About

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Welcome to the First World War Letters of H.J.C. Peirs, a digital history project at Gettysburg College.

Jack Peirs was a British officer in the 8th Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment.  For three years, Peirs served on the western front, fighting in every major campaign waged by the British Army from 1915 to 1918. During the war, Peirs rose in rank from Lieutenant to Lieutenant-Colonel and he was decorated with Distinguished Service Order (two bars) and named a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George at the King’s Birthday Honours in 1919.

Jack Peirs saw hard service and he was a prolific correspondent. He wrote home weekly to members of his family of his experiences at the front. On the hundredth anniversary of the day in which Peirs composed each letter home, we will release his words here for you to read.

Please feel free to engage with the site. Use these letters in your research (properly attributed) and in your classroom. Bookmark our page, share our posts on social media, and follow H.J.C. Peirs on twitter and Instagram (@jackpeirs) and like our Facebook page.