The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-21
HOW GLENN CAMPBELL GAVE
ALL FOR HIS COUNTRY
LOVED BY COMPANIONS
Officers In Letters To Mother
Speak Very Highly Of
Her Son

was killed in action in France. He
was the first OF the Blue Earth coun-
~ contingent TO die on the altar OF his
country.
France, August 81, 191S.-My Dear
Mrs. Campbell: / have a few details
to give you about yours boys death
and although YOU have probably heard
of them, still they are so fine,> and
his comrades spoke SO highly of him
that l can not refrain from sending
them on to you, thinking perhaps that
they had not reached you.
One of the men in your boys com
pany gives the following informa
ton:
"He was my pal and was on the
seat with him at the time Campbell
was killed. We were on the way to
the front with load and just as we
came round Dead Mans Curve
where several men were killed, a
shell struck the side of the road and
a piece of shrapnel went right
through Glen. He jumped off the
truck and hollered, I'm all right"
and fell dead by the side of the
road. Glen was the finest kind of a
scout and the best friend l ever had.
and a quiet cool headed fellow, not
much to say, but a good worker. The
company has lost several others but
none of them are talked about and
missed like Glen.
He was buried in grave 1874 in a
special American military cemetery
located in the rear of church. Chap
lain Joyce of the 18th F. A., conducted
the service. A cousin of Campbell's
was present. The body was in the
church the night before burial. He
was given full military honors and
his grave has since been decorated
by the members of the company and
Decoration Day an American flag was
placed on the grave by the Salvation
army. At one of their services shortly
after his death. Major Anderson Of
the Salvation armv made a special
mention of Campbell's services to his
country and his death.
Lieutenant William Avery of Camp
bells company spoke very strongly
about what a fine man Campbell was
and said: 81 felt specially bad about
the matter personally and wanted to
write his mother but couldn't some
way get it done. He was specially
well thought CT by his company and
officers
Let me assure you of the sincere
sympathy of the Red Cross in your
sorrow. Your son died in a glorious
cause and I am sure that your pride
in him must be very great.
If there is anything further that we
en- do for you, hope that you will
let us know. Very sincerely yours,
William S. Innis, assistant director.
Philadelphia. Pa, February s. 1919
Dear Mrs. Campbell: Your letter Of
August Is which was sent to France
has just reached me here at my home
where | am spending furlough.
After going through the school where
your letter was first sent, was sent
back to the ammunition train as a
second lieutenant and I was with the
train until the latter part of August
when l was sent back here to drill
and instruct new troops. Was about
to go across again when the armi-
stice became effective. AS to Glen's
wristwatch ! have no idea where it
can be, as l was not on duty the
night he gave his ALL | knew your
boy well Mother and from the time
we landed in France until his going
/ know that his life was clean and
straight. Everyone in the first COM
pany was his friend. and he had
many other friends in the train. Glen
was one of eight Of us who hauled
the first four truck1oads of ammuni-
ton to the American artillery the
first night We fired gun in the war.
He was at that time assistant truck
driver on a steel truck driven by q
lad whose name was Sullivan. There
were three other trucks Zone of
which ! drove) and we were attached
to the fifth field artillery of our divi-
sion to haul for them. We eight
boys worked, slept and ate together in
October and half of November, 1917.
on the Lunerville front, which was the
first front for theAmericans. From
November 20 to january we were all
comfortable in winter quarters, jan
uary, February and March we were
stationed at SanZy north of Toul and
a few miles from the front, but within
easy travelling distance. To get to
the front we had to pass through a
IlLIlS lOWn Cdlleu MeIll I'D . i Oul WHICH
is about ten miles north of the city of
Toul. and where our comrade is or to
my knowledge, was resting. North
about three miles of Menil la Toul was
a curve that was continually fired on
by the Hun, but which had to be pas
sed going and coming every trip. 1t
was there on this curve that the
shrapnel from the exploding shell
tore through the radiator and pierced
Glen's side and going on through. 1t
was large piece of shell and death
was quick and painless. was not
driving a truck at this time as was
a mounted agent in headquarters
Co., of the train, but got all the state
ments next morning. The boys on his
truck said there was just moan
when he was hit" and they had him
taken off the truck at ruined village
just ahead where in a cellar there was
an advance hospital This village
was called Maudres These things |
tell you, Mrs. Campbell, knowing your
heart aches for our pal, but / feel
sure that you would rather know all
that / have written. Your boy was
a clean lad in heart. a hard worker
and a good, obedient and courageous