Wilbert G. Lammers March 1, 1892 – February 8, 1948
Word From Wilbur Lammers Tells of Wound by Machine Gun Bullet
Chas. Lammers received a letter from his son, Wilbur (Wilbert), yesterday stating that he had been wounded. Wilbur does not go into details regarding his injury, any more than to say that he received a machine bullet in the soft part of his right foot, below the ankle. He hopes for and expects a speedy recovery and says that he will soon be able to get around again. The letter was written October 18 and as his previous letter was written October 12, in which no mention was made of an injury it is presumed that he was hurt some time between the 12th and 18th.
William Bruggeman July 21, 1889 – September 16, 1918
Schrapnel Wound Takes Young Man – William Bruggeman Gives His Life in Devoted Service to Country
After weeks of suspense and anxiety following the report of injury to her son, William, on the battlefield in France, Mrs. Bruggeman received the sad news last Saturday that the injury had proven fatal.
The word came
in a telegram from the War Department in Washington, stating that the death
occurred September 16. According to this information William died from his
wound the day after it was inflicted.
Mrs. Bruggeman
and family have received no detailed information of the injury more than that
contained in a letter written by John Merkel, who was in the same company with
William, to his brother, G. F. Merkel. This message stated that William had
been hit in the right breast by a schrapnel bullet.
Deceased was
one of the most promising and most respected young men of Fairfax. He grew up
from early childhood in this immediate community, and throughout his life had
been of such an honest, straight forward, and pleasing disposition that every
acquaintance became his staunch friend. He was one of the prominent members of
the local Knight of Columbus.
Deceased was
born in Mankato July 21, 1889. When three years of age his parents removed to
this locality, locating on a farm a few miles from Fairfax.
About five
years ago the Dickmeyer Implement Company needed a trustworthy young man, and
William was persuaded to leave the farm and take the position offered by that
Company. He remained in this position until he left as a defender of his
company September 19, 1917. We Went to France finally; arriving there May 25,
last.
He wrote home
frequently; his letters were always cheerful, he seeming to have no fear for
his own safety. In his last letter to his brother, Lawrence, he cautioned him
to take good care of their mother, and that he could do the fighting for both of
them.
A funeral
service was held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church Monday morning. Rev. Fr.
Goergen conducted the service and paid high tribute to the noble young man, and
spoke words of comfort to the mourning family.
Besides the
sorrowing mother, there are four brothers and five sisters who deeply mourn the
loss of one dearly loved. The sisters are Mamie, Mathilda and Edith, of
Fairfax, Mrs. M. Roeser, of Cologne, Minn., and Mrs. M. J. Carney, Bird Island.
The brothers are Joseph, Lawrence, Bennie and Oscar, all of Fairfax
Henry H.
Kiecker, who is with the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia, writes and
interesting letter to his brother, Alfred:
Siberia, Oct.
13, 1918.
Hello, Brother:
Well I just had dinner, so I will write a few lines. How is everybody at home?
I feel pretty good myself, only I have a little cold. The weather is pretty
good out here now.
This is quite a
pretty country; there are many hills, and they are covered with small trees.
I surely was
glad to get off of that ship, after being on for so long a time. There is quite
a big town near here. I think that I shall go down this afternoon. It is Sunday
today, and the weather is nice and warm. We had a little frost last night, and
it gets quite cold sometimes.
We get about 11
rubels for a dollar now. A rubel is one Russian dollar and it used to be worth
about fifty cents, as I have been told, and now a rubel is worth about 10
cents. A good meal uptown costs about one dollar, or, in other words, about 10
Russian dollars. It is fun to go up town and buy something when one can’t talk
the language. We talk with our hands mostly, and we get along some way.
How is
everything at home? Are you boys all at home now? I suppose Freddy and Ruth are
going to school. Who is your school teacher? Did you receive the pictures I
sent from Fremont just before I left?
Well, Alfred, I
will have to close. Say hello to Ma and Pa and all the rest of the family. Tell
Ma not to worry, because I am alright. Tell Leonard that I will write to him
later on.
I suppose that
this letter will reach you in about a month. Answer soon.
Henry H. Kiecker
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Henry H. Kiecker.
“Let the weak
hearted who are dreaming of a compromise, let the pacifists who are talking a
peace by agreement; let the sideliners who have enough of war; let the secretly
inclined pro-Germans who think this war should end without a decision – let
them one and all know once and for all that for the American Expeditionary
Force there is no such word as ‘Peace’ with the Huns unbeaten. The man who
talks of peace today, except through victory is a traitor.”
The enemy peace
offensive is likened to the action of German machine gun crew in the Vesle
fighting when they fought and killed Americans until they were surrounded, then
shouted “Kamerad.”
The mothers of
the American soldiers in France want the same peace their sons demand. All the
courage of the ancient Spartan mother is in the hearts of the women of America.
Just received a
Tribune today, the second one since I arrived and I guess it reminded me that
it’s some time since I wrote. I read it until I know most of it by heart. There
are two long letters in it from Mat Mahlum and Palmer Lund. They hit pretty
hard at the Pro’s and N.P’s. If they were over here they sure would swear
vengeance on them and the Huns.
We are living
pretty good with plenty of eats so we can’t complain. I sure miss the candy and
sweet stuff, as we don’t get any of it here. I’d give five Franks for a bar of
chocolate right now. The French had a sub for candy and ice cream, but once is
all any of us try it. We have all the grapes we can eat as they are ripe now,
but that’s about the only fruit we can get.
The time seems
to go fast. It’s nearly two months since I arrived here. I guess it’s because
we work Sundays and every day. You know we are busy or we wouldn’t do that. I
can’t tell you what I am doing as it wouldn’t pass the censor.
We have a fine,
big Y.M.C.A. here and have musical entertainments and movies quite often. We
sure enjoy them.
We are camped
close to a city. I haven’t been to it yet, as I have been working all the time.
But the boys that have seen it say it’s the nicest city we have been in.
My, it’s been a
long time since I heard from home. I guess they must have stopped writing. It
seems hard to find anything to write about here. You want to write when you can
find any news to write as any thing is news to us from home.
Greetings to
all, Pvt. Florense T. Grimes, Co. B. 44th Regt. T.C., A.E.F. via N.
Y.
Posted: February 21, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Fairfax Boy Gets Bullet in Foot, Fairfax Standard 11-14-1918
March 1, 1892 – February 8, 1948
Word From Wilbur Lammers Tells of Wound by Machine Gun Bullet
Chas. Lammers received a letter from his son, Wilbur (Wilbert), yesterday stating that he had been wounded. Wilbur does not go into details regarding his injury, any more than to say that he received a machine bullet in the soft part of his right foot, below the ankle. He hopes for and expects a speedy recovery and says that he will soon be able to get around again. The letter was written October 18 and as his previous letter was written October 12, in which no mention was made of an injury it is presumed that he was hurt some time between the 12th and 18th.
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Posted: February 21, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
William Bruggeman, Fairfax Standard, 11-14-1918
July 21, 1889 – September 16, 1918
Schrapnel Wound Takes Young Man – William Bruggeman Gives His Life in Devoted Service to Country
After weeks of suspense and anxiety following the report of injury to her son, William, on the battlefield in France, Mrs. Bruggeman received the sad news last Saturday that the injury had proven fatal.
The word came in a telegram from the War Department in Washington, stating that the death occurred September 16. According to this information William died from his wound the day after it was inflicted.
Mrs. Bruggeman and family have received no detailed information of the injury more than that contained in a letter written by John Merkel, who was in the same company with William, to his brother, G. F. Merkel. This message stated that William had been hit in the right breast by a schrapnel bullet.
Deceased was one of the most promising and most respected young men of Fairfax. He grew up from early childhood in this immediate community, and throughout his life had been of such an honest, straight forward, and pleasing disposition that every acquaintance became his staunch friend. He was one of the prominent members of the local Knight of Columbus.
Deceased was born in Mankato July 21, 1889. When three years of age his parents removed to this locality, locating on a farm a few miles from Fairfax.
About five years ago the Dickmeyer Implement Company needed a trustworthy young man, and William was persuaded to leave the farm and take the position offered by that Company. He remained in this position until he left as a defender of his company September 19, 1917. We Went to France finally; arriving there May 25, last.
He wrote home frequently; his letters were always cheerful, he seeming to have no fear for his own safety. In his last letter to his brother, Lawrence, he cautioned him to take good care of their mother, and that he could do the fighting for both of them.
A funeral service was held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church Monday morning. Rev. Fr. Goergen conducted the service and paid high tribute to the noble young man, and spoke words of comfort to the mourning family.
Besides the sorrowing mother, there are four brothers and five sisters who deeply mourn the loss of one dearly loved. The sisters are Mamie, Mathilda and Edith, of Fairfax, Mrs. M. Roeser, of Cologne, Minn., and Mrs. M. J. Carney, Bird Island. The brothers are Joseph, Lawrence, Bennie and Oscar, all of Fairfax
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Last Updated: February 21, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter From Henry H Kiecker, Fairfax Standard, 11-14-1918
Henry H. Kiecker, who is with the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia, writes and interesting letter to his brother, Alfred:
Siberia, Oct. 13, 1918.
Hello, Brother: Well I just had dinner, so I will write a few lines. How is everybody at home? I feel pretty good myself, only I have a little cold. The weather is pretty good out here now.
This is quite a pretty country; there are many hills, and they are covered with small trees.
I surely was glad to get off of that ship, after being on for so long a time. There is quite a big town near here. I think that I shall go down this afternoon. It is Sunday today, and the weather is nice and warm. We had a little frost last night, and it gets quite cold sometimes.
We get about 11 rubels for a dollar now. A rubel is one Russian dollar and it used to be worth about fifty cents, as I have been told, and now a rubel is worth about 10 cents. A good meal uptown costs about one dollar, or, in other words, about 10 Russian dollars. It is fun to go up town and buy something when one can’t talk the language. We talk with our hands mostly, and we get along some way.
How is everything at home? Are you boys all at home now? I suppose Freddy and Ruth are going to school. Who is your school teacher? Did you receive the pictures I sent from Fremont just before I left?
Well, Alfred, I will have to close. Say hello to Ma and Pa and all the rest of the family. Tell Ma not to worry, because I am alright. Tell Leonard that I will write to him later on.
I suppose that this letter will reach you in about a month. Answer soon.
Henry H. Kiecker
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Henry H. Kiecker.
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Last Updated: February 21, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
The Peace Our Soldiers Want – The Peace Our War Mothers Want, Bird Island Union, 11-14-1918
The Stars and Stripes, the official newspaper published by the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, says editorially about the enemy peace offensive:
“Let the weak hearted who are dreaming of a compromise, let the pacifists who are talking a peace by agreement; let the sideliners who have enough of war; let the secretly inclined pro-Germans who think this war should end without a decision – let them one and all know once and for all that for the American Expeditionary Force there is no such word as ‘Peace’ with the Huns unbeaten. The man who talks of peace today, except through victory is a traitor.”
The enemy peace offensive is likened to the action of German machine gun crew in the Vesle fighting when they fought and killed Americans until they were surrounded, then shouted “Kamerad.”
The mothers of the American soldiers in France want the same peace their sons demand. All the courage of the ancient Spartan mother is in the hearts of the women of America.
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Posted: February 21, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter From Florense Grimes, Franklin Tribune, 11-14-1918
February 25, 1892 – July 17, 1968
On Active Service, Oct. 6, 1918
Franklin Tribune,
Just received a Tribune today, the second one since I arrived and I guess it reminded me that it’s some time since I wrote. I read it until I know most of it by heart. There are two long letters in it from Mat Mahlum and Palmer Lund. They hit pretty hard at the Pro’s and N.P’s. If they were over here they sure would swear vengeance on them and the Huns.
We are living pretty good with plenty of eats so we can’t complain. I sure miss the candy and sweet stuff, as we don’t get any of it here. I’d give five Franks for a bar of chocolate right now. The French had a sub for candy and ice cream, but once is all any of us try it. We have all the grapes we can eat as they are ripe now, but that’s about the only fruit we can get.
The time seems to go fast. It’s nearly two months since I arrived here. I guess it’s because we work Sundays and every day. You know we are busy or we wouldn’t do that. I can’t tell you what I am doing as it wouldn’t pass the censor.
We have a fine, big Y.M.C.A. here and have musical entertainments and movies quite often. We sure enjoy them.
We are camped close to a city. I haven’t been to it yet, as I have been working all the time. But the boys that have seen it say it’s the nicest city we have been in.
My, it’s been a long time since I heard from home. I guess they must have stopped writing. It seems hard to find anything to write about here. You want to write when you can find any news to write as any thing is news to us from home.
Greetings to all, Pvt. Florense T. Grimes, Co. B. 44th Regt. T.C., A.E.F. via N. Y.
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