TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MALVERN TIMES JOURNAL JANUARY 24, 1918 P. 1
Dec. 24, 1017.
Henry Berger, Esq., Malvern, Ark.
Dear Mr. Berger:
Your letter and packet of Malvern papers came to hand a day ago, and now that it is Xmas Eve, and I have a few minutes to call my own, I’ll try to write a few lines in reply.
Have just returned from a brief trip---searching for a box of saws which we thought might belong to us, they had been at a French freight depot and unclaimed---but they turned out to be saws belonging to the British Army. I played safe and brought them back with me anyway, and now I suppose will be expected to institute a course of search for the real owners. But a good turn often brings one in return, so we should worry.
I cannot tell you where we are located, but that doesn’t matter, anyway. The main thing is that we are comfortably established and accomplishing what we came for. The timber is prnus syvestris---close kin to our own echinata, but heavier and knotty. Being planted stock, it is all sound as a dollar. Logs run about 20 to the thousand, which is remarkable for French woods.
We have a very neat little rig—set upon piers, so that stuff goes into the cars without the exercise of much ‘bull strength and ignorance’. The boiler has popped twice since I begin writing this, so you see we have plenty of steam. We are going to quit early today, so the boys can enjoy tomorrow away from the camp, if they wish, altho the regimental chaplain is with us now for a few days and many of the men will stay and hear his Xmas sermon.
They play baseball and football in their spare time---chiefly Sundays and holidays and the French peasants come from miles around to see the crazy Americans enjoy themselves.
George Lindahl is with me here. He does our blacksmith and millright work and gets along mighty well. The other Malvern boys scattered in various places. I received a letter from M. Means a day or so ago wherein he stated that Malvern papers were an unknown quantity with him, so I’m bundling these up to send to him. Geo L., and I having read them. Thanks for remembering us. Its a fact that papers are a great comfort over here, especially home journals lik The Times Journal and the Meteor to the Malvern contingent.
Speaking of apple pancakes, the French have a particular variety called Les crepes, which make one forget about war and its alarms. I am about to forget English now, because I have been called upon to do a good deal of dickering with the French in our neighborhood, and sometimes have been away for two to three days at a time, without a word other than French, or an apology for French. I ______ that it was on the back of my bean and came forth when the need arose, although it had been several years since I left the French speaking settlements of N. E.
Well I must close. You can assure the good people of Malvern that their boys and friends are being well cared for, and that they are making themselves highly useful over on the other side.
Sincerely Yours,
John B. Woods,
1st. Lieut. A. Co. 10th Engrs. A. E. F.
NOTES: This letter is written from France to local attorney, Henry Berger.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN
Dec. 24, 1017.
Henry Berger, Esq., Malvern, Ark.
Dear Mr. Berger:
Your letter and packet of Malvern papers came to hand a day ago, and now that it is Xmas Eve, and I have a few minutes to call my own, I’ll try to write a few lines in reply.
Have just returned from a brief trip---searching for a box of saws which we thought might belong to us, they had been at a French freight depot and unclaimed---but they turned out to be saws belonging to the British Army. I played safe and brought them back with me anyway, and now I suppose will be expected to institute a course of search for the real owners. But a good turn often brings one in return, so we should worry.
I cannot tell you where we are located, but that doesn’t matter, anyway. The main thing is that we are comfortably established and accomplishing what we came for. The timber is prnus syvestris---close kin to our own echinata, but heavier and knotty. Being planted stock, it is all sound as a dollar. Logs run about 20 to the thousand, which is remarkable for French woods.
We have a very neat little rig—set upon piers, so that stuff goes into the cars without the exercise of much ‘bull strength and ignorance’. The boiler has popped twice since I begin writing this, so you see we have plenty of steam. We are going to quit early today, so the boys can enjoy tomorrow away from the camp, if they wish, altho the regimental chaplain is with us now for a few days and many of the men will stay and hear his Xmas sermon.
They play baseball and football in their spare time---chiefly Sundays and holidays and the French peasants come from miles around to see the crazy Americans enjoy themselves.
George Lindahl is with me here. He does our blacksmith and millright work and gets along mighty well. The other Malvern boys scattered in various places. I received a letter from M. Means a day or so ago wherein he stated that Malvern papers were an unknown quantity with him, so I’m bundling these up to send to him. Geo L., and I having read them. Thanks for remembering us. Its a fact that papers are a great comfort over here, especially home journals lik The Times Journal and the Meteor to the Malvern contingent.
Speaking of apple pancakes, the French have a particular variety called Les crepes, which make one forget about war and its alarms. I am about to forget English now, because I have been called upon to do a good deal of dickering with the French in our neighborhood, and sometimes have been away for two to three days at a time, without a word other than French, or an apology for French. I ______ that it was on the back of my bean and came forth when the need arose, although it had been several years since I left the French speaking settlements of N. E.
Well I must close. You can assure the good people of Malvern that their boys and friends are being well cared for, and that they are making themselves highly useful over on the other side.
Sincerely Yours,
John B. Woods,
1st. Lieut. A. Co. 10th Engrs. A. E. F.
NOTES: This letter is written from France to local attorney, Henry Berger.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN