TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT DECEMBER 5, 1918 P. 3
Verneuil, France, Nov. 4, 1918.
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
No doubt you will be surprised to have a letter from me, but I feel that I must write you a few lines tonight to let you know how much I enjoy reading the Log Cabin Democrat. Even though I'm in this far away country, that makes it all the more interesting to get a home paper and learn what is going on back home.
I just received five issues of the daily this evening, dated from September 18 to 26. Though they are a little old sometimes when they reach me I enjoy and appreciate each one very much. I read every thing in them. Even the ads look good to me. I have enjoyed the letters that have been published from the home boys that are now on this side.
This is the eleventh month I've been in France, but I haven't met any of the home boys. I'll take that back; while I was in the hospital in May, who do you suppose walked up to my cot the first day I was there. 'Twas one of the colored boys that lived near Conway named Manley, who had recently come over and had contracted a bad cold and had a slight case of pneumonia and was being treated at the same hospital. I won't tell you just what took place when we recalled our former acquaintance, but suffice it to say that we were glad to see each other.
I can hardly realize that I have been in France almost a year, for the time has certainly passed swiftly. I have seen a good portion of the country; in fact, the most beautiful natural scenery that I have ever seen. But they are far behind our modern American ways of doing things; also in their industrial life and ways of living. They are a very energetic hospitable and courteous people. They think we American fellows are simply wheel horses, and the rate we accomplish things simply makes them sit up and take notice.
I will tell you the best I can or am allowed to about our mechanical repair shop. In a little less than six months we have made from an oat field a real, sure enough, up-to-date shop that would be a credit to any you will see in the states, built and equipped with the latest and most up-to-date American machinery and equipment, all built out of American made products. It is the largest of its kind in France. We have built our own railroads, streets and dirt roads and barracks; in fact, the oat field, for that it what it was when we moved out here, not looks like an old established place. The French tell us that it would have taken them five years to build what we have done in less than six months. We overhaul and put in working condition every kind of motor vehicle. We receive them in all shapes and conditions, as we get them just as they are sent back from the front. We have some of the best mechanics to be had from the states; we have men from the well known plants, such as White Motor Company, Cadallac, Dodge, Chandler, Ford, in fact men from all of the big automobile factories in the states.
My duties are connected with the painting department as the work requires a complete record of time, material and the many different kinds of vehicles, making clerks in great demand and I'm doing the best I can in this line of work.
We have recently been transferred from the A.M. corps to the motor transport corps, a new branch of the service. We are all tickled for now we are in the combatant forces. Instead of the yellow hat cord we now have a purple one, also new collar ornaments. It is indeed a pleasure and an honor to help or have a hand in conquering so barbarous and brutal a country which thought she could rule the world with her so called kultur. I'll leave it to your opinion if you don't thing we're giving them just what they need and we're just now getting in good shape to give them a licking that they will never forget; in fact, they are whipped now and have been for some time, but it is hard for them to acknowledge their defeat. the end is not far off now since Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria are out of the fight. Every day brings the news of new victories and big advances all along the line.
We have nearly 2,000 prisoners working at our shops and you can judge from them that they have drawn on their man power to its full extent, as we have them both old and young and lots of them are a hard-looking sight. They are housed and fed the same as we are and seem to be contented and well satisfied in the Americans' hands.
You will please excuse all scratches and blots as it is hard to write with a board in your lap for a desk and a candle for light. Best wishes to you and all of my friends. I hope to see you soon. Your friend,
Cpl. Leslie P. Crafton.
Mechanical Repair Shops 303, Motor Transport Corps, U.S. A.P.O. 772, American Ex. Forces.
NOTES: Leslie Preston Crafton was born on July 19, 1890 in Quitman, Arkansas and died in 1956. He is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway, Arkansas. He departed New York on July 17, 1918. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Provisional Co. No. 3 Quartermaster Corp Mechanical Repair Shop Unit 303. He departed Brest, France on June 10, 1919 onboard the Kaserin Auguste Victoria. He was serving as a Sgt. in Group D. Repair Unit 303 Motor Transportation Corp.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Verneuil, France, Nov. 4, 1918.
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
No doubt you will be surprised to have a letter from me, but I feel that I must write you a few lines tonight to let you know how much I enjoy reading the Log Cabin Democrat. Even though I'm in this far away country, that makes it all the more interesting to get a home paper and learn what is going on back home.
I just received five issues of the daily this evening, dated from September 18 to 26. Though they are a little old sometimes when they reach me I enjoy and appreciate each one very much. I read every thing in them. Even the ads look good to me. I have enjoyed the letters that have been published from the home boys that are now on this side.
This is the eleventh month I've been in France, but I haven't met any of the home boys. I'll take that back; while I was in the hospital in May, who do you suppose walked up to my cot the first day I was there. 'Twas one of the colored boys that lived near Conway named Manley, who had recently come over and had contracted a bad cold and had a slight case of pneumonia and was being treated at the same hospital. I won't tell you just what took place when we recalled our former acquaintance, but suffice it to say that we were glad to see each other.
I can hardly realize that I have been in France almost a year, for the time has certainly passed swiftly. I have seen a good portion of the country; in fact, the most beautiful natural scenery that I have ever seen. But they are far behind our modern American ways of doing things; also in their industrial life and ways of living. They are a very energetic hospitable and courteous people. They think we American fellows are simply wheel horses, and the rate we accomplish things simply makes them sit up and take notice.
I will tell you the best I can or am allowed to about our mechanical repair shop. In a little less than six months we have made from an oat field a real, sure enough, up-to-date shop that would be a credit to any you will see in the states, built and equipped with the latest and most up-to-date American machinery and equipment, all built out of American made products. It is the largest of its kind in France. We have built our own railroads, streets and dirt roads and barracks; in fact, the oat field, for that it what it was when we moved out here, not looks like an old established place. The French tell us that it would have taken them five years to build what we have done in less than six months. We overhaul and put in working condition every kind of motor vehicle. We receive them in all shapes and conditions, as we get them just as they are sent back from the front. We have some of the best mechanics to be had from the states; we have men from the well known plants, such as White Motor Company, Cadallac, Dodge, Chandler, Ford, in fact men from all of the big automobile factories in the states.
My duties are connected with the painting department as the work requires a complete record of time, material and the many different kinds of vehicles, making clerks in great demand and I'm doing the best I can in this line of work.
We have recently been transferred from the A.M. corps to the motor transport corps, a new branch of the service. We are all tickled for now we are in the combatant forces. Instead of the yellow hat cord we now have a purple one, also new collar ornaments. It is indeed a pleasure and an honor to help or have a hand in conquering so barbarous and brutal a country which thought she could rule the world with her so called kultur. I'll leave it to your opinion if you don't thing we're giving them just what they need and we're just now getting in good shape to give them a licking that they will never forget; in fact, they are whipped now and have been for some time, but it is hard for them to acknowledge their defeat. the end is not far off now since Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria are out of the fight. Every day brings the news of new victories and big advances all along the line.
We have nearly 2,000 prisoners working at our shops and you can judge from them that they have drawn on their man power to its full extent, as we have them both old and young and lots of them are a hard-looking sight. They are housed and fed the same as we are and seem to be contented and well satisfied in the Americans' hands.
You will please excuse all scratches and blots as it is hard to write with a board in your lap for a desk and a candle for light. Best wishes to you and all of my friends. I hope to see you soon. Your friend,
Cpl. Leslie P. Crafton.
Mechanical Repair Shops 303, Motor Transport Corps, U.S. A.P.O. 772, American Ex. Forces.
NOTES: Leslie Preston Crafton was born on July 19, 1890 in Quitman, Arkansas and died in 1956. He is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway, Arkansas. He departed New York on July 17, 1918. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Provisional Co. No. 3 Quartermaster Corp Mechanical Repair Shop Unit 303. He departed Brest, France on June 10, 1919 onboard the Kaserin Auguste Victoria. He was serving as a Sgt. in Group D. Repair Unit 303 Motor Transportation Corp.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD