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Robert Lee Lafferty was born in Sept 1895 in LaCrosse, Izard
County to Frank and Julia Ward Laffety. The family moved to
Boone
County in 1901. Robert Lee died in France on 08 Oct
1918.
The following is from a newspaper clipping provided by Bob
Austin
and contributed by Mary Lafferty Wilson: HOW PVT LAFFERTY MET DEATH,
LOCATION OF HIS GRAVE IS UNKNOWN
His Comrade tells the facts as he saw them under fierce fire. Mrs. Julia W. Lafferty of Lead Hill is in receipt of a letter from the headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, D. C., giving the facts as nearly as possible as to how her son, Pvt. Robert L. Lafferty met is death while going over the top on Oct. 8, 1918. The letter is as follows: My Dear Mrs. Lafferty:
It is with deep sympathy in your bereavement we send you this record
which we have received from Paris concerning the death of Pvt.
Lafferty. Our informant is Pvt. Herman Lee, whose home is
Timberville, Va. Under date of Jan. 13, he made the following
statement to one of our Red Cross Searchers: "We went over
the top for the first time on October 8th and were advancing over No
Man's Land in line of skirmishers and had gone about two hundred yards
when a large shell struck along-side Pvt. Lafferty, on his left and
killed him instantly. I did not stop as the attack had just
begun and I do not know where his body was buried, as we did not come
back in that direction for several days."
For the exact location of the grave we suggest you write direct to Chief Graves Registration Bureau, Headquarters, Service of Supply, American E. F., A. P. O. 717, France. Wherever possible, photographs of the graves are taken and sent to the families, to our Bureau, and if one is sent of Pvt. Lafferty's burial place, we shall of course, forward it to you promptly. Reverently we think of the sacrifice you have made to our country through this soldier and assure you we feel it a privilege to help you in any way we can. Yours sincerely, W. R. Castle, Jr. |