Priceless History

[Macklroy]

Greetings all.

 

Earlier last week I made a discovery that I thought would be of interest within the ranks of this forum. Last week was helping my mothers father move from his long occupied residence to a smaller lakeside appartment in southern california. Durring the packing of many personal belongings (it's NO exageration being sons and daughters of the 'great depression' to say my granparents kept everything!) I came accross a very old journal. Turns out this journal was my great grandfathers journal and was dated September 1917 - March 1919.

 

Needless to say I was more than extatic with my fourtune of finding it and spent most of my return trip to the north state reading through it. The old and tatered pages document his enlistment into the army. His travels accross the nation from west coast to east (quite a feat for a farmers son in 1917). His atlantic voyage to england, as well as his deployment to France. And his attempt although disapointed attempt, to join the ranks of the pilots that were stationed near his post. Although his regiment saw little action, reading his accounts of seeing an aircraft for the first time made my eyes water with wonder and pride.

 

The accounts in which he notes on are a step back in time for me as Percy Strickland passed away when i was just a baby and I never really had the honor of being aquainted with the man. Even tucked away neatly in the pocket of the journal were two passes to visit the city of Nancy, an artical from his hometown newspaper which published an entire letter writen home to his mother and a small tattered american flag. I hope to share some of the more noteable passages with you all as I continue to read through my new discovery.

 

S!

 

 

 

 

[zoomzoom]

Sounds cool. Very fortunate find.

 

ZZ.

[+RAF_Louvert]

.

 

Macklroy, you are a very fortunate individual indeed to have come across such a wonderful and personal connection to the past. I am happy for you Sir, and for the insight that reading your great grandfather's journal is going to give you into a bygone era and a man you never knew but share such a bond with.

 

Please do post excerpts.

.

[+DWCAce]

Very nice find. Be sure to keep it safe, and keep it in the family!

[+Olham]

Wow! Would I have found something like that, I would have sat in the attic

with glowing red ears, until the others would have found me!

Keep it well, Macklroy!

Edited March 3, 2010 by Olham

[UK_Widowmaker]

Treasure it forever...History in your hands...and family too...never lose it..it's utterly irreplaceable!!

[cptroyce]

Mac- looking forward to reading some of the pages or passages, you choose to post. That is history first hand. I'd be interested in your great grandfather's thoughts on the trans-continental trip, as well as the Atlantic crossing. Those original military passes to Nancy must be worth something today.

 

 

Royce

[Duce Lewis]

Looking forward to future posts

What a treasure

Might be a good idea to scan it to pdf form while it's still ledgeable

[Ras]

What a wonderful find and experience. A similar situation happened with me. My grandfather was in the US Navy during WW1. He passed away when I was about 10 years and the memories are feint. A few years ago my aunt gave me his little notebook that he had carried with him. Throughout the pages there were poems, verses of songs, notes he had made about his visits to different ports and etc. He had even made accounts of money that he had loaned to shipmates and etc. I broke out into an almost uncontrollable spell of crying, that I couldn't explain at the time. However, I lost my father (his son) in a tragic accident about 10 years before that and I it brought a sorrowful and yet joyful link to my father that I had not known. In fact my avatar is of my grandfather that I speak of.

 

This heritage thing is powerful beyond all imagination. You indeed have a treasure in your hand and heart, Macklroy

Edited March 5, 2010 by Ras

[Duce Lewis]

In fact my avatar is of my grandfather that I speak of.

And a fine looking young man he was Ras

Thanks for sharing

[Ras]

And a fine looking young man he was Ras

Thanks for sharing

 

 

You are welcome, Duce. Happy flying.

[+Olham]

This is strange, Ras, as I had always felt, that this was not only just a picture

of some unknown Navy man you just had found - I always felt, it was you, somehow.

Now, even if I was not completely right, you are the grand son of this man.

He looks a strong, handsome and fine person.