TRANSCRIBED FROM THE VAN BUREN COUNTY DEMOCRAT MAY 9. 1919 P. 1
St. Nazaire, France,
Have just returned from Tours where I accompanied a bunch of prisoners. We sure had a time with one of these “birds” as he was “nuts” caused from shell shock. He refused to drink, eat or sleep and stood day and night, when not jolted down by the movement of the car.
While at Tours I visited an old chateau that had been standing for ages. I cannot describe it to you, but it reminded one of an old wartime fort. Its protection was with bows and arrows, though on one side there was a large spring used in throwing stones and made on the principle of the “bean flip” small boys at home use to shoot gravels, peas etc.
Leaving this chateau, I visited a spring that supplied the city with water seventy years before Christ. It is eight miles from town, and around it they had built a stone wall, with a trench or trough through which the water was conveyed to town. Iron water lines were unknown in those days.
Enroute back to town I saw a street, something near a half mile in length, dug in the side of the mountain. The only entrance to the buildings on this street is at the front. The chimneys emerge from the ground 40 or 50 feet back, and over the buildings grapes and garden truck are growing.
I noticed in the Democrat where my brother, Hilery was wanting news from home, but he is not crying for mail now as he is homeward bound. As I can think of nothing of interest to write, will conclude.
PVT. DEAN BRADFORD
Prisoners’ War Escort, Co. 209,
A.P.O. 701, A.E.F. France
NOTES: Bradford was born on January 10, 1897 in Egaltine, Arkansas and died on June 65, 1967. He is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He enlisted on August 27, 1918 and was discharged on October 1, 1919. He departed Brest, France on September 10, 1919 onboard the President Grant and arrived in Brooklyn, NY on September 22, 1919. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Brest Casual Co. #4288.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLE MCCLAY CLEVELAND
St. Nazaire, France,
Have just returned from Tours where I accompanied a bunch of prisoners. We sure had a time with one of these “birds” as he was “nuts” caused from shell shock. He refused to drink, eat or sleep and stood day and night, when not jolted down by the movement of the car.
While at Tours I visited an old chateau that had been standing for ages. I cannot describe it to you, but it reminded one of an old wartime fort. Its protection was with bows and arrows, though on one side there was a large spring used in throwing stones and made on the principle of the “bean flip” small boys at home use to shoot gravels, peas etc.
Leaving this chateau, I visited a spring that supplied the city with water seventy years before Christ. It is eight miles from town, and around it they had built a stone wall, with a trench or trough through which the water was conveyed to town. Iron water lines were unknown in those days.
Enroute back to town I saw a street, something near a half mile in length, dug in the side of the mountain. The only entrance to the buildings on this street is at the front. The chimneys emerge from the ground 40 or 50 feet back, and over the buildings grapes and garden truck are growing.
I noticed in the Democrat where my brother, Hilery was wanting news from home, but he is not crying for mail now as he is homeward bound. As I can think of nothing of interest to write, will conclude.
PVT. DEAN BRADFORD
Prisoners’ War Escort, Co. 209,
A.P.O. 701, A.E.F. France
NOTES: Bradford was born on January 10, 1897 in Egaltine, Arkansas and died on June 65, 1967. He is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He enlisted on August 27, 1918 and was discharged on October 1, 1919. He departed Brest, France on September 10, 1919 onboard the President Grant and arrived in Brooklyn, NY on September 22, 1919. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Brest Casual Co. #4288.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLE MCCLAY CLEVELAND