TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MONTICELLIONIAN MAY 16, 1919 P. 1
Bruch, Germany,
April 17, 1919.
Dear Papa and All:
Received my second letter this afternoon and awfully glad to get it and especially to know you are well. Have promised you a long letter for a long time ---telling of my trip overhere--- so as I have time tonight I will begin. You will not find my story full of thrills and excitment as one would expect to hear from overhere. To begin at the beginning. I will say that I left Camp Mills, I. I at 12 o’clock August the 21st, 1918 and boarded the transport ship, “Tolsa”, which brought us across. This ship was something new to us so at first there was a lot of excitement---as you know everyone has a particular place. The next thing was supper and we scrambled to our places where we had about as much room as sardines in a can. Here we sat eating and perspiring because it was so hot inside the ship. But eat on the deck we had music, boxing, singing, and other sports till dark every night. We were out in the harbor and stayed 4 days and then started the cool trip across the largest pool of water I have ever had the pleasure of even seeing before. After a few hours out and the boat had gotten into full swing some of the boys began to feel as if every friend in the world had deserted them ( I being among them) and went to the rail and began deserting themselves to a certain extent. For a few days mess call or the smell of food would make us turn pale but we soon got over it. The greatest pleasure of the trip was to sleep outside---on deck--- in our issued hammocks---although we were disturbed by the salty water that splashed over the deck upon us. We had several days of pretty weather and some that were cold and rough---the latter causing us to stay inside or get wet by the large waves splashing over the deck. One afternoon about three o’clock when everyone was reading and writing we heard a muffled explosion and felt a great jar. Everyone hurried to the deck ready to go to the life boats, and the water all around was almost covered with submarine chasers and destroyers. There were many great explosions as the depth bombs were dropped from the chasers, for a submarine was there and had shot the boat next to us with a torpedo but luckily there was little damage done and no lives lost as far as I could hear later. The submarine chasers soon destroyed the U Boat after we were out of sight. We finally arrived in Le Harve, a western port of France, on the 9th day of September, none the worse for our trip--but wishing to see land and a change of diet, and believe me we got it---for we had brew, tea and a British substitute called bloater paste for supper at this rest camp.
We stayed one day at the rest camp and then started on our way again but this time in box cars that read “8 Horses or 40 Men.” and it was at this time that we wished to be horses, because we thought we would have more room as you know french cars are small compared to ours. But we were all in good spirits and prepared to make the best of it so we piled in as happy as a bunch of kids going to a picnic. The fellows on top could sleep very well---that is if he could stand to hear the cries of the “guy” under him. One Bohemian a very funny fellow, was seen at 2 A. M. standing in the car door looking at the moon and when asked what might be his trouble said “I no sleep packed up like hog: I stand up all night first.” We traveled three days and two nights and came to our destination where we thought we would get rest---but it was sling packs and forward march for a distance of 16 miles. At this time our old hikes at Beaureguard proved of value to us because it was very hard after being pinned up so long on our trip. With the exception of a few blistered feet we did not suffer very much from our long hike. The first night we were billited in a large barn, second floor, the first being occupied by a family of thirteen---six cows, two horses, a big bunch of rabbits and several chickens. After we had swept down all the ancient cobwebs we spread down on our blankets in the hay for our night’s rest. The elevator was out of order so we reached our little flat by the French ladder method, and it was setting at about 98 degrees. Talk about fresh air---but the fragrance that greeted us the next morning did not smell very much like our sweet marshaneele roses back home. There were about fifty people in the little town and to hear two or three of them coming down the road would sound like an Infantry regiment at “march step”---as all of them wear wooden shoes. The next morning we went to an old chateau about 5 miles away which was a beautiful place once occupied by some French nobleman. We were billited in the third floor which in comparison to the box cars made us feel as if we were noblemen ourselves.
This part of France was the grape section, where wine was made in great quantities. I learned very little French and have forgotten all that since I came here. On November the 11th we rolled our packs, climbed into trucks and made an overland trip of twenty miles to a camp that was being used for a replacement troops. We were here billited in wooden barracks which were comfortably heated. Here we slept in bunks or barracks berths. We were near a town of about 100 population and was as full of kids as a dog is of fleas. All we could hear from them was “souvenir for me”. “Penny for me”, “choc-olate for me” until we almost felt as if we were souvenirs. They at all times had different articles to sell us because they said that we Americans had “boocoo franks” (meaning many dollars). There was one old lady at our camp every day rolling a baby carriage loaded with grapes and souvenirs, etc, and of course the American at that time were souvenir crazy and brought them. France is different and not as I expected and one can never appreciate the country until seeing it. They have some beautiful buildings, castles, chateaus cathedrials, towers, etc. all for them having been built for a hundred years or longer. It was here that I was transferred to the 153 Ambulance as our old company (a animal drawn company) was not needed. On January 14th, 1919 we left St. Florence for Germany having been selected as a unit in the army of occupation. The most interesting part of this long trip was “our American railway center at Laur-Little France where the U.S.A. has 500 miles of switch tracks, lots of big locomotives and cars. This place gave us an idea of what a great part we really played over here. Also our Red Cross because they had the largest canteen here that I had seen since coming over. We passed through Verdun, St. Mehiel and all the other old battle grounds. Our next stop was Wittlich, Germany having passed through Alsace-Loraine. This was January 18th and loading in trucks we went for 14 miles to a small village named Bruch, Germany, where I am now. Here we found a different country because during our long stay in France we had rain nearly every day and here we found a mountainous country and dry.
We all are billeted in the German homes here and getting the best they have and the people are at all times kind to us, although we understand why. Have been here for six weeks and had the pleasure of visiting Coblens, one of the large cities of the River Rhine that the Americans are occuping. It makes one feel good to see the stars and stripes fling every where. I visited one of the Kalser’s many castles there just across the Rhine and it was a beautiful place; also visited one of their largest forts.
We are located here until our time comes to go home and when that will be I don’t know---although our divisions, 89th, and 90th are supposed to sail the first of June. I have seen seven months service over here but have never seen active service on the front but it was because our time to go there had not come when the armistice was signed. Well I feel sure that this has grown tiresome by now so I will stop and write yes again soon. Give my love to all and write often.
Your son.
JOE.
153, Amb. Co., 114 San. Tr.
792 A. P. O., A. E. F.
NOTES: This letter was written by Joe Trammel.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
Bruch, Germany,
April 17, 1919.
Dear Papa and All:
Received my second letter this afternoon and awfully glad to get it and especially to know you are well. Have promised you a long letter for a long time ---telling of my trip overhere--- so as I have time tonight I will begin. You will not find my story full of thrills and excitment as one would expect to hear from overhere. To begin at the beginning. I will say that I left Camp Mills, I. I at 12 o’clock August the 21st, 1918 and boarded the transport ship, “Tolsa”, which brought us across. This ship was something new to us so at first there was a lot of excitement---as you know everyone has a particular place. The next thing was supper and we scrambled to our places where we had about as much room as sardines in a can. Here we sat eating and perspiring because it was so hot inside the ship. But eat on the deck we had music, boxing, singing, and other sports till dark every night. We were out in the harbor and stayed 4 days and then started the cool trip across the largest pool of water I have ever had the pleasure of even seeing before. After a few hours out and the boat had gotten into full swing some of the boys began to feel as if every friend in the world had deserted them ( I being among them) and went to the rail and began deserting themselves to a certain extent. For a few days mess call or the smell of food would make us turn pale but we soon got over it. The greatest pleasure of the trip was to sleep outside---on deck--- in our issued hammocks---although we were disturbed by the salty water that splashed over the deck upon us. We had several days of pretty weather and some that were cold and rough---the latter causing us to stay inside or get wet by the large waves splashing over the deck. One afternoon about three o’clock when everyone was reading and writing we heard a muffled explosion and felt a great jar. Everyone hurried to the deck ready to go to the life boats, and the water all around was almost covered with submarine chasers and destroyers. There were many great explosions as the depth bombs were dropped from the chasers, for a submarine was there and had shot the boat next to us with a torpedo but luckily there was little damage done and no lives lost as far as I could hear later. The submarine chasers soon destroyed the U Boat after we were out of sight. We finally arrived in Le Harve, a western port of France, on the 9th day of September, none the worse for our trip--but wishing to see land and a change of diet, and believe me we got it---for we had brew, tea and a British substitute called bloater paste for supper at this rest camp.
We stayed one day at the rest camp and then started on our way again but this time in box cars that read “8 Horses or 40 Men.” and it was at this time that we wished to be horses, because we thought we would have more room as you know french cars are small compared to ours. But we were all in good spirits and prepared to make the best of it so we piled in as happy as a bunch of kids going to a picnic. The fellows on top could sleep very well---that is if he could stand to hear the cries of the “guy” under him. One Bohemian a very funny fellow, was seen at 2 A. M. standing in the car door looking at the moon and when asked what might be his trouble said “I no sleep packed up like hog: I stand up all night first.” We traveled three days and two nights and came to our destination where we thought we would get rest---but it was sling packs and forward march for a distance of 16 miles. At this time our old hikes at Beaureguard proved of value to us because it was very hard after being pinned up so long on our trip. With the exception of a few blistered feet we did not suffer very much from our long hike. The first night we were billited in a large barn, second floor, the first being occupied by a family of thirteen---six cows, two horses, a big bunch of rabbits and several chickens. After we had swept down all the ancient cobwebs we spread down on our blankets in the hay for our night’s rest. The elevator was out of order so we reached our little flat by the French ladder method, and it was setting at about 98 degrees. Talk about fresh air---but the fragrance that greeted us the next morning did not smell very much like our sweet marshaneele roses back home. There were about fifty people in the little town and to hear two or three of them coming down the road would sound like an Infantry regiment at “march step”---as all of them wear wooden shoes. The next morning we went to an old chateau about 5 miles away which was a beautiful place once occupied by some French nobleman. We were billited in the third floor which in comparison to the box cars made us feel as if we were noblemen ourselves.
This part of France was the grape section, where wine was made in great quantities. I learned very little French and have forgotten all that since I came here. On November the 11th we rolled our packs, climbed into trucks and made an overland trip of twenty miles to a camp that was being used for a replacement troops. We were here billited in wooden barracks which were comfortably heated. Here we slept in bunks or barracks berths. We were near a town of about 100 population and was as full of kids as a dog is of fleas. All we could hear from them was “souvenir for me”. “Penny for me”, “choc-olate for me” until we almost felt as if we were souvenirs. They at all times had different articles to sell us because they said that we Americans had “boocoo franks” (meaning many dollars). There was one old lady at our camp every day rolling a baby carriage loaded with grapes and souvenirs, etc, and of course the American at that time were souvenir crazy and brought them. France is different and not as I expected and one can never appreciate the country until seeing it. They have some beautiful buildings, castles, chateaus cathedrials, towers, etc. all for them having been built for a hundred years or longer. It was here that I was transferred to the 153 Ambulance as our old company (a animal drawn company) was not needed. On January 14th, 1919 we left St. Florence for Germany having been selected as a unit in the army of occupation. The most interesting part of this long trip was “our American railway center at Laur-Little France where the U.S.A. has 500 miles of switch tracks, lots of big locomotives and cars. This place gave us an idea of what a great part we really played over here. Also our Red Cross because they had the largest canteen here that I had seen since coming over. We passed through Verdun, St. Mehiel and all the other old battle grounds. Our next stop was Wittlich, Germany having passed through Alsace-Loraine. This was January 18th and loading in trucks we went for 14 miles to a small village named Bruch, Germany, where I am now. Here we found a different country because during our long stay in France we had rain nearly every day and here we found a mountainous country and dry.
We all are billeted in the German homes here and getting the best they have and the people are at all times kind to us, although we understand why. Have been here for six weeks and had the pleasure of visiting Coblens, one of the large cities of the River Rhine that the Americans are occuping. It makes one feel good to see the stars and stripes fling every where. I visited one of the Kalser’s many castles there just across the Rhine and it was a beautiful place; also visited one of their largest forts.
We are located here until our time comes to go home and when that will be I don’t know---although our divisions, 89th, and 90th are supposed to sail the first of June. I have seen seven months service over here but have never seen active service on the front but it was because our time to go there had not come when the armistice was signed. Well I feel sure that this has grown tiresome by now so I will stop and write yes again soon. Give my love to all and write often.
Your son.
JOE.
153, Amb. Co., 114 San. Tr.
792 A. P. O., A. E. F.
NOTES: This letter was written by Joe Trammel.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY