TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT JANUARY 3, 1918 P. 2
"Somewhere in France,"
Nov. 27th, 1917
Editor Rogers Democrat:
Just before leaving England I received three copies of the Democrat from my sister in Tennessee. They contained those first letters I wrote home, and now they seem rather amusing.
Altho in France I'm still attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps. My two months in England was indeed very pleasant; naturally I hated to part with the friends there who had made me feel at home. But I am glad to be over here in France where I feel that my "little bit" is helping more. I am stationed with the 93d Field Ambulance, so you can readily see I am getting valuable professional experience.
I sleep in a very comfortable dug out; the place is roofed and floored. Such things as bathing in a basin and shaving by candle light is amusing now; when the newness wears off I will be getting used to it. Good drinking water is scarce. Cannot complain of the food.
The country where I am now is a barren waste; all of it under shell range. Like the weather a great deal better than England as I see the sun almost daily. They said I ran into an exceptionally wet season in England; at any rate, I know it rained almost daily, and I will never forget the dull gray sky.
It's peculiar the subjects an Englishman will question an American about. You will need to be well posted on history and on everything else. They are always interested in what the general spirit of our country is about the war. Our liquor and cigarette laws are very amusing to the Englishman. They invariably laugh and say, "The land of the free?" Cigarette smoking is as common here as eating is at home. Just the other day I met a fellow colleague who didn't smoke and he said he thot he was the only man in the U.S.M.O.R.C. who did not smoke. I must admit that I find it embarrassing and inconvenient quite often not to drink and smoke.
The afternoon tea is an English habit that I am very fond of. I take my third cup of tea now--never drank a cup of hot tea in my life until I went to England. Enroute over here we missed our tea and I felt lost. We have buttered toast, jam or jelly and and cakes with the tea.
Had a very pleasant trip across the channel. Met many of the boys who came over with me just three months ago. Spent one day in a sea port of England and four when we landed in France. I am sorry I can't mention the names of places but as Orderly Medical Officer I am also censor. I always imagined that it would be great sport; it was interesting for the first fifty letters, and then it became very tiresome.
The French money, language, manners and customs furnished us many an amusing incident. We found that chocolate creams were $2.40 a pound at the rate they charged us. In England we learned not to ask for candy as they did not know what we meant; it is called "sweets" there. That was only one of the many terms we found different there.
While in this French city I went thru the Cathedral, the old walled city and thru a castle, with the old moat, etc. Such a trip brings back memories of English History days in Rogers Academy. While in England I was fortunate in getting to visit many historical places: Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, etc.
Nothing has happened here to indicate that it is Thanksgiving Day. I see by the papers that in Paris and where there are American troops, they are having a regular Thanksgiving dinner. I hope I can see Rogers beat Bentonville in a game of foot ball a year from now on Thanksgiving Day.
Trusting that I have not made this too long and hoping it may contain something of interest to the Democrat readers, I will close by wishing all my friends in Rogers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
R.R. McHENRY, Ist Lt.,
M O R.C., U.S A. 93D Field Ambulance, British Expeditionary Force, France.
NOTES: This letter was written by Raymond Ralph McHenry. He was born in Willow Springs, Missouri on June 20, 1893 and died on July 15, 1966. He is buried in the Rogers Cemetery in Rogers, Arkansas. He departed Liverpool, England onboard the Aquitania on March 20, 1919 and arrived in New York, NY on March 30, 1919. He was listed as a 1st Lieut. serving in Casual Officers Co. 1017.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
"Somewhere in France,"
Nov. 27th, 1917
Editor Rogers Democrat:
Just before leaving England I received three copies of the Democrat from my sister in Tennessee. They contained those first letters I wrote home, and now they seem rather amusing.
Altho in France I'm still attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps. My two months in England was indeed very pleasant; naturally I hated to part with the friends there who had made me feel at home. But I am glad to be over here in France where I feel that my "little bit" is helping more. I am stationed with the 93d Field Ambulance, so you can readily see I am getting valuable professional experience.
I sleep in a very comfortable dug out; the place is roofed and floored. Such things as bathing in a basin and shaving by candle light is amusing now; when the newness wears off I will be getting used to it. Good drinking water is scarce. Cannot complain of the food.
The country where I am now is a barren waste; all of it under shell range. Like the weather a great deal better than England as I see the sun almost daily. They said I ran into an exceptionally wet season in England; at any rate, I know it rained almost daily, and I will never forget the dull gray sky.
It's peculiar the subjects an Englishman will question an American about. You will need to be well posted on history and on everything else. They are always interested in what the general spirit of our country is about the war. Our liquor and cigarette laws are very amusing to the Englishman. They invariably laugh and say, "The land of the free?" Cigarette smoking is as common here as eating is at home. Just the other day I met a fellow colleague who didn't smoke and he said he thot he was the only man in the U.S.M.O.R.C. who did not smoke. I must admit that I find it embarrassing and inconvenient quite often not to drink and smoke.
The afternoon tea is an English habit that I am very fond of. I take my third cup of tea now--never drank a cup of hot tea in my life until I went to England. Enroute over here we missed our tea and I felt lost. We have buttered toast, jam or jelly and and cakes with the tea.
Had a very pleasant trip across the channel. Met many of the boys who came over with me just three months ago. Spent one day in a sea port of England and four when we landed in France. I am sorry I can't mention the names of places but as Orderly Medical Officer I am also censor. I always imagined that it would be great sport; it was interesting for the first fifty letters, and then it became very tiresome.
The French money, language, manners and customs furnished us many an amusing incident. We found that chocolate creams were $2.40 a pound at the rate they charged us. In England we learned not to ask for candy as they did not know what we meant; it is called "sweets" there. That was only one of the many terms we found different there.
While in this French city I went thru the Cathedral, the old walled city and thru a castle, with the old moat, etc. Such a trip brings back memories of English History days in Rogers Academy. While in England I was fortunate in getting to visit many historical places: Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, etc.
Nothing has happened here to indicate that it is Thanksgiving Day. I see by the papers that in Paris and where there are American troops, they are having a regular Thanksgiving dinner. I hope I can see Rogers beat Bentonville in a game of foot ball a year from now on Thanksgiving Day.
Trusting that I have not made this too long and hoping it may contain something of interest to the Democrat readers, I will close by wishing all my friends in Rogers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
R.R. McHENRY, Ist Lt.,
M O R.C., U.S A. 93D Field Ambulance, British Expeditionary Force, France.
NOTES: This letter was written by Raymond Ralph McHenry. He was born in Willow Springs, Missouri on June 20, 1893 and died on July 15, 1966. He is buried in the Rogers Cemetery in Rogers, Arkansas. He departed Liverpool, England onboard the Aquitania on March 20, 1919 and arrived in New York, NY on March 30, 1919. He was listed as a 1st Lieut. serving in Casual Officers Co. 1017.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD