TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MENA WEEKLY STAR, SEPTEMBER 19, 1918, P. 3.
American P.O. 728, Aug. 10.
I have crossed the republic of France and am now billeted in a village not far from what is known as the Western front. The Germans have never occupied the town, but they came so close once that the population fled to the hills. We do not have camps here but are billeted in the town, some of the men having barracks to live in, but most of them quartered five, ten to fifteen in a place in houses and barns. The officers are quartered in the best houses. Captain Veach and I have a room together, and it is quite comfortable. The lady that owns the house and looks like an American woman as many of the French do, but when she begins to talk I am forced to say “ui” (pronounced “we”) and meaning “yes” or “je ne comprendr,” meaning I do not understand.
The landscape is picturesque. Every available foot of land is cultivated. Even the steep hillsides are dotted with vineyards, the fruit of which will be ripening soon. The streams are all clear like those at home, and this part of the country is mountainous. Every time I look around I think home can not be far away, but when I think of how many days I have been traveling eastward, I realize that there are thousands of miles of land and water between here and home. The people are courteous and industrious. Tho all of the able-bodied men are at the front, there appears to be no shortage of labor on the farms. The work, however, is largely done by the women. The people dress unlike Americans. The small boys, however, remind me of the story Mr. Harshman tells of the way he used to dress when he was going to school. Boys from 4 to 12 wear trousers, but wear aprons over them.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lieut. Elijah Witt “Lige” Horner with the American Expeditionary Forces in France to his father Mr. J. L. Horner. He was born on May 19, 1893 and grew up in Polk County, Arkansas. He died on January 19, 1984 at Fayetteville. Arkansas. His obituary reported he was to be buried in Pinecrest Cemetery at Mena, Arkansas. He was a veteran of both WW I and II. He joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 1916 and served during the Mexican Border dispute. He was the leader of the famous Choctaw Code Talkers, a group that used the Choctaw language as a code for the US military. He also held the rank of major in WWII.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
American P.O. 728, Aug. 10.
I have crossed the republic of France and am now billeted in a village not far from what is known as the Western front. The Germans have never occupied the town, but they came so close once that the population fled to the hills. We do not have camps here but are billeted in the town, some of the men having barracks to live in, but most of them quartered five, ten to fifteen in a place in houses and barns. The officers are quartered in the best houses. Captain Veach and I have a room together, and it is quite comfortable. The lady that owns the house and looks like an American woman as many of the French do, but when she begins to talk I am forced to say “ui” (pronounced “we”) and meaning “yes” or “je ne comprendr,” meaning I do not understand.
The landscape is picturesque. Every available foot of land is cultivated. Even the steep hillsides are dotted with vineyards, the fruit of which will be ripening soon. The streams are all clear like those at home, and this part of the country is mountainous. Every time I look around I think home can not be far away, but when I think of how many days I have been traveling eastward, I realize that there are thousands of miles of land and water between here and home. The people are courteous and industrious. Tho all of the able-bodied men are at the front, there appears to be no shortage of labor on the farms. The work, however, is largely done by the women. The people dress unlike Americans. The small boys, however, remind me of the story Mr. Harshman tells of the way he used to dress when he was going to school. Boys from 4 to 12 wear trousers, but wear aprons over them.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lieut. Elijah Witt “Lige” Horner with the American Expeditionary Forces in France to his father Mr. J. L. Horner. He was born on May 19, 1893 and grew up in Polk County, Arkansas. He died on January 19, 1984 at Fayetteville. Arkansas. His obituary reported he was to be buried in Pinecrest Cemetery at Mena, Arkansas. He was a veteran of both WW I and II. He joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 1916 and served during the Mexican Border dispute. He was the leader of the famous Choctaw Code Talkers, a group that used the Choctaw language as a code for the US military. He also held the rank of major in WWII.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.