WWI Letters: PENN Boys Training at Camp Hancock

Camp Hancock, Augusta, GA

CO. F BOY WRITES INTERESTING LETTER FROM CAMP HANCOCK
Camp Hancock,
Augusta, Ga., Sept. 15, ’17.

Editor Messenger:

I now take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines, the first chance I have had, as I was sick since arriving in camp.

I am feeling fine again and getting ready for drill Monday, as wew start in Monday on our drill schedule, having camp in tip top shape.

The boys that were at the border last year say they would rather be in Texas to drill than here, the sand here is very dirty, when you get through drilling you look like a negro.

The weather has not been very hot here since we have arrived and we had one or two very cool nights.

We had another innoculation the third day we were here and most of the boys felt the effects of it.

Co. F is getting its first guard duty tonight since arriving. We expect to get 16 weeks of training before going to France.

There is talk of making up another rainbow division of the Pennsylvania troops and if they do we expect to go in a month or two.

The boys are all anxious to go to France and all are in the best of spirits.

Please remember me to the people in Indiana.

Yours sincerely,
W.J. STACK.

Indiana Weekly Messenger (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Sep 20, 1917

Dear Editor:
I received the paper and am glad to hear of what takes place in old Indiana. We are going on a six-mile hike tomorrow after inspection and expect it to be a corker as it is very hot here in the day time. The evenings are very cool and a fellow sure does feel like creeping under the blankets.

The boys are getting down to business now. They are organizing a football team and going into it in the good old style. Boxing is an every day performance in camp, for as soon as there is an argument it is settled with the boxing gloves.

The boys never get rusty at handling a gun for we get enough physical exercise, double time and drill in eight hours to realize what real soldier life is like.

The continuous drilling that we receive every day certainly is getting all the boys in good health and our muscles are getting as hard as bricks.

The reorganization will take place Monday and we expect to receive our additional one hundred men from the 18th regiment.

The 10th regiment had their last regimental parade this evening as it will now be known as 111th.

The boys are all making a mad dash for their mail now, so I will join them and bring this brief note to a close.

Yours respectfully,
W.J. STACK.
Camp Lee.
October 6, 1917.

To a Friend in Old Pa.
(By Corp. Geor. G. Flury, Co. D. 8th Pa. Infantry.)

Far away in the South-land,
In the land of Cotton and Pine,
Where the banjoes ring and darkies sing,
I’m thinking of a friend divine.
You remember the day we parted,
In the State we love so well,
When the sun goes down in Dixie, Friend
My thoughts go back to you.
‘Tis great to feel in Dixie,
That you’ve a friend in Old Pa.
That’s why, just at twilight, Friend,
My thoughts go back to you.
when things go wrong in Dixie,
And I’m longing for Old Pa.
I take my pipe, and serenely smoke,
Till my thoughts drift back to you.
Pennsylvania heard the call of Columbia,
So she sent us to fight and save,
When o’er the dark blue sea I’m sailing, Friend,
My thoughts will go back to you.
When the Kaiser gets his whipping,
By the boys from Old Pa.
When the U-Boats sink in the deep blue sea, Friend,
Then I’ll come back to you.
P.S. — The foregoing poem is very popular with the boys.

W.J.S.

Indiana Weekly Messenger (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Oct 11,  1917

Name:George G Flury
Home in 1920:    Overseas Military, Germany, Military and Naval Forces
Age:   20 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1900
Birthplace:     Pennsylvania
Relation to Head-of-house:     Sergeant
Father’s Birth Place:     Pennsylvania
Mother’s Birth Place:     Pennsylvania
Marital Status:     Single
Race:     White
Sex:     Male

This is the casualty list from The Washington Post, Tuesday, October 1, 1918:

(This was posted by an unnamed person on rootsweb, link includes the whole list)

AMERICANS KILLED AND WOUNDED ON THE FRENCH FRONT

WOUNDED SEVERELY

Corporals

FLURY, George G., Wrightsville, Pa.

***********
Name: George G Flury
Home in 1900: Wrightsville, York, Pennsylvania
Age: 9/12
Birth Date: Aug 1899
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Race:     White
Ethnicity: American
Gender: Male
Relationship to head-of-house: Son
Father’s Name: Abe M
Father’s Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother’s Name:     Mary
Mother’s Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Single
Residence : Wrightsville Borrough, York, Pennsylvania
Household Members:
Name     Age
Abe M Flury 26 [Sep 1873]
Mary Flury  24 [Jun 1875]
George G Flury  9/12 [Aug 1899]

*George was still single in 1930, living with his parents.

*W.J. Stack: I haven’t found anything else on him, but since I don’t have a first name, it is hard to search for him.

Tags: 1899, 1917, 8th PA Infantry, Camp Hancock, Camp Lee, Census Record, Flury, George G. Flury, Military, Pennsylvania, Poetry, W.J. Stack, WWI, York Co. PA