Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Christmas in the hospital - 1918

One hundred years ago, my grandfather (W.T. Snyder) spent Christmas in a hospital in France.  He was severely wounded in September 1918 (shrapnel in his shoulder while fighting in a trench).  He spent that Christmas having had no news from home since he left the U.S. He had no word about his brother John (also in the U.S. Army in France). He was very lonely and homesick.  Yet in every letter he wrote, he said he was feeling fine! He finally got back to the U.S. in late January 1919.

On December 11, 1918 he wrote to his future wife from Base Hospital #17, A.P.O. #721, American E. F., France:

Hello! Miss Nora,
Will write you a short note tonight as I am in a hurry. I am hoping you the very best of health and plenty of fun.  I am having a very good time but nothing like if I was with you. "Ha" Say have you gotten any of the letters and cards I've written you. Listen I have never seen one of yours yet -Ha- and no one else. They have my mail somewhere in my regiment and I've not seen it. Say have you heard from John recently. Hope you have. I haven’t. I have got something real nice to tell you when I come home. Hope to see you real soon. Will write you more the next time. Pardon me this time.  Hope you a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.  I am with much love your true friend
    Mech. W. T. Snyder


 

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