Floyd Boyce Phillips was one of millions of boys from the United States who were sent across the Atlantic to the Old Country to fight in the Great War. In this series of posts, we follow the 101st anniversary of Floyd’s journey and get glimpses of what was going on at home while he was over there.
Many thanks to Coralee for providing me with artifacts throughout the years and especially for the stack of WWI-era letters that were delivered to me on 31 May 2019. They have provided countless hours of family history entertainment.
– Denise
Floyd’s uncle Clarence Arthur Phillips wrote to Floyd who was still in France. Clarence was disappointed that the letter he had recently received from Floyd didn’t have more information, so he came up with seventeen questions for Floyd to answer. Oh, wouldn’t it be great if we could see Floyd’s response? Unfortunately, if such a letter was written, it probably no longer exists.
Clarence’s son, Robert, who was Floyd’s first cousin, was a Lieutenant and Clarence wanted Robert to get to see some “real fighting.” He shared that he had requested his son to get to France and then bring back “a German helmet and a Hun’s right ear.”
Clarence shared news from home too. He reported that Guy had returned from Canada on Saturday, October 21st. He reported that Tom and Millie had went to Detroit to visit Frank, but came back earlier than they planned.
Clarence included a dollar with his letter to his nephew supposing that one “can use our American money any place in the deal old world.”
Next…
Arthur was not Enjoying Canada
Who is Who?
Guy and Gertrude Phillips Family
Floyd was the middle of the five sons of Gertrude Lovin Boyce and Guy Allison Phillips.
Tom and Millie Phillips Family
Tom and Millie had seven sons. Guy was the oldest and Clarence, the letter writer, was the third.
Sources:
“C. A. Phillips” [Clarence Arthur Phillips] (Chicago, Illinois) to “Floyd Phillips” [Floyd Boyce Phillips], letter, 23 October 1918; privately held by Denise Krueger, Rochester, MN, 2019.
The Phillips Family
- Publication date: September 2015
- Pages: 432
- Formats:
- This book traces our Phillips ancestry. It follows the Phillips family from 18th century ancestors in New York to more recent asparagus farmers of Illinois. Five generations of descendants of Wilhelmus Philip are covered. The families of Jacob W Phillips, his son Albert Aveldo Phillips, his son Guy Allison Phillips, and his son Floyd Boyce Phillips are followed in detail.
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