TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LITTLE RIVER NEWS SEPEMBER 28, 1918 P. 3
My Summer Home, France.
September 3, 1928.
Mr. Homer Welch,
Ashdown, Arkansas.
Dear Mr. Welch.
In looking over the Paris edition of the Chicago Tribune of yesterday, I saw the name Herbert K. McKinney, Texarkana, Arkansas, as being severely wounded. Is that OUR Herbert? I thought he was in the navy. I have had only a few letters from the U.S.A. since May 20th and I know very little about what is going on anywhere. I have heard from only three or hour of my friends who are here and know where only a few are. I would be very sorry to learn that the wounded man mentioned above is my friend who used to work at the “Right Place.”
A good time is not to be had here by any means, of course, but we enjoy it as much as a boy scout could, and conditions here are very much better than I expected to find them. Certainly have improved over that of last winter. I am quite sure the Sammies will not be cold or hungry even in this most extremely cold climate, and especially the Engineers, as we have been issued extra clothing complete, and I think the blankets will beat the winter season here. However, I might say that I have already seen two winters without a summer between, and it is possible that I will see three winters without a summer between.
You might ask what I am doing. I am just helping to make the world safe for Democrats. I have been to several places since my arrival–staying at each place from a week to three weeks—and have been doing clerical work since the latter part of July. We have just finished the construction of a 10 M capacity “coffee pot” and somehow managed to put through a little better than 20 M per day the first six days. We are now working two shifts which keeps the office force busy. We have two sergeants in the office, besides myself a private. As the sergeants have never seen a “plant” of this kind with their argus eyes before they were drafted to learn a trade, the private helps them to get the work out in some form, or rather they do what they are told.
I must close, but I must tell you first that I have a new “Nellie.” No, I can’t tell you either because–it would go through the French mail all right–but not the American mail, so I shall have to wait and tell you in the spring of 1919.
With regards and best wishes to all, I am, your friend,
Carl Garner
Co. A 43rd Engrs. (Forestry.)
P.S. Guess you read about the bombing of Epinal. I’ll be next.
NOTES: This letter was written by Carl Pretzel Garner from France. He was born on August 31, 1991 in Cuba, Tennessee and died on April 16, 1988 in Texas. He is buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery in Groves, Texas. He enlisted on December 15, 1917 and was discharged on August 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
My Summer Home, France.
September 3, 1928.
Mr. Homer Welch,
Ashdown, Arkansas.
Dear Mr. Welch.
In looking over the Paris edition of the Chicago Tribune of yesterday, I saw the name Herbert K. McKinney, Texarkana, Arkansas, as being severely wounded. Is that OUR Herbert? I thought he was in the navy. I have had only a few letters from the U.S.A. since May 20th and I know very little about what is going on anywhere. I have heard from only three or hour of my friends who are here and know where only a few are. I would be very sorry to learn that the wounded man mentioned above is my friend who used to work at the “Right Place.”
A good time is not to be had here by any means, of course, but we enjoy it as much as a boy scout could, and conditions here are very much better than I expected to find them. Certainly have improved over that of last winter. I am quite sure the Sammies will not be cold or hungry even in this most extremely cold climate, and especially the Engineers, as we have been issued extra clothing complete, and I think the blankets will beat the winter season here. However, I might say that I have already seen two winters without a summer between, and it is possible that I will see three winters without a summer between.
You might ask what I am doing. I am just helping to make the world safe for Democrats. I have been to several places since my arrival–staying at each place from a week to three weeks—and have been doing clerical work since the latter part of July. We have just finished the construction of a 10 M capacity “coffee pot” and somehow managed to put through a little better than 20 M per day the first six days. We are now working two shifts which keeps the office force busy. We have two sergeants in the office, besides myself a private. As the sergeants have never seen a “plant” of this kind with their argus eyes before they were drafted to learn a trade, the private helps them to get the work out in some form, or rather they do what they are told.
I must close, but I must tell you first that I have a new “Nellie.” No, I can’t tell you either because–it would go through the French mail all right–but not the American mail, so I shall have to wait and tell you in the spring of 1919.
With regards and best wishes to all, I am, your friend,
Carl Garner
Co. A 43rd Engrs. (Forestry.)
P.S. Guess you read about the bombing of Epinal. I’ll be next.
NOTES: This letter was written by Carl Pretzel Garner from France. He was born on August 31, 1991 in Cuba, Tennessee and died on April 16, 1988 in Texas. He is buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery in Groves, Texas. He enlisted on December 15, 1917 and was discharged on August 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD