Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-05-23
EDGAR WARRINGTON
WRITES I |: letter
Former Webster City Boy Tells Of
Going. to England to Join
British Army.

Edgar H. Warrington, son of Mr..
and Mrs. H. Warrington, former well
known residents of this city, recent
ly wrote letter to his sister, Miss
Jessie Warrington, who was employ
ed on the Freeman Tribune several
years ago. The letter was published
in the Twin Falls, Idaho, Times, with
which newspaper Miss Warrington is
now connected, and is as follows:
People who knew Edgar H. War
rington, when he visited relatives in
this city a couple of years ago, will
be interested in hearing Of his ex-
periences since he left South Dakota
recently to join the British army. He
is enlisted in A company, Second
Platoon, Sixty-first battalion, c. E.
r., and is at present in London. In a
letter received by his sister, Miss jess
sie Warrington, this week, he says:
Left Winnipeg, Manitoba. on
March q. Landed in Halifax, Nova
Scotia, on April LIST, and loaded onto
r. M. S. olympic Ga sister ship to
the Titanic). 1t is one of the largest
passenger boats afioat; has four fun
nels and carries crew of $50 men,
200 Of whom are firemen, 159 fires,
end they use from 500 to 1000 tons
CT coal in "a hours, so you can see
it is no canoe. After we got on board
they finished loading freight and
then cast loose from pier and anchor
ed in middle Of bay and took on coal
$4,000 tons. We. sailed from Hal
flax April 5, at $40 q. m. A heavy
fog was on and stayed with us for
two days and nights so that we could
travel but very little at night, but
the fog cleared. and we sure made
time from there on. We sighted the
south coast of Ireland at 1000 a. m.
April 10, and by noon we were only
one mile from the land. 1t sure look
ed pretty. all green hills, and little
farms. We passed Ireland at 800
p. m. and turned south down the
Irish sea and landed in Liverpool the
next morning, April 18th. We were
taken direct FROM the boat to trains
rFlg on the dock, and such funny
aims! call them perambula-
: out here they call them carri-
ges. Each carriage or car is divid-
d into eight compartments,
ght men in each compart-
aent-four on one side and
-FOUR on the other, facing each other.
There is no communication between
compartments; you enter each one
from the side. just like cab or a
hack. When you are all on q con-
lductor blows little whistle and
away you 60 like streak Of greas-
ed lightning. They sure do travel!
All the way to Borden from Liverpool
the people turned out to welcome the
Crazy .Canucks" (Canadians) with
parcels Of grub and cigarettes. socks,
handkerchiefs, fruits, tea and any,
thing you wished, all free. We pass
ed through Birmingham, fRedding
and Aldershot on our way here, and
such towns! For several miles in Bir-
mingham you can look down, on the.
town and every house was exactly
like its neighboT, and packed in just
as closely as they could be built, and
all Of red fire brick. It is very pretty
around here, the trees are just In bud
now and the grass is very green.
'This is a very large camp here,
1t stretches for miles in all direc-
lions. We are leaving here either
Sunday or Monday; do not know
where we are going. Some say
Egypt, some France, some Flanders,
Mail will reach me no matter where
I am, even in a German prison camp.
Please be careful in your letters, not
to pass any remarks either against
the Germans or the Allies, as 1t may
get me in bad. All our mail Is censor
ed and we are not allowed to give
any information as to bomb raids,
air raids, or fighting maneuvers Will
give you all the news I can though.
We are being looked after with the
best OF care. Everything possible is
being done for our safety and wei
run no unnecessary risks other than
a man has to, while on the firing
lines, so don't worry about me.
IAN on picket duty tonight. We
all look forward to mail days, some
have mothers. sisters and brothers
in this country; but most OF them
have relatives in Canada. They get
the greatest assortment Of packages
you ever saw; one fellow In our sec
ton received pair of pink silk pa
jamas from his sister. We sleep with
our clothes on to keep on the job and
the pajamas certeinly hit us as q
Joke, Please write--and have all
the others write. Don't wait for nae
to write as it may be SO darn hot at