NEWS: Neil BRESLIN Writes Home, 1918, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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NEIL BRESLIN SENDS HOME GERMAN BANK NOTES FROM FRANCE

NEIL BRESLIN [photo]

  Barney Breslin, of the West End hotel, has received a letter from his son, 
Neil, who is in the ambulance service overseas.  In it came a twenty mark 
note and thereby hangs a tale.  The German note was taken off a dead German 
around Chateau Thierry and probably represented the soldier's monthly 
stipend.  The man who got the bank note, an American, was later himself 
wounded to the death.  Young Breslin carried the wounded soldier to safety 
and the dying man gave him the souvenir as a remembrance.
  The bill is dated February 19, 1914, the year of the great war, with a 
Berlin bank as the issuer.  The obverse somewhat resembles an American bank 
note, except that it is not so elaborately printed and scrolled as our own 
paper currency.  The pre-war value of the note was $5, or about $3 at 
present.
  Neil Breslin is now aged 21 years and previous to his enlistment was 
baggage mail clerk at the Pennsy station.  He entered the service of his 
country last February.

Altoona Tribune, Monday morning, August 19, 1918, page 10