This page from a personal letter, part of the wartime correspondence attributed to Private Willis W. Wagener, offers a first-hand account of conditions near the front during the First World War. The writer describes cold rations, the loss of a comrade, the welcome arrival of hot coffee from a hastily established field kitchen, and reflections on the Army's leave policy after months of overseas service. Letters such as this provide invaluable, unfiltered insight into the everyday hardships and small comforts experienced by soldiers far from formal military records. Project: 218252