sic] all on his own and I know he’ll do his darnedest. His only trouble is that he doesn’t say enough about himself. If he’d only loosen up and tell his troubles occasionally he’d be much better off. Tell him to be sure + keep in touch with Chas. I know that Chas will do everything he can for him, when he knows it’s the right thing to do, and I’m sure he can give Harry a lot of darned good advice if he’ll only go to him when he’s in trouble. Chas has been through the mill + and he knows what’s what. I hope Miss Pearsall can take him. I told you last week, did I now that I had had a letter from her.

I had Helen’s letter a few days ago. Tell her I’ll be writing her shortly.

How are the kids, Mother. I’ve been thinking a lot about them lately. Olive, I suppose, will be a young lady when I come back. And Marnie, how I wish I could see her and you all.

Several packages of magazines and things you sent have arrived this week and I’ve had a fine time catching up with current events in the U.S. the general tone of affairs looks better – more determined.

Don’t worry. I’ve never felt better in my life.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

On June 11th, the History Channel tells us this happened:

After several months of an aggressive German offensive on the Western Front during the spring and early summer of 1918, the Allies begin their counterattack, including an assault on June 10, 1918, by four French and two American divisions on German lines near the town of Antheuil-Portes in central France, some 45 miles from Paris.

Code-breaking by French intelligence at the beginning of June 1918 had allowed the Allies to prepare for a German attack in France that was to begin at midnight on June 7. The French launched their own massive artillery bombardment some ten minutes earlier, catching the Germans while they were still preparing for the attack. The Germans countered with an even stronger assault, firing 250,000 rounds of poison gas—including mustard, phosgene and diphenyl-chlorarsine—into the French trenches, incapacitating some 4,000 French soldiers and killing 32.

After three days of battle, the Germans had forced the French back to Antheuil-Portes. Winston Churchill, in Paris at the time coordinating Allied munitions, wrote to his wife on June 10 that "If the French cannot hold [the Germans] back on this sector, it is not easy to see what the next step on our part should be." The following day, four French and two American divisions launched a counterattack aided by significant air support as well as over 150 tanks. They successfully pushed the Germans back from Antheuil, taking more than a thousand German prisoners. A German attack west of Soissons on June 12 made negligible gains, and German Chief of Staff Erich Ludendorff called off the offensive that same day. The Allies continued their push, however, beginning a change of momentum that would gain force throughout the summer of 1918 and the final months of World War I.

Cider

This past fall folks at VPR - Vermont Public Radio - were talking about the apple harvest in the region. They ended the discussion by saying that the area around Lake Champlain could turn in to the Napa Valley of Ciders. My little brain got spinning....! Wouldn't that be a hoot?! I mean the area where I go is totally economically depressed and something like cider making could be wonderful for the area.

Not since our forefathers were downing it by the tankard has hard cider been so sought after. The appeal is obvious: Fermented and barrel aged like wine, ciders are food friendly and offer flavor profiles ranging from dry to sweet, with citrus, floral, and oaky notes to boot. And the best cider comes from lesser-known breeds. “You can’t throw in Granny Smiths and call it cider,” Stephen Wood of Farnum Hill Ciders told Food & Wine. “You have to use bitter apples.”

(Taken from the 12/31/14 edition of The Week Magazine.)

I learned from Michael Pollan in his books about how all apple trees are grafted because planting apple seeds does not result in a tree bearing the same fruit as the seed it grew from. Isn't that fascinating? Just imagine the possibilities!

Picturesque La Noblette....

Herb is writing from La Cheppe, France, outside of Reims. He is at the Camp de Noblette. I took this following image from Wikipedia:

Could this be the stream Herb mentions?

Miss Pearsall must be the landlady at Herb's apartment at 193 Sterling Place in Brooklyn.

Nothing is popping out at me in my research on Google about the BT Company; sorry to be of no help there.

Remember we found Tom Nial here.

We learn that younger brother Harry has a bad heart? Did we know this from before? And the Shermans are Herb's Aunt and Uncle from Troy, NY.


June 11th (1918)
Dear Mother,

I’m afraid I’ve missed several writing days but we’ve been moving around so much and so fast that it’s been impossible to write. I sent you a card last week – the first opportunity I had to get anything in the mail.

As I told you there we were mixed up in a big action and for more than a week we had a pretty lively time of it. However we pulled through in pretty good shape. Though we lost some cars + most of us had to abandon at least part of our surplus clothing. We’re back in rest camp now in a big pine grove and it certainly seems fine to settle down for a while with no fear of being ordered out any minute. There’s a nice little stream nearby so we can enjoy the luxury of frequent baths after having gone duty longer than I’d like to say.

We’ve had only one mail for a long time – but it brought me several letters from you. I had also a letter from Miss Pearsall. It seems that all the old gang in 193 is over here now. She’s looking forward to a big reunion and says that there’ll always be room for us all if she has to eject a few of the present occupants.

I had a letter from Chas, too. He’s putting things into shape because he expects his 2A classification will call him out pretty soon. They’ve had to move his department to larger quarters again and he says for me not to worry about after the war – what with the way things are going with him. He’s been very busy, of course, on the 3rd loan, in fact, he was the principal author of the B.T. Co. pamphlet which was adjudged the best one presented. He sent me a copy of it + it certainly was a sweet piece of work.

You gave me Tom’s address in one of your letters so I shall write him this week. Remember me to Mrs. Nial.

I’m sorry Harry is doing nothing. I don’t like to interfere any further, but I do think that if Uncle Will can still get him something in the Arsenal, he ought to take it. In times like these, every one ought be working. At any rate, he ought not be worrying about the future, now. I’m not – and I’ve got more reason than he. If he can get a job within his strength, he ought take it. If the salary is at all reasonable and not worry about whether he likes it or not. I don’t believe anyone can expect to be settled into a permanent line of work at his age. At any rate, anything ought be better than being home. On the other hand he ought not enlist. No one with a bad heart ought to be in the active service.

I suppose the Shermans are on Easy St. now. It’s nice that Will is doing so well and I hope he keeps on.

Don’t worry whenever there is a break in my chain of letters. All it means is that the mail system is a bit jumbled up. At any rate it certainly doesn’t mean that anything has happened to me. If there were any bad news you’d get it fast enough. I’m fine – never felt better in my life.

Love to all,
Herb.




The History Channel came up with this for me - about an hour away from where Herb is writing this letter.

Battle of Belleau Wood begins

The first large-scale battle fought by American soldiers in World War I begins in Belleau Wood, northwest of the Paris-to-Metz road.

In late May 1918, the third German offensive of the year penetrated the Western Front to within 45 miles of Paris. U.S. forces under General John J. Pershing helped halt the German advance, and on June 6 Pershing ordered a counteroffensive to drive the Germans out of Belleau Wood. U.S. Marines under General James Harbord led the attack against the four German divisions positioned in the woods and by the end of the first day suffered more than 1,000 casualties.

For the next three weeks, the Marines, backed by U.S. Army artillery, launched many attacks into the forested area, but German General Erich Ludendorff was determined to deny the Americans a victory. Ludendorff continually brought up reinforcements from the rear, and the Germans attacked the U.S. forces with machine guns, artillery, and gas. Finally, on June 26, the Americans prevailed but at the cost of nearly 10,000 dead, wounded, or missing in action.