In this Letters From War Wednesday, let’s revisit “Dere Mable” and Private Bill. “Dere Mable: “… Everythings covered with mud includin me. I seem to attract mud like I was a maggot, Mable. Yesterday I spent all the afternoon shinin up for guard sos to be the Colonels orderly. Then I step out of the [...]
In this edition of Letters From War Wednesday we return to World War I and “Dere Mable”–Private Bill’s laughable notes to his girlfriend back home. “Theres a hole in the tent over my cot where the water comes through on me. I put a slicker over me last nite. The water made puddles in it. [...]
In this edition of Letters From War Wednesday, how about another excerpt from Dere Mable, Private Bill’s letters home to his girlfriend. “Mon Cherry Mable: “Thats the way the French begin there love letters. Its perfectly proper. I would have rote you sooner but me an my fountin pens been froze for a week. Washington [...]
On this Letters From War Wednesday lets take a look at another note home from Private Bill to his lady friend, Mable, featured in “Dere Mable: Love Letters of a Rookie.” “We get our mess from some fellos what stands behind a counter. One of them divides the coffee. He does it by puttin half [...]
Yes, my source for the truly odd and interesting of wars past has come through yet again. He recently came across this book at, I believe, either a Goodwill or maybe a yard sale. It is titled, “Dere Mable, Love Letters of a Rookie,” written by Edward Streeter and illustrated by Bill Breck. The book, [...]
In this edition of Letters From War Wednesday, we feature a note home from World War I soldier, Jesse Winebrenner, just prior to he and his brother, Ben’s, departure for the front lines in France. Given that the pair’s brother, Virgil, was killed earlier in the conflict, Jesse is attempting to prepare his mother for [...]
Wow! My source for obscure history just brought over another fascinating item. He typically finds these rare books at auctions, Goodwill or garage sales. The Atlas of the First World War by Martin Gilbert, originally published in 1971 is unique to say the least. Field Marshal Montgomery himself wrote the preface. The book is actually [...]
Hump day, and time again for Letters From War Wednesday. This note from World War I, dated December 8, 1917, comes from the grieving parents, AJ and Ella, of Virgil Winebrenner, killed by an enemy bullet in the trenches of France. The letter was addressed to the community and printed in a local newspaper. “We [...]
Hump day again, and time for our weekly feature, Letters From War Wednesdays. The History Junkie just doesn’t see enough out there on WWI. So let’s again take a look back at the Great War. Merriam, Indiana soldier, Virgil Winebrenner enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 1916. He was assigned to Company K, 18th [...]
I don’t know about you all, but the History Junkie is still very much in holiday spirits. Accordingly, for LFWW, let’s feature another Christmas letter. This offering comes to us from Indiana doughboy, Jesse Winebrenner, serving occupational duties in France. The letter, addressed to his mother and dated December 24, 1918, was written just a [...]