TRANSCRIBED FROM THE JONESBORO DAILY TRIBUNE JUNE 13, 1918 P. 4
In France, May 25th, 1918.
Dear Sister:
Your letter dated April 29th received today, would have gotten it sooner but it had traveled around over the greater part of France trying to catch me. Was certainly glad to hear from you and get the pictures.
Had a letter from mother waiting for me when I got to France, but it was addressed to me at Camp Merritt and forwarded. We went on boat on April 6th and stayed until April 19th. We went out to sea one night but ran into a very severe storm and our engines broke down so we had to come into port and stick there several days, then were transferred to another boat and left the same day. That was the day I wrote to you. We were 10 days making the trip and had rather fine weather except two days and nights when it was a little stormy, outside of that we had no mishap and saw nothing in the way of a “Sub.” The trip was fine but I would rather think of it than to make the trip.
Have been in about 40 of these French towns and finally got landed in this aviation training centre, about eight miles from a very old historic town, but haven’t been up there except when I came through there and was broke then and still am, so don’t think I will get there until I get a pay day, which will be the first time in four months. Gosh! I wouldn’t like to wait until another four months for a pay. I have been broke so long that I wouldn’t know what to do with a little piece of change.
I wrote you about the tobacco and told you what I had heard about tobacco here, but I find we can get tobacco from the quartermaster (if you had the money) and I understand the government is going to issue us about three sacks of Duke’s Mixture each week soon, but excuse me, I don’t believe I care for that brand. Tell Bill I will send it to him, after I get a pay and can afford the other brands.
There is only one fellow with me that left the states with me, and he is an old train dispatcher off the Colorado & Southern. We are over here on detached service in the telegraph office, only work seven hours a day as there is only two tricks to the job, but we have to carry our own messages and that gets rather tiresome some time. I am working from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and all the work we do is about the same as Western Union stuff, although more complicated than most W. U. stuff.
Tell Bill he should see some of these French trains and locomotives. Instead of one M. C. B. coupler and air hose, they have the line and hook in the center and chains and hooks on each corner with no air hose. The brakes are like the brakes on a farm. I forgot to say they have only four wheels and the cars have a capacity of 10 tons or 8 shetland ponies, 40 boys or about 25 men. That is the kind of passenger coach we traveled around in. And the freight trains which are all mixed trains, don’t use a dog house for the brains to ride in and I have been trying ever since I have been here to find out where he rides, but failed so far, although I have learned that he makes no wheel report nor carries any freight bills along. If he has a car to set out in some way station the dope is wired to the agent at that place and he flags the train, cuts off and does his own switching. Ask him what he thinks of that. I think it is pretty soft for the brakeman.
We have a little road built and run by Americans from here to town but everything is French equipment so it doesn’t resemble American railroading much.
Have been wanting to get some pictures of this country, but have waited a little too long as yesterday they stopped us from taking any more pictures, so guess will have to buy some picture postals and send you to show you some of the sights of this beautiful country.
Must close now and get in the hay it is now closing time. Please drop me a few lines every time you have a chance as we never get tired of reading letters from any one in the states. Also if you can arrange to have the Jonesboro Tribune mailed to me every day I could be very, very glad and will make it O. K. with you when this is over.
Your loving brother,
RONALD.
NOTES: John Ronald Smith was writing to his sister, Mrs. William H “Lora” Millender. He was from Jonesboro. He was on detached duty with the 26th Aero Squadron when he wrote the letter. He was born April 17, 1896.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
In France, May 25th, 1918.
Dear Sister:
Your letter dated April 29th received today, would have gotten it sooner but it had traveled around over the greater part of France trying to catch me. Was certainly glad to hear from you and get the pictures.
Had a letter from mother waiting for me when I got to France, but it was addressed to me at Camp Merritt and forwarded. We went on boat on April 6th and stayed until April 19th. We went out to sea one night but ran into a very severe storm and our engines broke down so we had to come into port and stick there several days, then were transferred to another boat and left the same day. That was the day I wrote to you. We were 10 days making the trip and had rather fine weather except two days and nights when it was a little stormy, outside of that we had no mishap and saw nothing in the way of a “Sub.” The trip was fine but I would rather think of it than to make the trip.
Have been in about 40 of these French towns and finally got landed in this aviation training centre, about eight miles from a very old historic town, but haven’t been up there except when I came through there and was broke then and still am, so don’t think I will get there until I get a pay day, which will be the first time in four months. Gosh! I wouldn’t like to wait until another four months for a pay. I have been broke so long that I wouldn’t know what to do with a little piece of change.
I wrote you about the tobacco and told you what I had heard about tobacco here, but I find we can get tobacco from the quartermaster (if you had the money) and I understand the government is going to issue us about three sacks of Duke’s Mixture each week soon, but excuse me, I don’t believe I care for that brand. Tell Bill I will send it to him, after I get a pay and can afford the other brands.
There is only one fellow with me that left the states with me, and he is an old train dispatcher off the Colorado & Southern. We are over here on detached service in the telegraph office, only work seven hours a day as there is only two tricks to the job, but we have to carry our own messages and that gets rather tiresome some time. I am working from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and all the work we do is about the same as Western Union stuff, although more complicated than most W. U. stuff.
Tell Bill he should see some of these French trains and locomotives. Instead of one M. C. B. coupler and air hose, they have the line and hook in the center and chains and hooks on each corner with no air hose. The brakes are like the brakes on a farm. I forgot to say they have only four wheels and the cars have a capacity of 10 tons or 8 shetland ponies, 40 boys or about 25 men. That is the kind of passenger coach we traveled around in. And the freight trains which are all mixed trains, don’t use a dog house for the brains to ride in and I have been trying ever since I have been here to find out where he rides, but failed so far, although I have learned that he makes no wheel report nor carries any freight bills along. If he has a car to set out in some way station the dope is wired to the agent at that place and he flags the train, cuts off and does his own switching. Ask him what he thinks of that. I think it is pretty soft for the brakeman.
We have a little road built and run by Americans from here to town but everything is French equipment so it doesn’t resemble American railroading much.
Have been wanting to get some pictures of this country, but have waited a little too long as yesterday they stopped us from taking any more pictures, so guess will have to buy some picture postals and send you to show you some of the sights of this beautiful country.
Must close now and get in the hay it is now closing time. Please drop me a few lines every time you have a chance as we never get tired of reading letters from any one in the states. Also if you can arrange to have the Jonesboro Tribune mailed to me every day I could be very, very glad and will make it O. K. with you when this is over.
Your loving brother,
RONALD.
NOTES: John Ronald Smith was writing to his sister, Mrs. William H “Lora” Millender. He was from Jonesboro. He was on detached duty with the 26th Aero Squadron when he wrote the letter. He was born April 17, 1896.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT