King George V Letter to Soldiers of The United States - April 1918

Letter to Soldiers of The United States A.E.F. from King George V - April 1918.

Letter to Soldiers of The United States A.E.F. from King George V - April 1918. All American Soldiers Arriving in England are Presented with an Autographed Letter from King George. Image ID # 9580ba1550.

One of the pleasantest features of the debarkation of the American soldiers in England is the greeting given to 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 facsimile handwriting, is the message of King George.

These letters are now being reassured by soldiers as one of the most valuable souvenirs of the war. (Note 1)

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 a new heart & spirit in your 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 ]

(He signs the letter "George R.I," meaning "Rex Imperator" used by reigning English King and Queens.)

April 1918

Envelope containing the King George Letter to the soldiers of the A. E. F.
Envelope containing the King George Letter to the soldiers of the A. E. F. | GGA Image ID # 2c0a8e0faa

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 by George RI. Could you tell us where we can gain more information, (i.e., how many are there? is this signed by a king? etc.). We appreciate in advance any help you can provide.

To the best of my knowledge, there is only one original - probably in an archive located in the U.K. 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 U.K. during World War One.

Thank you for your interest in the Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives.

King George's Letter To U. S. Soldiers

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 facsimile handwriting, is the message of King George.
[Text of letter above]
George R. I.
April 1918

These letters are now being treasured by soldiers as one of the most valuable souvenirs of the war.  New York Times, September 1, 1918

Note 1: King George's Letter to U.S. Soldiers, Article in the New York Times Published September 1, 1918, © The New York Times

Has King's Greeting

Mrs. T. A. Angus Gets Interesting Note from Son with Replica of British Ruler's Writing
An interesting note from the field of war was received by Mrs. T. A. Angus from her son, Howard Angus, a few days ago. It is a letter reproduced in the handwriting of King George V of England, bearing the coat of arms of Windsor Castle, and says:
[Text of letter above]
George R. I.
April 1918
The Arcadia Journal, Published Weekly - Arcadia, Los Angeles County, California
Saturday, August 17, 1918

The King's Greeting

Gettysburg Soldier among those who were Honored.

Mrs. John H. Tawney has received a facsimile of the message written by King George V to the American Soldiers as they were passing through London. Mr. Tawney was a member of a trench mortar battery, which was honored by receiving the message.

At the extreme top of the letter engraved in a red die is the seal of Great Britain, and beneath this, the two engraved words in the same color, "Windsor Castle." The letter follows.

[Text of letter above]

The envelope in which the letter was mailed has printed on the upper left-hand corner these words. "A message to you from His Majesty King George V." On the envelope flap is also the seal of Great Britain.

The Gettysburg Times
Gettysburg, PA
Saturday, August 24, 1918

 

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