Cover of the Day - Typhus Train

[Alan Baker]

This letter was sent in February 1915 by a German soldier in Valenciennes, who volunteered to join a typhus convalescence train. The letter records how they transported 150 sick men to St Amand. The use of delousing methods apparently were beneficial in controlling typhus on the Western Front

The envelope bears the unit stamp and the franking of the 6th Army.

[Alan Baker]

And the letter...

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Alan,

Nice cover and a change to see something German. Assuming your refer to St Amand Les Eaux, this is only 9 miles to Valenciennes, which I understand would have been on the front at that time. Interesting that your should move convalescing troops to St Amand, which is in the middle of a forest, we Brits were busy taking all our sick and wounded to the coast (I think much better for their health).

St Amand was liberated by the Canadians in 1918, I visited a few years ago, they have huge military cemetery there, both with German and Allied troops, although it is off the beaten track.

Pete

[Alan Baker]

The full name might give a clue. Apparently there are thermal baths there