TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LAMAR DEMOCRAT OCTOBER 11, 1917, P. 1
Dear Friend and Supt.:---
I suppose that you did not realize on the morning of July 1st when you took up the Ten Dollar collection in the Sunday School for the Y.M.C.A. or in other words, for the boys at the front that any one that you ever knew would receive any benefit from it, but truly this is the case. I sat as you were taking it and wondered if I would really find a camp of this kind in the army life and to my great pleasure it is to be found in every camp that I have been in. If it is not an American Y.M.C.A. it is an English or French or some other nationality. It would seem that there was nothing let or any facilities whatever to provide for the establishment of any kind of a camp but really conditions are lots more pleasant than I ever thought they would be notwithstanding that the pictures that you see in the newspapers have over rated the scene. They have not really made it appear as bad as it is. It is some scene to see where the Germans have gone through the country leaving everything to waste and even going furthr than that to rob the graves and vaults of the dead for any kind of articles that they might take from the deceased.
While we are entirely out from the danger from shell fire yet we can occasionally hear a large gun. Our camp is very comfortably situated and of course, reminds one a great deal of an American railroad camp. We are not here alone but have three other nationalities that are camping in and near our camp. All things point that we will not be in the state of war much longer as they are thought to be exhausted.
This leaves me feeling fine and enjoying everything as though we were out on a camping trip.
Best regards to all, and especially to you and my Sunday School class.
Yours truly,
Chas. A. Cox
NOTES: Cox is in camp in France with the AEF. Letter is written on September 2, 1917 to Mr. P. F. Winningham at Lamar, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY DEBRA POLSTON
Dear Friend and Supt.:---
I suppose that you did not realize on the morning of July 1st when you took up the Ten Dollar collection in the Sunday School for the Y.M.C.A. or in other words, for the boys at the front that any one that you ever knew would receive any benefit from it, but truly this is the case. I sat as you were taking it and wondered if I would really find a camp of this kind in the army life and to my great pleasure it is to be found in every camp that I have been in. If it is not an American Y.M.C.A. it is an English or French or some other nationality. It would seem that there was nothing let or any facilities whatever to provide for the establishment of any kind of a camp but really conditions are lots more pleasant than I ever thought they would be notwithstanding that the pictures that you see in the newspapers have over rated the scene. They have not really made it appear as bad as it is. It is some scene to see where the Germans have gone through the country leaving everything to waste and even going furthr than that to rob the graves and vaults of the dead for any kind of articles that they might take from the deceased.
While we are entirely out from the danger from shell fire yet we can occasionally hear a large gun. Our camp is very comfortably situated and of course, reminds one a great deal of an American railroad camp. We are not here alone but have three other nationalities that are camping in and near our camp. All things point that we will not be in the state of war much longer as they are thought to be exhausted.
This leaves me feeling fine and enjoying everything as though we were out on a camping trip.
Best regards to all, and especially to you and my Sunday School class.
Yours truly,
Chas. A. Cox
NOTES: Cox is in camp in France with the AEF. Letter is written on September 2, 1917 to Mr. P. F. Winningham at Lamar, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY DEBRA POLSTON