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SGT. ARTHUR J. HANTSCHEL : 1918 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT WORLD WAR I DIARY INTIMATELY DETAILING ONE WISCONSIN SERGEANT'S SERVICE DUTY TO HIS FAIRY PRINCESS BACK HOME

32mo - over 4" - 5" tall. On offer is an interesting, exciting and intimately detailed manuscript relic into the personal life and war service of a WWI soldier for all of 1918. The diary was handwritten by Arthur J. Hantschel from 920 So.Div. St. Appleton, Wisconsin, a Sergeant in Truck Co. D. Of the 107th supply train regiment. Attached to div. Brigade Division 32nd Division U.S.N.G. [US National Guard] his remarks are "In memory of Texas" on the inside cover he wrote; "in case of loss or in case of my death return this diary to Miss Cordell Freiburger, Cook St. New London Wisconsin U.S.A." and then "from Cordell to Art Jan. E, 1918, Waco, Texas. With luck and good wishes." The diary is written as one long letter by the alternating tough to sentimental and then back again Sergeant Hantschel who writes in a tiny, precise script covering the entire surface available to him in the small book. Always pushing at the front lines Art shares everything with his 'fairy princess'. Jan. 1 starts off with shaking hands with his girlfriend and her mother and stating that he overstayed his pass by 2 hours with no side effects. Art talks about writing this diary for her and is faithful to write down every day for a year the events of 1918 while in France and overseas. Talks about his trip on the S.S. Tuscania and later about it being torpedoed by the Germans and sunk. [Collectors of rare ephemera will be thrilled with his old ticket to the ship enclosed in the book along with other papers.] Here are some snippets: "Another night of work for the troops of our Div. They are going to prove to the world what Wisconsin stands for. Was directly behind the first lines and this makes the third continuous work without sleep since the 26th. America is in the War now for sure. "Much artillery activity. Activities that mean more danger to us than to the infantry for our trucks must go through it regardless of its weight." "Received letters today. They are sweeter than ever and I take so much courage from them. Wrote one to my fairy princess today. Golly you look sweet in those snaps." A number of ephemera pieces add depth to Art's handwritten narrative including his S.S. Tuscania boarding pass no. 935 to his quarters in no. 5 upper deck; receipt for victory medal; release form from office of surgeon stating he is free of contagious disease, venereal disease and lice; pass on April, 3, 1918 for wood detail and names under 3rd. Section sergeant Arthur J. Hantschel; newspaper clipping on Eddie Rickenbacker becoming an American ace and a small calendar of months with information on the backs one stating being torpedoed on Tuscania on feb. 5th 1918. Also photos of dead soldier, American grave overseas with draped flag and cross and more. Overall G+.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good+

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