TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT JANUARY 6, 1919 P. 1
France, Dec. 4, 1918
Dear Mamma:
I saw the paper this morning that Billy’s division is going home. They are lucky; we have been over here for more than a year when they came and there is no telling when we will get back. The censorship is off so I can tell you a little of what we have done. We left New York the 28th of July, 1917, and landed in Liverpool the 12th of August; went to Salisbury Plain. The fifteenth we marched through London, being the first foreign troops to march through there since 1080. The 17th we sailed for France, landed in Bologne the 18th went up on the Cambrai front to a little town called Roisel. We were here with the British Third Army until March 21st, when the Germans made us hike 37 miles one day. We were under shell fire the 22nd of August, 1917, and were never out of range until 2 months ago. The 12th and the 11th of New York got caught in Jerry’s counteroffensive last November at Cambrai. While with the British we got 24-hour passes once a month to Amiens and this was the only time we ever saw civilians. The first two months I never saw anything but khaki and for about 35 miles behind us there was not a house standing. I went to the hospital the 8th of February at Casualty Clearing Station No. 555 and from there to Rouen and London, where I stayed four weeks and then down in Surrey for a convalescent camp where I stayed for three weeks then to an American rest camp at Winchester for ten weeks. Came back to France with the 39thh division and stayed with them one month and then back to my own regiment. Got back in time to be in the first all American offensive at the –side of the St. Mihiel salient. Well, I hope to be on my way home by the time you get this, but you can never tell.
With love,
Duke
NOTES: Duke Revell Kelly was born in Arkansas on April 20, 1893 and died on November 9, 1933. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a PFC serving in the US Army during World War I. He departed Bassens, France on April 14, 1919 onboard the Cape May. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on April 17. He was serving as a Private in Co B 12th Engineers. Duke Revell Kelly is writing to his mother from France. He was born on April 20, 1893 and died on November 9, 1933. He is buried in the Cavalry Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
France, Dec. 4, 1918
Dear Mamma:
I saw the paper this morning that Billy’s division is going home. They are lucky; we have been over here for more than a year when they came and there is no telling when we will get back. The censorship is off so I can tell you a little of what we have done. We left New York the 28th of July, 1917, and landed in Liverpool the 12th of August; went to Salisbury Plain. The fifteenth we marched through London, being the first foreign troops to march through there since 1080. The 17th we sailed for France, landed in Bologne the 18th went up on the Cambrai front to a little town called Roisel. We were here with the British Third Army until March 21st, when the Germans made us hike 37 miles one day. We were under shell fire the 22nd of August, 1917, and were never out of range until 2 months ago. The 12th and the 11th of New York got caught in Jerry’s counteroffensive last November at Cambrai. While with the British we got 24-hour passes once a month to Amiens and this was the only time we ever saw civilians. The first two months I never saw anything but khaki and for about 35 miles behind us there was not a house standing. I went to the hospital the 8th of February at Casualty Clearing Station No. 555 and from there to Rouen and London, where I stayed four weeks and then down in Surrey for a convalescent camp where I stayed for three weeks then to an American rest camp at Winchester for ten weeks. Came back to France with the 39thh division and stayed with them one month and then back to my own regiment. Got back in time to be in the first all American offensive at the –side of the St. Mihiel salient. Well, I hope to be on my way home by the time you get this, but you can never tell.
With love,
Duke
NOTES: Duke Revell Kelly was born in Arkansas on April 20, 1893 and died on November 9, 1933. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a PFC serving in the US Army during World War I. He departed Bassens, France on April 14, 1919 onboard the Cape May. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on April 17. He was serving as a Private in Co B 12th Engineers. Duke Revell Kelly is writing to his mother from France. He was born on April 20, 1893 and died on November 9, 1933. He is buried in the Cavalry Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD