King George V: Letter to Soldiers of The United States - April 1918
One of the pleasantest features of the debarkation of the American soldiers in England is the greeting given them by King George. Every soldier upon landing is given an envelope with these words on it, "A Message to You from His Majesty King George."
The inside of the envelope holds a sheet of paper with the royal arms engraved upon it. Under this, in facimile handwriting, is the message of King George.
These letters are now being reasured by soldiers as one of the most valuable souvenirs of the war. (Note 1)
Image 1: Letter to the soldiers of the A. E. F. by King George
Windsor Castle
Soldiers of the United States, the people of the British Isles welcome you on your way to take your stand beside the Armies of many Nations now fighting in the Old World the great battle for human freedom.
The Allies will gain new heart & spirit in you company.
I wish that I could shake the hand of each one of you & bid you God speed on your mission.
/s/ George R. I.
[ His Majesty King George V ]
April 1918
Envelope containing the King George Letter to the soldiers of the A. E. F.
Information on Letter
- Date: April 1918
- Written by: H.M. King George V of the United Kingdom
- Dimensions of Letter: 12.6 x 19.4 cm
- Dimensions of Envelope: 13.8 x 10.2 cm
FAQ on the King George Letter:
- My family has recently passed and in looking through the World War I articles we came across the "letter to the soldiers" signed George RI. Could you tell us where we can gain more information, (i.e. how many are there?, is this really signed by a king?, etc.). We appreciate in advance any help you can provide.
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To the best of my knowledge, there is only one original - probably in an archive located in the UK. It was presented to the soldiers of the A.E.F. similar to a proclamation with copies distributed (typeset) to the men. The closest approximation to current technology would be a photocopy. King George is believed to have been the signer of the original document. Over a million copies were distributed to the men who crossed the UK during World War One.
Thank you for your interest in the Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives.
Note 1: King George's Letter to U.S. Soldiers, Article in the New York Times Published 1 September 1918 © The New York Times
