TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT NOVEMBER 1, 1917 P. 1
On our last night out from England we were attacked by submarines. The attack occurred about dusk and while it lasted it was real war stuff. For awhile we thought our boat had been torpedoed. If you are ever on a boat that you think is sinking on the high seas you can get an idea of our feelings. Happily our ship rammed a submarine instead of it torpedoing us, but we didn't know it until about an hour after we had been called to the lifeboats.
There were over 2,000 persons on board, including Red Cross nurses, officers and crew. No confusion occurred in responding to the call to take to the lifeboats. No one appeared to be excited and everything aboard went along like clockwork.
The torpedo chasers that accompanied us did magnificent work. I saw one of them sink a submarine--a really wonderful sight. We were going about 20 knots an hour but those chasers could run rings around us all the time. Our ship was slightly injured. one torpedo boat damaged somewhat and two submarines sent to the bottom was the report made in the summary of the casualties.
The day following we landed in England and earth looked good to us as we had been on the ocean 24 days. England is the prettiest country I have ever seen. In fact, I do not see how any country could be prettier. We were sent first to a rest camp at Southampton for a few days and then here. Our squadron was divided and sent to various schools and training camps. I am at a technical school studying engines or rather I will be as soon as I get out of the isolation hut. One fellow took the measles on the voyage across and we have had the good luck, as it were, to be isolated three weeks. The English people certainly treat us fine. One, too, has to be here to realize what this war means to England. I wonder whether the American girls would respond to their country's call in time of need as the girls and women of England have done. You see them working on street cars, or trams, as they call them, on farms as laborers, in offices, in the streets as street sweepers, in fact in every place where men have worked. And they work long hours and all seem well and strong.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Fred A. Freeman to his father A. H. Freemen. Freeman was born On March 9, 1893 in Madison County, Arkansas and lived near Garfield, Arkansas. He died on April 9, 1923. He is buried in the Clifty Cemetery in Clifty, Arkansas. The letter was originally published in the World in Aberdeen, Washington.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
On our last night out from England we were attacked by submarines. The attack occurred about dusk and while it lasted it was real war stuff. For awhile we thought our boat had been torpedoed. If you are ever on a boat that you think is sinking on the high seas you can get an idea of our feelings. Happily our ship rammed a submarine instead of it torpedoing us, but we didn't know it until about an hour after we had been called to the lifeboats.
There were over 2,000 persons on board, including Red Cross nurses, officers and crew. No confusion occurred in responding to the call to take to the lifeboats. No one appeared to be excited and everything aboard went along like clockwork.
The torpedo chasers that accompanied us did magnificent work. I saw one of them sink a submarine--a really wonderful sight. We were going about 20 knots an hour but those chasers could run rings around us all the time. Our ship was slightly injured. one torpedo boat damaged somewhat and two submarines sent to the bottom was the report made in the summary of the casualties.
The day following we landed in England and earth looked good to us as we had been on the ocean 24 days. England is the prettiest country I have ever seen. In fact, I do not see how any country could be prettier. We were sent first to a rest camp at Southampton for a few days and then here. Our squadron was divided and sent to various schools and training camps. I am at a technical school studying engines or rather I will be as soon as I get out of the isolation hut. One fellow took the measles on the voyage across and we have had the good luck, as it were, to be isolated three weeks. The English people certainly treat us fine. One, too, has to be here to realize what this war means to England. I wonder whether the American girls would respond to their country's call in time of need as the girls and women of England have done. You see them working on street cars, or trams, as they call them, on farms as laborers, in offices, in the streets as street sweepers, in fact in every place where men have worked. And they work long hours and all seem well and strong.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Fred A. Freeman to his father A. H. Freemen. Freeman was born On March 9, 1893 in Madison County, Arkansas and lived near Garfield, Arkansas. He died on April 9, 1923. He is buried in the Clifty Cemetery in Clifty, Arkansas. The letter was originally published in the World in Aberdeen, Washington.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD