Military: Letters from WWI, Natchitoches Parish La. Submitted by sshoemaker@cp-tel.net (Suzanne Shomaker) This article came from the Natchitoches Times November, 11, 1998 issue. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Eighty years ago today, the world celebrated the end of what had been a most horrifying war when Nov. 11, 1918, was proclaimed Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I. The following letters were written to Miss Bertha Fahlsing, 2216 East 38th St., Kansas City, Mo., from Capt. Clarence M. McGuire, a doctor stationed in France during World War I. Terri Maggio Jones, formerly of Natchitoches, found them in her attic and they were submitted to the Times by her sister, Sadie Dark. Nothing is known about the couple except what can be learned from the letters and a few post cards they exchanged before the war. Hotel Curzon London Aug. 14, 1917 Dear Bertha Well, I suppose you received my cable. I suppose you are back in K. C. by now so will send this there. Had a fine trip over and was (censored) days coming. I was very lucky and did not get sick. This is a fine country and I think London is wonderful. We leave this afternoon for Paris and will be assigned from there. My address will be American Express c/o Paris. Will write you later. As Ever, Clarence U. S. Army Base Hospital No. 5 Sunday, Nov. 18, 1917 Dear Bertha, What are you mad about that I don't hear from you anymore? But it may be that one of these days I will get a lot of mail from America and there will be a little not from you. I got a K. C. paper telling about the world news. Don't know who sent it but a Mr. E. T. Powers was on it. I had just started to write you when all at once the eighth went out which is a warning that the boat planes were over but they haven't showered us yet so the eighth came on and they may not bomb us tonight as it is cloudy but they never fail this town when it is clear. But I feel safe when I am in a house but sometimes they get you if it is a house, but anyone feels much safer than in a tent. I told you in my last letter I was going to Paris on the 15th of next month for two weeks leave. How I wish you could go along. Haven't heard from Rex or Harold for some time. I am going to take my first French lesson tomorrow. Our house is only about two blocks from the hospital on the seashore so some evenings, I try to whistle "End of a Perfect Day" but it never is. You have heard the song. It's great to live upon the seashore but for me I would certainly like to spend the evening with you as I have so many things to tell you and I get so lonesome, no one to talk to, but if I could learn French it may be I can talk to some French girl, but don't believe I would care to. You don't know how anyone longs to see something different, the same thing every day. Sunday is no different from any other day but when I get back I will have so much to tell that I am afraid you will tire of it. The fog horn is now moaning away so I will stop and go to bed and forget my troubles and dream about being in America which I do quite often and see you in my sleep. What can I get you in Paris? Let me know and if I can get it. I will be glad to. The stores here don't seem to have very much, so I don't know what I can send you for Xmas. What about some lace? But they say we can't send it through the mail or anything else, but I will see something for you in Paris. Write me a long letter and often. Don't go to all the dances as I will dance with you when I return. So good night and good-bye. Clarence No. 13 General Post B. E. F. France Three post card were sent from sites in France. All had been stamped by censors. They read: Undated Had a fine time here. Wish you was along. C. A. McGuire Nov. 10, 1917 How would you like to be in this place, a fine place in a hot day. C. A. McGuire Nov. 20, 1917 Haven't heard from you yet, but am still waiting. C. A. McGuire U. S. Base Hospital No. 5 Jan. 1, 1918 Dear Bertha, A very Happy New Year to you and that I may see you before another one is here. Did you get my last letter? I wrote you as soon as I returned from Paris. You may of thought I was angry with you. I was a little as I did not get any mail from you and said in that letter that I would write you only when I read one from you. But if I did, I would not be writing you now as I haven't heard from you. But I suppose your letters are lost. I did not watch the old year out last night. Went to bed at 10:30. What did you do and where did you go and who was you with? Tell me all about it and write me all the news as your letters are not bothered, as not any of them have been censored yet from you. I was thinking today what you would say to me as we would go home from downtown when you wanted me to tell you something nice and I was too stubborn to tell but I will not be that way anymore. How I would like to see you this evening and tell you all my troubles. I saw some beautiful women in Paris but they did not look good to me. I am ready to settle down and forget all of this for you. That would be great, but suppose you are getting tired of waiting. You don't tell me enough about yourself and what you are doing. See if you can't write me one long letter once and lots of news about yourself. Got a letter from Rex. He is coming here tomorrow. Well, I don't know of anything more to say only I would like to see you and tell you how well I love you, but will that keep until I get back? We will see, so goodbye. Lovingly yours, Wiggy Sunday, Jan. 6, 1918 Dear Bertha, Your two letters of Dec. 4 and 7th both read in some mail and I was surely glad to hear from you once more and that you haven't forgotten me. You said you thought of me often, but I feel sure I think of you as often as you do and that is quite often. You have begun to ask when I will get leave to come home. If the war goes on for five or six years and if I am a good soldier in that time, then I should get leave but they do not know yet when we will get to come home. But when I come, I want to stay. I don't see why you don't stop teaching school as it is very bad on your health and I would like for you to have the best of health. so if I was you, I would quit it. But I don't like for you to take them long auto trips without me and I would be glad to stand the expense rather than for you to pay it. Am glad you got the letter from my folks and hope you go down and see them. I want you to write me all about your trip to Tulsa and tell me all the news. Yes, I would like to go down to Baltimore with you and Mollie and Hedrick and we would have a real celebration and I would like to see you in your new coat and when I return, we will get us a fine car, so you can have it picked out. Yes, if you like, you have my permission to marry me by proxy, but if you can wait you can have the real thing. Don't you think it would be better? I am not sorry we were not married before I left, as if I get killed, you will be better off not to be a widow. But there is one thing sure. When I get back and this war is over, I will be the happiest man living. But there is lots that are worse off than me. I have my man who shines my shoes and odes everything for me, so when I get back it is going to be very hard for me to take of myself, so I must have someone, but not to shine my shoes and I hope it won't be a soldier. The weather is somewhat warmer now but very damp. We are not so very busy at the hospital once more. But what is the use of thinking it now? I will be glad if I get back for next Xmas. Sometimes I think the end is not far off and then again, it looks as it would last for a long time. Now if I was you and the school work is hard on you, I would quit it and not ruin your health as that comes first and when that is gone you will find it very hard to bet back. So I will not be at all surprised to hear you have quit teaching. Well, I think I have told you all the news for this time and as it is about my bed time, ten thirty, I will quit for this time. You remember I think of you very, very often and how I would like to see you tonight and tell you how I love you and I could make you believe it. So, good night Lovingly, Clarence No. 13 General Post B. E. F., France Sunday, Jan.27, 1918 My Dear Bertha, Your two letters of Dec. 26 and Jan. 3 just reached me and I was more than glad to get them as our American mail has not been very regular here of late. You say you want to talk to me and not write. Well, last night I saw and talked to you. Came back to America and everybody would ask me what I was doing at home as the war was not over and the worst of it was that I left at once and came back here, but that was only a dream. But at that I saw and talked to you. If we could only make dreams come true, I would dream of you every night. Glad you had a nice Xmas and that you got so many nice things. Did you get the present I sent you from Paris? I sent it by Express so if you don't get it let me know. But I believe you will get it. I am sorry you get so tired teaching and I can't see why you don't quit it. How fine it must be to go to parties like you do and if I was you, I would have a good time, but don't go too much until I get back. One of the best things you say is that you are tired of it as it is the same thing over and over. I was sure you would tire of it some time and be ready to settle down. By that I don't meat to get old and never go any place, but to be so you could spend the evening at home once in a while. But when I get back, we will start over and I don't think you will ask me to go any place. I will ask you and then you can get married and settle down. As you say, it doesn't get you anywhere to run about all the time. I believe you will be satisfied to lead the simple life an dhow fine that will be, but have a good time as you go along and don't put so much work and worry on your teaching as I want you to have no troubled look on your face when I get back. Am glad you had a good time in Iowa, but you say you met some fine fellows and you say they are different to me and I am glad to have you say that. And I want you to think of me that way for I am sure none of these girls over here suits me as well as you do. It seems strange that we should get so far apart before we began to understand each other, but I believe it is so and when I get back, I will make up for lost time and will never tease you anymore. I don't think you fall short and am sure you will be as I want you to be and I will try and do the same for you. Did you get my cablegram I sent you Xmas and have you been down to see my mother? I get the finest letters from her and I always write you and her regular. Of course, I get lots of other letters, but you two are the ones I always want to hear from. I wish I was there and I would take you down to see them. Am sure they will like you well. About myself, I am feeling fine and we all have got to have our picture taken for the identification card so will get them this week and send you one of them and you can see if you know me. But I haven't changed so very much. The Colonel told me today that I would be made a captain now and I may get it before long, so my work must be satisfactory. We are not so busy at the hospital these day as it is very quiet. The weather over here is great, just like our spring. Today has been fine and we surely enjoy it, but my evenings are not so great as night before last, I was in the cellar for about an hour as the (planes?) was over and they were shooting at him and guns on both sides makes anyone a little nervous. So you see, I am staying very close to home this evenings. I read the papers each day and hear President Wilson's peace terms and then the Germans' and believe that peace is not so awfully far off. How glad I will be. One of the fellows was reading the Bible last night and the war was to last 42 months, so Feb. 21 is the day for it to end this year. Let's hope the Bible is right. Everyone is afraid to go to church every Sunday from their on, but none of us went today. Well, I think I have told you all I know and more, too, so let me hear from you often and take good care of yourself and remember I will see you just as soon as it is possible for me to and there is never a day that goes by I don't think of you several times and wish to be with you always. So I will say good night as I know you are the dearest girl for me. True Love, Clarence Thanksgiving Day Nov. 28, 1918 Dear Bertha, Your letter read and surely enjoyed it and by the time you get this you will have a birthday, which I am afraid I will not be able to celebrate with you. But today the commanding officer read a wire from the Surgeon General asking who wanted to go home at once and who was willing to stay. I told them I would like to be the first one on the boat. It looks as if we may be in U. S. by Feb. and I will be very glad. I just returned from a special mission of ten days. Was over in battle field and almost into Germany. Saw thousands of soldiers and civilians who had been prisoners. Can tell you some wonderful things. I shall when I see you. I thank you for your effort to send me a Xmas remembrance but as we do not know how long we will be here and the mail if very uncertain. But I appreciate it the same. When I got back here, there was a wire from Hedrick. He was in Paris and asked me to join him, but I could not go. Hope we all get to go home together. Did you get my letter I wrote? Hoping to be in U. S. and see you before very long. So good bye. Your Friend, Clarence McGuire's last letter to Miss Fahlsing was dated 1925, after he had returned from France. They were both still single at that time.