TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MONTICELLONIAN APRIL 12, 1918 P. 4
New York, N. Y.,
March 31st, 1918
Mr. R. A. Anderson,
Wilmar, Arkansas,
Dear Father:
Have just arrived from France, and it surely makes me feel good to be back to the States, after being away for awhile.
We were in several parts of France, and enjoyed the trip very much, considering the bad weather we had. We sure did strike “some storm” on our way back. We struck the storm on Friday and on the following Tuesday we had lost two hundred miles It was impossible for us to make any headway. The waves would drift us back so that we lost two days’ time.
It is real nice at times out at sea, and at times it is fierce. The storm tore all of our tables down and broke all our dishes. About all we could do was to hold on to something to keep from sliding all over the deck.
It is a “fright” to see how the French women work. There is a quite a few of them wearing wooden shoes.
I went out to the prison, while in France. They had about 20,000 Germans and Austrians there. They all say that they would rather be prisoners than to be back in Germany, fighting. I do not think that France will ever get over this war. French soldiers only get 4c. Per day; officers 20c per day. So you see how scarce money is with them.
They have some beautiful girls in France, but it is awfully hard to talk to them. I understand some French, now. We all live to learn.
Our convoy did not come in contact with any submarines or raiders, but passed several Germans mines, but did not run into any of them, as luck would have it for this one time. It is real shaky to go through the war zones. You have to sleep with all your clothes on, so as to be ready to take a lifeboat, if necessary, before the ship goes down. That is, if it is struck by any-thing.
Don’t think I will be able to get a furlough this trip. Everything seems to be in a stir.
This leaves me well, and hope you are all the same.
Your son,
Don Anderson.
NOTES: This letter is written by Don Anderson on board an unidentified U. S. ship. He is writing to his father.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
New York, N. Y.,
March 31st, 1918
Mr. R. A. Anderson,
Wilmar, Arkansas,
Dear Father:
Have just arrived from France, and it surely makes me feel good to be back to the States, after being away for awhile.
We were in several parts of France, and enjoyed the trip very much, considering the bad weather we had. We sure did strike “some storm” on our way back. We struck the storm on Friday and on the following Tuesday we had lost two hundred miles It was impossible for us to make any headway. The waves would drift us back so that we lost two days’ time.
It is real nice at times out at sea, and at times it is fierce. The storm tore all of our tables down and broke all our dishes. About all we could do was to hold on to something to keep from sliding all over the deck.
It is a “fright” to see how the French women work. There is a quite a few of them wearing wooden shoes.
I went out to the prison, while in France. They had about 20,000 Germans and Austrians there. They all say that they would rather be prisoners than to be back in Germany, fighting. I do not think that France will ever get over this war. French soldiers only get 4c. Per day; officers 20c per day. So you see how scarce money is with them.
They have some beautiful girls in France, but it is awfully hard to talk to them. I understand some French, now. We all live to learn.
Our convoy did not come in contact with any submarines or raiders, but passed several Germans mines, but did not run into any of them, as luck would have it for this one time. It is real shaky to go through the war zones. You have to sleep with all your clothes on, so as to be ready to take a lifeboat, if necessary, before the ship goes down. That is, if it is struck by any-thing.
Don’t think I will be able to get a furlough this trip. Everything seems to be in a stir.
This leaves me well, and hope you are all the same.
Your son,
Don Anderson.
NOTES: This letter is written by Don Anderson on board an unidentified U. S. ship. He is writing to his father.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY