TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN JANUARY 3, 1919 P. 1
The French can make a lot of noise on an occasion like this. French boys and girls marched through our camp all day singing both French and American patriotic airs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They do all kinds of hard work. I have seen them (HE IS REFERRING TO WOMEN) working in railroad shops as car knockers, firemen, and machinists. France has lots of pretty coutry, but I have seen no scenery that compares to that up on the White River in the Arkansas Ozarks. German prisoners are seen in nearly town where they are doing public work under guard, but it does not take many to keep them under control for they are well cared for. Miss Margaret Wilson, daughter of the President was here on November 30th and sang for the soldiers, and her reptoire which consisted mostly of old familiar compositions such as “Dixie” “My Old Kentucky Home,” etc., made a big hit with this bunch of artillerymen. We have daily papers delivered here every day from Paris and Bordeaux, and keep pretty well posted on general news, but when it comes to getting the home news—Ah, boy. There’s nothing that hits the spot like the paper from from the little old home town.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Neill Brooks was the editor and owner of the Calico Rock Progress from 1912-1930. He stated that he was stationed at Brest when the Armistice was signed. Brooks was born on March 30, 1891 in Mammoth Springs, Arkansas and died on January 3, 1965 in Calico Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Roselawn Cemetery in Calico Rock. His draft registration shows him as a printer/publisher.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
The French can make a lot of noise on an occasion like this. French boys and girls marched through our camp all day singing both French and American patriotic airs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They do all kinds of hard work. I have seen them (HE IS REFERRING TO WOMEN) working in railroad shops as car knockers, firemen, and machinists. France has lots of pretty coutry, but I have seen no scenery that compares to that up on the White River in the Arkansas Ozarks. German prisoners are seen in nearly town where they are doing public work under guard, but it does not take many to keep them under control for they are well cared for. Miss Margaret Wilson, daughter of the President was here on November 30th and sang for the soldiers, and her reptoire which consisted mostly of old familiar compositions such as “Dixie” “My Old Kentucky Home,” etc., made a big hit with this bunch of artillerymen. We have daily papers delivered here every day from Paris and Bordeaux, and keep pretty well posted on general news, but when it comes to getting the home news—Ah, boy. There’s nothing that hits the spot like the paper from from the little old home town.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Neill Brooks was the editor and owner of the Calico Rock Progress from 1912-1930. He stated that he was stationed at Brest when the Armistice was signed. Brooks was born on March 30, 1891 in Mammoth Springs, Arkansas and died on January 3, 1965 in Calico Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Roselawn Cemetery in Calico Rock. His draft registration shows him as a printer/publisher.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS