TRANSCRIBED FROM: WASHINGTON TELEGRAPH OCTOBER 14, 1918 P. 1
Dear Papa:
How are you getting on. I hope this finds you well. Would sure like to see you and the States again. Are you still in Washington? Have written you several times, but have not heard from you in a long time. I sent you my picture from Peshawar when I was with armored cars. I have gotten transferred back to the old regiment again.
Bangalore is supposed to be the garden spot of India. There is lots of fruit here and also lots of game. Some large game but it’s getting thinned out a good bit. We can get a pass for a day hunting. I went out last week and killed two Phethers; they are a little bit larger than an American quail. Shall never forget the ducks you usually kill at Longwood. I was telling my chum about them but don’t think he believed me when I said hundreds would fly over our house about sundown. You know the Americans can tell some big yarns.
I see by the papers America is doing big things in France now. I think they have surprised lots of people in Europe for the amount they have done in twelve months.
One of the big heads in Germany wanted to know why it was there were so very few American transports sunk. It appears to me there are several answers to that. I think the accuracy of the gunners in the American navy has got more to do with it than anything else.
I believe I wrote you that we were sunk in the Mediterranean sea while coming out here. It occurred 150 miles off Malta on the Cameronia of the Anchor line. She went down in forty minutes, but we only lost 350 men out of about 3,000 on board. The casualties were light considering that it took her only forty minutes to sink. I was very lucky in knowing how to swim a little, for there were not life boats enough for a third of us. We had life belts, which kept us afloat until we were picked up.
Well, papa, there is not much to write about here. I hope you keep well. Write me when you can.
With much love and best wishes.
Your son,
Tom Ratliff,
203286 Rte. G. Co., 7th Gloucestershire Regt. No. 3 Res Batt.
NOTES: Ratliff is writing to his father, W. F. Ratliff. He enlisted in the English army sometime before the US entered the war.
TRANSCRIBED BY: ISAAC WOLTER
Dear Papa:
How are you getting on. I hope this finds you well. Would sure like to see you and the States again. Are you still in Washington? Have written you several times, but have not heard from you in a long time. I sent you my picture from Peshawar when I was with armored cars. I have gotten transferred back to the old regiment again.
Bangalore is supposed to be the garden spot of India. There is lots of fruit here and also lots of game. Some large game but it’s getting thinned out a good bit. We can get a pass for a day hunting. I went out last week and killed two Phethers; they are a little bit larger than an American quail. Shall never forget the ducks you usually kill at Longwood. I was telling my chum about them but don’t think he believed me when I said hundreds would fly over our house about sundown. You know the Americans can tell some big yarns.
I see by the papers America is doing big things in France now. I think they have surprised lots of people in Europe for the amount they have done in twelve months.
One of the big heads in Germany wanted to know why it was there were so very few American transports sunk. It appears to me there are several answers to that. I think the accuracy of the gunners in the American navy has got more to do with it than anything else.
I believe I wrote you that we were sunk in the Mediterranean sea while coming out here. It occurred 150 miles off Malta on the Cameronia of the Anchor line. She went down in forty minutes, but we only lost 350 men out of about 3,000 on board. The casualties were light considering that it took her only forty minutes to sink. I was very lucky in knowing how to swim a little, for there were not life boats enough for a third of us. We had life belts, which kept us afloat until we were picked up.
Well, papa, there is not much to write about here. I hope you keep well. Write me when you can.
With much love and best wishes.
Your son,
Tom Ratliff,
203286 Rte. G. Co., 7th Gloucestershire Regt. No. 3 Res Batt.
NOTES: Ratliff is writing to his father, W. F. Ratliff. He enlisted in the English army sometime before the US entered the war.
TRANSCRIBED BY: ISAAC WOLTER