World War I through the Eyes of a Mid-Missourian

J H Pattrick Goes to France
hometown newspaper article

Telegram from Mother and Dad

Dear Mother and Dad
explaining decision

War Diary: with Pershing on the HMS Baltic

Letters from the Baltic

War Diary: London

War Diary: Arriving in France

Dear Mother and Dad
arriving in Paris

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War Diary: Arriving in France

At 3:30 a.m., June 13th we were called to get out and make a 5:00 train for Folkstone, arriving there about 7:00 a.m. There we took a boat, the 'Invicta', aboard which were a lot of British troops, and steamed across the channel into the Chanzy Basin at Boulogne, France, amid acclaimations from French and British soldiers and civilians on shore. We were met by two bands, one in the outer harbor and the other at the dock, both playing the Star Spangled Banner. Among the ships alongside was one loaded down with Sengelese of whom I have a picture.

At Boulogne we were met by a military guard of honor and several high French officials. Like our landing at Liverpool, we did not get a chance to see much of Boulogne, being rushed aboard a special train for Paris at 11:30 a.m., arriving in Paris that evening at 5:30 p.m. At the station was a large military guard and a huge crowd of high French officials to welcome us. We were loaded into military autos and taken from the station to the Hotel L'intendance, 50 rue del'Universite. In crossing the city in these military autos, we received the greatest ovation I have ever seen or experienced. The same kind of ovation was tendered to the 16th Infantry when it paraded through Paris on the 4th of July, 1917, in honor of our Independence Day, and our entry into the war on the side of Liberty.

The crowds simply went wild, showering the machines with flowers and kisses and grabbing a handshake whenever possible. General Pershing went to the Crillon Hotel where he was accorded a wonderful reception. When we went thru the streets of Paris for at least a week afterwards, there we were almost kidnapped by the girls. We remained in Paris from June 13, 1917, to Sept. 1, 1917, when we moved to our present station.

A Joint Exhibit
of the
University of Missouri
Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia
and the University of Missouri-Columbia
Museum of Anthropology

Acknowledgments and World War I Links

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