TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN JANUARY 31, 1919 P. 1
St. Nazaire, France,
Mr. Tom Shiras,
Mtn. Home, Ark.
Dear sir and friend:
I have often thought of you and tonight one of the boys was asking about Batesville, Ark., and he had an advertisement about the manganese fields from Angust 3, 1918, that you had written in the St. Louis Republic. So you see Tom it still pays to advertise. He asked me if was true and I told him I knew you personally and you never had told any thing else but the truth. I intended to write you during the fighting, but did not get time. Just received a letter from Sgt. G. F. Pinkley of the 128th T. C., A. E. F. France. He is in fine health same as myself, and now that the war is finished, I am anxious to return to the good old U. S. A. Elmer Elliott was just in my barrack, he is in good health. I am in a camp of about 5,000 men. These are wooden barracks and are in good shape for winter. Up to now we have had no snow, but it didn’t rain for two days and we all thought we would have a drouth. We are at the mouth of the Lorie river at the Bay of Biscay. Can look right out toward home. We entertained and gave presents to about 750 small French children at our Y. M. C. A. Christmas. All of which seemed to be greatly appreciated by them. We have a large R. R. yard here all built and operated by U. S. A. boys, and they have all done their best and made a good showing. Work about 40 engines each shift or 80 engines each 24 hours. A boy out of our camp was married to-day to a French girl and they are having a over at a hall. I think about ten thousand of the boys have married since they came to France.
It would have done your heart good to have witnessed the peoples joy and also one at Germans fall. Some happy time, and the French have been in it so long that they were certainly glad. Everyone was off duty Christmas and today. I wish you were here Tom, as you could see some great sights. Going through these yards you see U. S. A. boys, Chinese, Morrocaus, French, Negroes and a great many German prisoners, all dressed differently and speak different languages. But believe me I don’t think any of them can do as good work as the U. S. A. boys.
I just received a letter from Joe Adams and Shelby Grimmitt. Both are well and getting along fine. I just learned of the death of my good friend Clifford Inwood of Cotter, and there has been many others that I know that the dreadful “flu” was the cause of their death. Up to now our camp has been free of it I am glad to say. Homer Dewyberry of Bergman is in this camp. I could write you a great deal Tom but it is time for lights to be out, so I can’t afford to get in bad by violating the law so will close.
With best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year.
Your friend,
Pvt. W. A. Kelley,
21st Ca. Transportation Corps,
A.P.O. 701, A.E.F. France
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
St. Nazaire, France,
Mr. Tom Shiras,
Mtn. Home, Ark.
Dear sir and friend:
I have often thought of you and tonight one of the boys was asking about Batesville, Ark., and he had an advertisement about the manganese fields from Angust 3, 1918, that you had written in the St. Louis Republic. So you see Tom it still pays to advertise. He asked me if was true and I told him I knew you personally and you never had told any thing else but the truth. I intended to write you during the fighting, but did not get time. Just received a letter from Sgt. G. F. Pinkley of the 128th T. C., A. E. F. France. He is in fine health same as myself, and now that the war is finished, I am anxious to return to the good old U. S. A. Elmer Elliott was just in my barrack, he is in good health. I am in a camp of about 5,000 men. These are wooden barracks and are in good shape for winter. Up to now we have had no snow, but it didn’t rain for two days and we all thought we would have a drouth. We are at the mouth of the Lorie river at the Bay of Biscay. Can look right out toward home. We entertained and gave presents to about 750 small French children at our Y. M. C. A. Christmas. All of which seemed to be greatly appreciated by them. We have a large R. R. yard here all built and operated by U. S. A. boys, and they have all done their best and made a good showing. Work about 40 engines each shift or 80 engines each 24 hours. A boy out of our camp was married to-day to a French girl and they are having a over at a hall. I think about ten thousand of the boys have married since they came to France.
It would have done your heart good to have witnessed the peoples joy and also one at Germans fall. Some happy time, and the French have been in it so long that they were certainly glad. Everyone was off duty Christmas and today. I wish you were here Tom, as you could see some great sights. Going through these yards you see U. S. A. boys, Chinese, Morrocaus, French, Negroes and a great many German prisoners, all dressed differently and speak different languages. But believe me I don’t think any of them can do as good work as the U. S. A. boys.
I just received a letter from Joe Adams and Shelby Grimmitt. Both are well and getting along fine. I just learned of the death of my good friend Clifford Inwood of Cotter, and there has been many others that I know that the dreadful “flu” was the cause of their death. Up to now our camp has been free of it I am glad to say. Homer Dewyberry of Bergman is in this camp. I could write you a great deal Tom but it is time for lights to be out, so I can’t afford to get in bad by violating the law so will close.
With best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year.
Your friend,
Pvt. W. A. Kelley,
21st Ca. Transportation Corps,
A.P.O. 701, A.E.F. France
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON