Boadway, Walter and Betty (First World War correspondence), 1917 October 22 - 1919 April 11

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Summary

Title:
Walter and Betty Boadway First World War correspondence
Dates:
1917 October 22 - 1919 April 11
Abstract:
Letters written by both Betty and Walter Boadway while Lt. Walter Boadway, AEF was stationed abroad at the 8th Aviation Instruction Center in Italy, and later in Paris, France during the First World War One.
Containers:
box: WWI 8
folder: 4-9
folder: 1-6
Extent:
0.2 Linear Feet (6 folders)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Walter and Betty Boadway First World War correspondence (2014.164.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains 103 correspondence between Betty and Lt. Walter ("Buddy") Boadway, AEF during the First World War. Of the correspondence, 45 were written by Betty to Walter from Pasadena and Avalon (Catalina Island), CA, and 58 were written by Walter to Betty from Foggia, Italy and Paris, France. Also included are two reproductions of photographs; one of Walter in uniform and one of Betty.

Of note is mentions of the famous author Ernest Hemingway. Boadway wrote in 1918 of a 19-year-old soldier in the hospital:

"I went out with a Red Cross lieut. named Hemingway, who comes from Oak Park...He has been here in the hospital 4 months and has some time to go yet. He was out in the trenches one night when a trench mortar shell blew their cover away and left them exposed to machine gun fire. He got 247 wounds from the mortar shell and machine guns. He has a couple of pounds of metal they have carved out of him. Luckily he got most of it in his legs and not in a vital spot."

Biographical / historical:

Lieutenant Walter Boadway, American Expeditionary Force and his wife Betty Boadway were residents of Pasadena, California. During Walter's tour abroad, Betty spends a long time in Avalon on Catalina Island, CA. Lieutenant Walter M. Boadway served abroad during WWI in Italy, stationed for a time at the 8th Aviation Instruction Center, before relocating in 1919 to Paris, France. Betty refers to Walter as "Buddy" and many of the letters express their love for each other and their unhappiness that the war keeps them apart.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Patricia Boadway Cox
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged by author and chronology.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Daniel Levy
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-05-03 15:17:05 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Walter and Betty Boadway First World War correspondence (2014.164.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Contact:
(714) 532-7716
privette@chapman.edu
Website