John Voorhees on the Western Front

Voorhees left for France in May 1918.

1. Voorhees would be injured during an artillery attack on June 19, 1918.
2. Samuel Prentice would receive this letter on June 24, 1918.
3. The YMCA in New York called Juliana Voorhees to inform her of her husband’s condition on June 24, 1918.

1. “We are near enough the lines to hear the rumble of guns and at night the flash is visible. Several times a day we see shrapnel bursting around the planes and the drone of the plane is constantly heard.”
2. “The men are in best of spirit, confident that the Boche has nothing on them; they are satisfied everything will turn out all right if America means business.”
3. “Transportation is difficult when as near the front was we are.”
4. “All janitor work and cleaning of property is looked after by special details, so we are relieved of much that would take time and strength and are free for more important things.”
5. “An old sergeant, who had been to the ‘gas school’ gave me a half hour’s schooling last week, showing me how to adjust the mas, put it on quickly. He ended by taking me down into a cave filled with poison fumes where I had to stay for several minutes – just to teach me, as he said, to have confidence in the mask.”

1. Voorhees was stationed at a YMCA canteen in Royaumeix, a commune roughly 7 miles north of Toul. The closest big town is Nancy, which is about 16 miles away.  Royaumeix is just over 160 miles east of Paris.  Voorhees was there working with the 26^th Division of the US Army.
2. Charles Hesselgrave was the pastor of Manchester Congregational Church.
3. Ernest Miel was the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church.
4. James Rhodes worked for Travelers.
5. Voorhees spelled canteen as “cantine."

“The Boche” was a derisive term used by Allied soldiers during World War I. It could refer either to a German or Germans generally, but it usually referred to German soldiers.

Unattributed, “Dr. Voorhees’ Life Will Be Saved,” Hartford Courant, June 25, 1918, page 5.