The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-11-16
INTERESTING LETTER
FROM THE WAR ZONE
Billy" Smith, Now In England, Is Among
the First Leapnworth Boys to Go
to the Trenches

by Robert Smith from his 0rother Billy
and is one Of the best the Echo has
thus far received.
Somewhere in England, October 1917,
Dear Brother:
Well l got thru the German hell
diver zone without scratch and arrived
here feeling fine. in fact I felt better
than I did when I left the States. !
did not get seasick but felt bit shaky
one morning after a storm when we
were about three DAYS out. There was
not much excitement on the boat after
we were out about three days as most
Of the boys were quite busy doing the
throwing up exercise instead of the
setting up exercise, while those OF the
boys that felt all right were singing,
MY supper lies over the ocean; Oh
bring back my dinner to me"
After we left our port and were out
about two days I saw my first whale.
He sure was a moose. We also saw
something that appeared to be sub.
Everyone got quite excited but after
all quieted dowd and we got a good
look at it, it turned out to be the top
of an old mast floating on end, you
know, like dead head log; it sure
looked like a periscope, and all the boys
breathed deep sigh after it had passed.
We were conveyed most OF the way
across by boats with guns on them.
The lead boat acted just like an old
hen with batch of chickens, she was
all over, then back again to see if we
were alright and she sure could scratch
around some, too.
After arriving here in England we
were housed in quarters very similar to
those in the U. S. A. Tell Mcintosh
have visited Scotland and think it a
beautiful country. The people over
here are sure sociable, much more so
than in the States. They are not so
keen for the almighty dollar. The
people sure think highly of the Amer
ican soldier. They say we are sure
fine bunch OF chappies. One thing l
noticed though is that they think we
are jolly lot. In fact they seem to
think we do not know what we are
going up against in the trenches But
I told them that the American was a
lover Of freedom and has that feeling
no matter where he is, and we will be
lust as full of pep when we hit the
trenches as we are now. The people
here still think America is just little
wild vet. They call us all cowboys be-
cause we wear the blouse most OF the
time instead OF the jacket.
There is one thing here you cannot
help but notice, and that is the abun-
dance Of Fords. Outside Of the bicycle
which is the most used vehicle in Eng
land the Ford comes next. Most all
the people have bicycles. The streets
here are quite narrow, in fact they are
so harrow in lots OF places you have to
walk single file. They tell me as soon
as they get them widened they are all
going to travel in Fords. They do not
have saloons here but have what they
call Inns and if you get too noisy you
are apt to be thrown out. The custom
is TO pay for your own drink, with nc
treating, The people here seem to
take drinking as matter OF course.
One thing. they no not try to drink the
saloon dry like they 90 IN America
The soldier can get all the liquor he
wants.
Aireplanes are common sight here
I saw one loop the loop yesterday. A'
look out Of my barracks can see Z
wild goose down in the Common. You
wonder why he doesn't fly away but
toupd ou, he has his wings clipped
That's Just the way feel. There are
lots Of things I would like to see anc
do but am just like the goose.
They do not have parks here bu
they have Commons generally located
vbere everyone can use them. The
one where I am has town on sacf