It is a treasure kept by the Allier archives. Not a war chest but a treasure of memory, intended for future generations. There is not a film, not a novel, which does not bring back the First World War with as many emotions as letters soldiers, and in particular those of Albert Melin, that an individual transferred to the archives in 2009.
Father of a child born in 1913, this teacher from Montluçon was mobilized on August 2, 1914 at the age of 36 and assigned to the 98th regional infantry regiment with the rank of adjutant. He spent his first night in the trenches in December 1914, then left the front lines in the spring of 1915, becoming a paying officer with the rank of second lieutenant. Demobilized on January 23, 1919, he left to posterity the hundreds of letters he wrote to his wife Noémie during the conflict.
We take extracts from the teacher’s first letters.
August 6, 1914, in Montluçon
“I just finished dinner, and I’m going to chat a bit for a few moments. Today, get up at 5 o’clock. Meet at high school at 6. All day I received new arrivals. There are many of them, but they will be even more so tomorrow and the day after. The enthusiasm is still the same. It’s almost delusional, it’s not to be believed. Trains arrive full of flowers and garlands. “
One carried a calico banner reading: “Pleasure train bound for Berlin.” ” […] It would be a great pity if so much courage did not have its reward
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August 8, 1914, in Montluçon
“Today’s day went exactly like the previous ones ?; it was also monotonous and also stupefying. True, this soldier’s life, this promiscuity with all kinds of individuals is hardly pleasant. “
August 12, 1914, in Montluçon
“The most absolute discretion must be kept. Many letters are unsealed by the military authority. If they contain details that may be of interest to national defense in any way, recipients will not receive them. I am warning you therefore. “
A hundred years ago in the Puy-de-Dôme, November 11 was not yet a holiday
September 16, 1914, Châtillon
“What to tell you about what I’m doing, nothing.” It is so uninteresting and so monotonous that we are all very bored. For a week, I had the ventilation chimney of a powder magazine filled with large stones. […] Are you asking me if the war will last long? No one knows, not even those in charge. But everyone’s impression is that will be long. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think I will be leaving here before January. Of course, I don’t know anything specific, it’s a very personal opinion. “
October 4, 1914, Châtillon
“I notice one thing: every day, looking at myself in the mirror: I am very gray on my temples. You know that in Montluçon, a few white threads mingled with my hair, but since then I have not had fun counting them. Is it boredom ?? I believe so, in any case, I am very happy, so you shouldn’t be sorry about it. “
November 11, 1914, Riom
“Now it’s the leap into the unknown for me, but I hope to see you all again. If luck wants me not to come back, I entrust you with our little André, in whom I put all my hopes. I won’t tell you any more about it: you can guess me, and this part of my letter is too hard for me and will be too hard for you. “
November 27, 1914, in the Aisne
“Yesterday I went with the Lieutenant to visit the trenches. I would never have believed in such an installation. Imagine ditches the height of a man, covered in places with large planks … […] If we are installed like this everywhere, I wonder what is the factor that will intervene to decide the end of this terrible war. “
All day long, we hear a terrible cannonade ?; no wonder, because we are only a few kilometers from the battle line. At night, the gunshots and the sound of machine guns are clearly heard. During the day, it is not funny to see two or three areoplanes together [sic] who give chase
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“As food, I repeat that it is perfect. There is even luxury. One of the officers of the company is a banker from Clermont. Every day he receives parcels of provisions and sweets that he hastens to share with us. “
January 7, 1915, in the trenches
“Life is always the same for us: always in the trenches. All day and night there are endless infantry shootings and furious artillery duels. Yesterday and today in particular, I haven’t seen anything so great. The guns behind us (ours) did not stop sending shells for over an hour. The Boches answered as of course: “pots” 21 m in diameter exploded not far from us and everything was shaking around. Fortunately, the shells are hardly dangerous for those who are well sheltered in the trenches ?; but I assure you, it is frightening to hear such masses coming towards you which hiss and whirl in the air. “
February 28, 1915, in Soissons
“As I told you, I am no longer at rest. I left Beugneux and am in Soissons. Our entire division is responsible for the defense of the city. The Boches occupy the crests of the city, like the coasts of Marmignolles in Montluçon: it is more or less the same arrangement. “
13 mars 1915
“Until then, I have courageously accepted everything that I have to endure: but I am starting to get bored and lose patience. This war is too long and above all does not predict when it will end. “
Our men are at their wit’s end, not only physically, but also morally: nothing is difficult like commanding them now. Ah ?! Quickly that we take away this burden which, so heavily, weighs on our shoulders.
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2 avril 1915
“At night, I send sentries to the banks of the Aisne where the Boches are, so that at this point we are only separated by the river that is not wide, but very deep. […] It is on the water’s edge that we witness the strangest spectacle that can be imagined in times of war. All night long our sentries talk to the Boches sentries. […] »
In my opinion, the Boches are like us: they have had enough of the war, and it weighs as heavily on them as it does on us.
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Guillaume Bellavoine
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