TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DEQUEEN BEE MAY 3, 1918 P. 9
Somewhere in France.
March 30, 1918
Dear Bill:
This is Saturday and is raining so we are all in our quarters. We have been here for three weeks today, and I like the place fine, but oh, my! I will never learn French.
Well we had a fine trip over, but had a little excitement one day, but it didn’t amount to anything. On our third day out there was a little storm and we sure had some fun, especially when we went to dinner. The ship was rocking to and fro, and a fellow had just filled his mess kit with beans, and as the ship made one of those tango dips he stumbled, slapping another rookie in the face with his beans.
We have good music here, as there is a band, several talking machines, and one or two jolly quartetts. Each company has a ball team and we have two ball games each Sunday afternoon, but we are short of material. Everything is quiet and moving along fine, considering the surrounding. You hear as much about the war as we do, so I can’t tell anything in that line, only it looks promising. I am working every Sunday, and at my old trade of civilian life.
Boy, this is some place. All buildings are of stone and some of them are over a thousand years old. I have been in the park several times and it is a pretty place. How is everything at home by now? I would like to hear from you.
Will close with best wishes to good old DeQueen
As ever,
Gus Lewis
Censored. W. R. Pearson, Capt.
NOTES: Gus Garland Lewis was born on September 25, 1894 in Nashville, Arkansas and died on May 13, 1971. He is buried in the Centuries Memorial Park in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enlisted on October 5, 1917 and was discharged on June 12, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 17, 1918 onboard #50. He was serving in Co. C 35 Regiment Engineers. He departed Bordeaux, France on May 18, 1919 onboard the Santa Clara. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on May 30, 1919. He was serving as a Private in 100th Co. Transportation Corps.
TRANSCRIBED BY BRENDA PRICE
Somewhere in France.
March 30, 1918
Dear Bill:
This is Saturday and is raining so we are all in our quarters. We have been here for three weeks today, and I like the place fine, but oh, my! I will never learn French.
Well we had a fine trip over, but had a little excitement one day, but it didn’t amount to anything. On our third day out there was a little storm and we sure had some fun, especially when we went to dinner. The ship was rocking to and fro, and a fellow had just filled his mess kit with beans, and as the ship made one of those tango dips he stumbled, slapping another rookie in the face with his beans.
We have good music here, as there is a band, several talking machines, and one or two jolly quartetts. Each company has a ball team and we have two ball games each Sunday afternoon, but we are short of material. Everything is quiet and moving along fine, considering the surrounding. You hear as much about the war as we do, so I can’t tell anything in that line, only it looks promising. I am working every Sunday, and at my old trade of civilian life.
Boy, this is some place. All buildings are of stone and some of them are over a thousand years old. I have been in the park several times and it is a pretty place. How is everything at home by now? I would like to hear from you.
Will close with best wishes to good old DeQueen
As ever,
Gus Lewis
Censored. W. R. Pearson, Capt.
NOTES: Gus Garland Lewis was born on September 25, 1894 in Nashville, Arkansas and died on May 13, 1971. He is buried in the Centuries Memorial Park in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enlisted on October 5, 1917 and was discharged on June 12, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 17, 1918 onboard #50. He was serving in Co. C 35 Regiment Engineers. He departed Bordeaux, France on May 18, 1919 onboard the Santa Clara. He arrived in Brooklyn, NY on May 30, 1919. He was serving as a Private in 100th Co. Transportation Corps.
TRANSCRIBED BY BRENDA PRICE