TRANSCRIBED FROM THE PINE BLUFF DAILY GRAPHIC NOVEMBER 24, 1917 P. 5
Somewhere in France
October 18th, 1917
Dear Mother:
Have a little spare time and will start a letter to you and will then finish it later. It is about 15 minutes until mess time and I am hungry as usual. Open air Army life and the food we get is sure agreeing with me. Am. Really gaining in weight. I tipped the scales off yesterday at 150 pounds, nine pounds more than I ever weighed in my life and a gain of about 15 pounds since joining. Would like to weigh about 170. Am is the best of health and up to date have not had one sick day. Only hope I can go through the winter with that record. We have had practically no sickness in the camp and all of the boys are picking up in weight, so you can see there is some truth in the saying that Uncle Sam takes care of his boys.
We have been having a touch of cold weather. The nights are real cool but days are nice as a rule. Last week it rained almost every day and we had much everywhere.
I suppose you got my cablegram of week before last. Should have added that your box to Paul was re-ceived, so you could have started another one on the way. Paul left it with me to take care of and I sure went South with the contents. The cakes and candy just touched the spot. Candy is rather a scarce article is this country at present, although we get plenty of milk chocolate and chocolate bars. Cakes are plentiful here but not the kind you get in the States, they call them biscuits and they are really nothing more than crackers. The worst trouble we have is getting American tobacco, it is as precious as gold. The fellow that gets the package from home with Star, Horsehoe,and P. A., is one more popular man.
October 22nd.
This is the first opportunity I have had to finish this letter. Was off on leave Saturday and had some jolly good time. Will tell you all the things I saw someday. Sunday I worked and in the afternoon I witnessed a No. 1, first class ball game. Both teams were from this regiment. The score was 0 to 0 up to the eight, then one side made a run and it was tied in the last half of the ninth. The game ran to eleven innings and was called on account of the darkness. I yedd myself hoarse and have been talking way down in my throat all day. Yesterday was an ideal fall day and just right from a good game.
Suppose Paul told you that he is now a Master Engineer. He likes the work very much and has quite an interest in it. After this siege in the Army don’t thing you will ever have any more trouble getting him up in the morning. Just tell him you will put him on kitchen duty if he misses breakfast call.
Some of the boys have received sweaters from the states, so don’t think you will have any trouble sending mine over. Hope you can get a Jersey one in the olive drab color, if not get the next best thing.
We have a new form of amusement in camp, in the way of a victrola. A couple of us were over near by canteen the other day and saw one for sale, we told them to lay it away for us and we would get it right after payday. When we came back and told the boys about it, they insisted we get it at once, so we gathered up the necessary 200 Fr. And got the machine with nineteen records. We have been having concerts at all hours. Each member of the so-called Galma club of which I happen to be a member chipped in 10 fr. apiece and it is now our property. The club is some outfit and we have some rules and regulations. We have kangaroo court and the fines and costs will now go to purchase new records.
Call to quarters has blown and I must get to bed and hide this light. Write soon and don’t forget my sweater and tell dad to slip some tobacco in the box. He knows what we want.
Love to all,
D. S. Reyburn.
NOTES: This letter was written by Donald S. Reyburn. A letter written by his brother Paul is posted on this site.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE
Somewhere in France
October 18th, 1917
Dear Mother:
Have a little spare time and will start a letter to you and will then finish it later. It is about 15 minutes until mess time and I am hungry as usual. Open air Army life and the food we get is sure agreeing with me. Am. Really gaining in weight. I tipped the scales off yesterday at 150 pounds, nine pounds more than I ever weighed in my life and a gain of about 15 pounds since joining. Would like to weigh about 170. Am is the best of health and up to date have not had one sick day. Only hope I can go through the winter with that record. We have had practically no sickness in the camp and all of the boys are picking up in weight, so you can see there is some truth in the saying that Uncle Sam takes care of his boys.
We have been having a touch of cold weather. The nights are real cool but days are nice as a rule. Last week it rained almost every day and we had much everywhere.
I suppose you got my cablegram of week before last. Should have added that your box to Paul was re-ceived, so you could have started another one on the way. Paul left it with me to take care of and I sure went South with the contents. The cakes and candy just touched the spot. Candy is rather a scarce article is this country at present, although we get plenty of milk chocolate and chocolate bars. Cakes are plentiful here but not the kind you get in the States, they call them biscuits and they are really nothing more than crackers. The worst trouble we have is getting American tobacco, it is as precious as gold. The fellow that gets the package from home with Star, Horsehoe,and P. A., is one more popular man.
October 22nd.
This is the first opportunity I have had to finish this letter. Was off on leave Saturday and had some jolly good time. Will tell you all the things I saw someday. Sunday I worked and in the afternoon I witnessed a No. 1, first class ball game. Both teams were from this regiment. The score was 0 to 0 up to the eight, then one side made a run and it was tied in the last half of the ninth. The game ran to eleven innings and was called on account of the darkness. I yedd myself hoarse and have been talking way down in my throat all day. Yesterday was an ideal fall day and just right from a good game.
Suppose Paul told you that he is now a Master Engineer. He likes the work very much and has quite an interest in it. After this siege in the Army don’t thing you will ever have any more trouble getting him up in the morning. Just tell him you will put him on kitchen duty if he misses breakfast call.
Some of the boys have received sweaters from the states, so don’t think you will have any trouble sending mine over. Hope you can get a Jersey one in the olive drab color, if not get the next best thing.
We have a new form of amusement in camp, in the way of a victrola. A couple of us were over near by canteen the other day and saw one for sale, we told them to lay it away for us and we would get it right after payday. When we came back and told the boys about it, they insisted we get it at once, so we gathered up the necessary 200 Fr. And got the machine with nineteen records. We have been having concerts at all hours. Each member of the so-called Galma club of which I happen to be a member chipped in 10 fr. apiece and it is now our property. The club is some outfit and we have some rules and regulations. We have kangaroo court and the fines and costs will now go to purchase new records.
Call to quarters has blown and I must get to bed and hide this light. Write soon and don’t forget my sweater and tell dad to slip some tobacco in the box. He knows what we want.
Love to all,
D. S. Reyburn.
NOTES: This letter was written by Donald S. Reyburn. A letter written by his brother Paul is posted on this site.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE