A Mother’s Day Letter from the Trenches of World War I

Frank Morton Hunt
Georgia State Memorial Book, 1921

On Mother’s Day, 1918 Pvt. Frank Hunt of Milner Ga., a Soldier in Company A, 151st Machine Gun Battalion of the Georgia National Guard wrote home from the trenches to his mother, Sarah Ellen Hunt.

FRANCE, Mother's Day, May 12, 1918.

My Dear Mother: Mother's Day - every day, mother mine, is "Mother's Day", but today I am to be occupied wholly with thoughts of you, and to tell you once again what you already know. I'm sure I should tell you oftener, but mother knows how her children are apt to think - their affection for her is so much a matter of course that it seems to be a waste of words.

Daily I remember how you trained me to walk in the paths of righteousness, instilling into my mind and conscience the love of God and country. I have often wondered far from that path, but the fault was none of yours. Today I am trying to profit by your teaching, and realize more, each day, that a man need fear nothing if he be guided by the precepts learned at mother's knee. The first simple prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep," which you taught me - unconsciously I repeat it until this day, and always a prayer that you may be spared so that, someday, ours may again be a happy, reunited family, and if anything should ever occur to prevent my returning to you don't shed a single tear, unless they are tears of joy. Mama, I know that I'd at last meet you in a better land.

There, now, I haven't any idea of anything happening. Am just as well and happy as can be, and oh, so homesick for a glimpse of you. But the homesickness won't keep any of us from doing our bit in making those homes and mothers safe against Prussianism. Let us hope that won't take long. The hardest part of it all is going to fall on the dear mothers and folks at home. Our part, over here, is comparatively easy. I thank God for a mother such as you. With a heart full of love, Your son,

FRANK M. HUNT, Co. A, 151st M. G. Bn., A. E. F.

Frank Hunt was killed in action July 28, 1918 near Sergy, France.

Final resting place of Frank Hunt, Milner Baptist Church Cemetery, Milner, Ga.
Photo by Maj. William Carraway