Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection consists primarily of outgoing correspondence written by David C. Cottrell of the American Expeditionary Forces while he served in France during the First World War. He wrote most letters to his sweetheart, Ethel M. Jury of Stockton, California, and discussed the weather and local scenery, life in the army, and other aspects of his experiences overseas.

This collection consists primarily of correspondence written by David C. ("Dave") Cottrell of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during the First World War. The majority of the letters are addressed to his sweetheart, Ethel M. Jury of Stockton, California, with a handful addressed to her mother, Annis. Most of the letters are numbered, and Cottrell wrote almost weekly between October 11, 1917, and April 13, 1918, the week of his death. He noted his intention to write every Sunday, as that was the only day on which the soldiers regularly had leisure time. His letters focus on his daily life in France and include descriptions of the rainy weather, scenery, and townspeople. He also frequently commented on the mail service between soldiers and their correspondents in United States and on the slow speed of transatlantic mail steamers, which occasionally caused letters to arrive out of order. Though he was aware of censorship, he nevertheless described life in the army and commented about soldiers' attitudes on a range of topics, including a generally negative opinion of the YMCA (November 9, 1917). He also frequently wrote about dogs and news received from Ethel, who mentioned her siblings and mutual friends; the later letters reflect a temporary rift in the couple's relationship, apparently mended by early April. Cottrell's letters to Ethel's mother have similar content, with an increased focus on some of her English acquaintances, who also corresponded with Cottrell during the war. Ed B. Hall of Company D, "319th Engineers," wrote the final letter (September 1, 1918) to Annis Jury; he mentioned his recent quarantine and desire to visit Stockton on a furlough.

The non-correspondence items are three newspaper clippings related to potential German propaganda in Stockton's libraries, to conditions at Camp Kearney, and to the death of David C. Cottrell, as well as several pressed flowers, all but two of which are attached to letters.

This collection is comprised of 8 letters written by John Barr to his girlfriend, Ethel Mae ("Polly") Trueblood, of Cleveland, Ohio, during his World War I service with the YMCA near Paris in 1918. In these love letters, Barr discussed his experiences near the front, his negative opinions of the Germans, and the nature of his daily work.

This collection is comprised of 8 letters written by John Barr to his girlfriend, Ethel Mae ("Polly") Trueblood, of Cleveland, Ohio, during his World War I service with the YMCA in Paris in 1918. In these love letters, Barr discussed the nature of his daily work and his experiences. Despite being located near the front and witnessing some of the horrors of war, he maintained a positive attitude, and optimistically told Polly, "One has to be here to fully realize the importance of winning the war. And we are going to win" (June 27, 1918); however, he did not brook any tolerance toward the "Jerrys," "Boches," and "Huns," whom he often disparaged in his letters. Along with his descriptions of life in France and frequent proclamations of love and hope for the couple's future, he responded angrily to reports of strikers in the United States, questioning their loyalty and reinforcing the importance of men in the American Expeditionary Forces. In the letter of September 14, 1918, Barr attached a clipping from the June 7, 1918 issue of Stars and Stripes, featuring an article about war refugees captioned "Helpless Victims of the Hun."