ADM Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 (edited) Hello! I'm trying to decipher some of the language used in a postcard I have from 1919. If anyone would be kind enough to explain the meaning, I would be most grateful! The postcard is marked as "Soldiers mail", and the faded postmark looks like it was stamped by the postoffice in April 1919. I'm quite sure it says APR for April (instead of AVR for Avril), so I'm guessing it was posted through the military and not the French post. The short letter on the back is written to a woman in Altoona, PA. The author talks about going out on a "Y" truck excursion over no man's land in Verdun. So question #1 - What is a Y truck? The author also mentions an underground city there. Question #2 - Would the underground city be the tunnels under Fort Vaux or some other place? He also says the city was deserted except for a "Y" and a "K.C." He suggests the "Y" building was patched up so it could be used. Question #3 - What is a "Y" and "K.C."? If they're buildings, what was their function? At the bottom of the letter, beside the soldier's name, is A.C. 351. I wonder if this is his unit? Question #4 - What does A.C. 351 stand for? My appreciate to anyone that can answer one or more of the above questions! Edited 7 November , 2019 by ADM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 You might find it worth while showing a photo of the back of the card so all this is put into context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 Indeed… as to the underground city, Verdun has an underground citadel … as in a number of galeries built in the 1550s and then reinforced by Vauban, under the citadel of Verdun. We're talking about 5-7, km of galeries Under the city, that served in the war as CP, depot, telegraphist central. during the battle of 1916, there were at times over 10.000 soldiers in the galeries. It is there that the French Unknown soldier was chosen in 1920. the galleries can be visited today. Did it in 2013, but I found the visit somewhat artificial… in a train, with little light effects and such… not really a great visit, but Worth doing once. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 Just an idea, but wouldn't "Y" refer to the YMCA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 would make sense, if it was a post-war battlefield excursion… there were a number of them… Just checked the website… the galeries in Verdun have been modernised from 2016 on, now using virtual reality goggles instead of the zombie-like statues they had. A good excuse to go back… M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 7 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2019 7 hours ago, phsvm said: You might find it worth while showing a photo of the back of the card so all this is put into context. Good point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 7 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2019 6 hours ago, Marilyne said: Indeed… as to the underground city, Verdun has an underground citadel … as in a number of galeries built in the 1550s and then reinforced by Vauban, under the citadel of Verdun. We're talking about 5-7, km of galeries Under the city, that served in the war as CP, depot, telegraphist central. during the battle of 1916, there were at times over 10.000 soldiers in the galeries. It is there that the French Unknown soldier was chosen in 1920. the galleries can be visited today. Did it in 2013, but I found the visit somewhat artificial… in a train, with little light effects and such… not really a great visit, but Worth doing once. M. Very interesting. I'll do some research on the citadel. 6 hours ago, AOK4 said: Just an idea, but wouldn't "Y" refer to the YMCA? Good thought. It makes sense that the YMCA would come in, patch a building up and make the best of it. But if Y is YMCA, then what would K.C. be? If it was R.C., maybe a Red Cross building. But K.C?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 (edited) The sender is William Curtis Piper. 1. In 1910 'Curtis' was living with his father Otho Piper, mother and siblings, in Altoona Ward 5, Blair, Pennsylvania. 2. 2137130 Private 1st Class (Med. Dept.) William C Piper, (father Otho), of Ambulance Company 351, 313 Sanitary Train, 88th Division, left New York 17 August 1918 aboard the Vedic. 3. He returned to the US from St Nazaire aboard the Koniningen Der Nederlanden in May 1919. Courtesy of ancestry: JP Edited 7 November , 2019 by helpjpl 1910 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 7 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2019 59 minutes ago, helpjpl said: The sender is William Curtis Piper. 1. In 1910 'Curtis' was living with his father Otho Piper, mother and siblings, in Altoona Ward 5, Blair, Pennsylvania. 2. 2137130 Private 1st Class (Med. Dept.) William C Piper, (father Otho), of Ambulance Company 351, 313 Sanitary Train, 88th Division, left New York 17 August 1918 aboard the Vedic. 3. He returned to the US from St Nazaire aboard the Koniningen Der Nederlanden in May 1919. Courtesy of ancestry: JP Wow! Thank you for researching that for me! (Is this from Ancestry or a different website?) A.C. 351 is Ambulance Company 351 then. Another question answered! This is getting exciting. If I wanted to learn more about the 351st, where would I start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 3 minutes ago, ADM said: Wow! Thank you for researching that for me! (Is this from Ancestry or a different website?) The information is from the ancestry genealogy website. And here, courtesy of ancestry, is William Curtis Piper's US WW1 Draft Registration Card - handwritten 1917: JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 7 November , 2019 Share Posted 7 November , 2019 17 hours ago, ADM said: Question #3 - What is a "Y" and "K.C."? If they're buildings, what was their function? "K.C." may refer to Knights of Columbus: http://www.kofc.org/en/columbia/detail/kofc-service-great-war.html JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 8 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2019 5 hours ago, helpjpl said: "K.C." may refer to Knights of Columbus: http://www.kofc.org/en/columbia/detail/kofc-service-great-war.html JP Clever. I wouldn't have come up with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 8 November , 2019 Share Posted 8 November , 2019 (edited) Yes Y= YMCA, and KC is almost certainly Knights of Columbus I have seen these abbreviations multiple times in US letters home AC 351 - may well be Ambulance Company 351 Ambulance company 351 (part of the 313th Sanitary Train, 88th Infantry Division) was established at the Convalescent camp Bevilliers shortly after Sept 20 1918. I might be able to dig up more for you but my sources are mostly inaccessible at the moment. Chris Edit - sorry just noticed Helpjpl had already identified the unit! apologies for the repetition. Edited 8 November , 2019 by 4thGordons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 8 November , 2019 Share Posted 8 November , 2019 This might well be of interest! (its a bit big) 313 Sanitary Train.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 8 November , 2019 Share Posted 8 November , 2019 Evelyn Gertrude Anspach was born in Pennsylvania on 21 November 1897. She lived much of her life at 1306 - 18 Avenue, Altoona, and never married. She died 15 May 1980 and is buried in the same cemetery as Curtis. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14342224 JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 8 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2019 10 hours ago, 4thGordons said: This might well be of interest! (its a bit big) 313 Sanitary Train.pdf 16.04 MB · 2 downloads Brilliant! I will look through this tonight. After just a scan I can see there's great material in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADM Posted 8 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2019 3 hours ago, helpjpl said: Evelyn Gertrude Anspach was born in Pennsylvania on 21 November 1897. She lived much of her life at 1306 - 18 Avenue, Altoona, and never married. She died 15 May 1980 and is buried in the same cemetery as Curtis. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14342224 JP And here I thought she was Curtis' love interest. Maybe she was a classmate or family friend. Or maybe it was a romance that never panned out. Thanks to everyone that's helped. I'm grateful for the groundwork that you've laid for me. I'll do a little more digging on my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AltoonaMaryAnne Posted 29 November , 2023 Share Posted 29 November , 2023 This is Curtis Piper. This photo was in Evelyn Anspach's High School memories journal. She was "Aunt" Evelyn to me. She mentions Curtis throughout the journal, but there's no indication of their status. Curtis picked her up to go to dances and parties fairly often, and was on her dance card more than once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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