TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER DEMOCRAT OCTOBER 4, 1918 P. 1
142nd F.A. in France.
Somewhere in France,
September 12, 1918.
Dear Editor:
I shall try to write a few lines to let the people of Pope County know that the old Company "G," now Battery "C" 142nd Field Artillery, has arrived oversea. We left an Atlantic port on a very large transport, and after a long voyage, arrived safely in France. Our voyage carried us over 4,000 miles of water, so you can guess we were sailing about seven days.
Since leaving Camp Beauregard, La., August 14, we have traveled approximately 7,000 miles, nearly the entire length of the earth's diameter, and will soon be on the go again, but for no long journey as this country is not so large as the great U.S.A.
Now a few words for this country. You see everywhere indications that France has had many wars. This section is covered with small gardens and high walls surrounding them. Most of these walls are made of earth and covered with hedges or berry briars so that nothing can cross them. We can say they have some excellent roads, tho badly worn from heavy traffic to meet the urgent needs at the front. These roads are made of cobble stone and are almost equal to our pavement. The energetic French people bare their burdens with a confidential smile knowing that the coming Sammies, with their own armies, will put the Huns on the bum. When I say burdens, I speak of their living, as they only have small fields or gardens. You can see some very fine old taverns, and just yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing a church that was erected in 1442, yet this is a very nice old building and it displayes good hand masonry, as it was all hand work. Also I have seen some of the barracks that were erected by Napoleon for his great army, and these barracks are well preserved to this day, and now the U.S. is using these same barracks to a great advantage. I shall try to tell more of many things that I have had the pleasure of seeing while staying here later, in some other letter, but should one talk or write all day he could not tell it all, for there are many, many things so different to those of Pope County. The people and their ways are so entirely different, their mode of travel is different but as a whole all their customs are essential for their needs.
We are a long way from the front and will have to go through some very hard practice before taking an active part. We expect to leave this camp for some other camp to get the practice spoken of above. All the boys are anxious to see some other place, as we have been here several days but we could stay several more days and see new sights every day, as this city has a population of more than Little Rock. Our trip over made several of the boys seasick and they are just now getting over it, as it usually lasts several days, and takes lots of rest, so we are in what is called a rest camp.
All the boys are along and doing nicely. To our pleasant surprise we have camped near a bunch of Pope County boys, who were called and came over in July. Among them are Tom Rankin, Stout, Fogg, Bryant, Fields, Simms and Coffman. They are well and getting along fine. We were glad to see our Pope County brothers again and they were glad to see us. We are all brothers now for one common cause.
We do not have the advantages here that are afforded over there. There is only one "Y" for the whole camp, and besides, all the mail has to be censored, so we do not write much, and many of the letters are lost, as they have to go so far. Think of a letter traveling 7,000 miles without being lost. Do not expect many letters from us. If anything serious happens, you will be notified immediately by cablegram, but we trust that nothing of that sort will happen.
We don't receive many letters, for often the address is not plain, and written in pencil, and in handling, the pencil marks become entirely illegible. Write your address plainly and with a pen, otherwise we have but little chance of receiving them. My permanent address if Corp. John D. Bonds Battery "C" 142nd F. A., American Expeditionary Forces, and the other boys will have the same address, with the exception of the name, of course. Always write the American Expeditionary Forces in full, and not A.E.F.
Sincerely yours,
John D. Bonds
NOTES: Bond departed for France from Hoboken, NJ on August 31, 1918 onboard the Leviathan. He was listed as a Corp. serving in Battery C. 142nd FA. He returned to the US departing St. Nazaire, France on June 3, 1919 onboard the Amphion. He was listed as a Corp. serving in Battery C, 142nd FA.
TRANCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
142nd F.A. in France.
Somewhere in France,
September 12, 1918.
Dear Editor:
I shall try to write a few lines to let the people of Pope County know that the old Company "G," now Battery "C" 142nd Field Artillery, has arrived oversea. We left an Atlantic port on a very large transport, and after a long voyage, arrived safely in France. Our voyage carried us over 4,000 miles of water, so you can guess we were sailing about seven days.
Since leaving Camp Beauregard, La., August 14, we have traveled approximately 7,000 miles, nearly the entire length of the earth's diameter, and will soon be on the go again, but for no long journey as this country is not so large as the great U.S.A.
Now a few words for this country. You see everywhere indications that France has had many wars. This section is covered with small gardens and high walls surrounding them. Most of these walls are made of earth and covered with hedges or berry briars so that nothing can cross them. We can say they have some excellent roads, tho badly worn from heavy traffic to meet the urgent needs at the front. These roads are made of cobble stone and are almost equal to our pavement. The energetic French people bare their burdens with a confidential smile knowing that the coming Sammies, with their own armies, will put the Huns on the bum. When I say burdens, I speak of their living, as they only have small fields or gardens. You can see some very fine old taverns, and just yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing a church that was erected in 1442, yet this is a very nice old building and it displayes good hand masonry, as it was all hand work. Also I have seen some of the barracks that were erected by Napoleon for his great army, and these barracks are well preserved to this day, and now the U.S. is using these same barracks to a great advantage. I shall try to tell more of many things that I have had the pleasure of seeing while staying here later, in some other letter, but should one talk or write all day he could not tell it all, for there are many, many things so different to those of Pope County. The people and their ways are so entirely different, their mode of travel is different but as a whole all their customs are essential for their needs.
We are a long way from the front and will have to go through some very hard practice before taking an active part. We expect to leave this camp for some other camp to get the practice spoken of above. All the boys are anxious to see some other place, as we have been here several days but we could stay several more days and see new sights every day, as this city has a population of more than Little Rock. Our trip over made several of the boys seasick and they are just now getting over it, as it usually lasts several days, and takes lots of rest, so we are in what is called a rest camp.
All the boys are along and doing nicely. To our pleasant surprise we have camped near a bunch of Pope County boys, who were called and came over in July. Among them are Tom Rankin, Stout, Fogg, Bryant, Fields, Simms and Coffman. They are well and getting along fine. We were glad to see our Pope County brothers again and they were glad to see us. We are all brothers now for one common cause.
We do not have the advantages here that are afforded over there. There is only one "Y" for the whole camp, and besides, all the mail has to be censored, so we do not write much, and many of the letters are lost, as they have to go so far. Think of a letter traveling 7,000 miles without being lost. Do not expect many letters from us. If anything serious happens, you will be notified immediately by cablegram, but we trust that nothing of that sort will happen.
We don't receive many letters, for often the address is not plain, and written in pencil, and in handling, the pencil marks become entirely illegible. Write your address plainly and with a pen, otherwise we have but little chance of receiving them. My permanent address if Corp. John D. Bonds Battery "C" 142nd F. A., American Expeditionary Forces, and the other boys will have the same address, with the exception of the name, of course. Always write the American Expeditionary Forces in full, and not A.E.F.
Sincerely yours,
John D. Bonds
NOTES: Bond departed for France from Hoboken, NJ on August 31, 1918 onboard the Leviathan. He was listed as a Corp. serving in Battery C. 142nd FA. He returned to the US departing St. Nazaire, France on June 3, 1919 onboard the Amphion. He was listed as a Corp. serving in Battery C, 142nd FA.
TRANCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD