The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-12-06
GLIMPSE Of FRANCE
ROY KEMBLE TELLS ABOUT
i. THINGS IN WAR ZONES

Roy Kemble who is at the front"
in France as an ambulance driver
writes to his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
iperiences in the service. The letters
have been censored but the story is
practically intact Personal mention is
omitted, otherwise Mr.. and Mrs.
Kemble are pleased to give the letters
to the public. ......
| November 9th. Dear Folks; 1t is
1890 p. M, but will dash off a few
lines before l go to bed. We left our
old post day before yesterday and
have spent the last two days in the
big wicked city. 1't"#fA >3|.;
I Leave at a. m. tomorrow for atIr
new sector. The Lieutenant put me in
charge of the section during the trans
fer and believe me, it's some job to
take care OF twenty men in this will
age. All have done in the, city is to
transfer baggage, get transportation,
look after rooms and meals ind try
to keep the gang together. The latter
JOB is the hardest of all, for when
fellows live like we have for the past
six weeks the city sort of goes to
their heads. --.
Geet But it was great to eat real
food and sleep between sheets. am
staying at the Y. M. c. A. hotel, and
it's a dandy place. The "Y'' is doing a
work over here that is wonderful It's
the greatest institution in France to-
day. Here where we are tolay they
have taken over big hotel. Two Of
us have a splendid big double room
for france, Coo each. The meals are
fine too. Last night we had a fine
chicken dinner and real ice cream.
After dinner there was an entertain
irent and then we all sang together
for a while. met several "Y'' fellows
who came over on the boat with us
that had not seen since we locked,
so it was almost like home. never
enjoyed am evening so much in all
my life as | did last night. Besides the
men there are some splendid women
workers.
They do all they can for you and
they would like to do me-c. Take it
from me, if the mothers and fathers
of America could know of the things
tie Y's are doing over here for their
boys, the Army Y would never be
IacEing for money. But you cannot
realize until you have been here what
wonderful thing it is, and what an
influence for good it has on a lonely
or homesick soldier. '' '..-'' .'''
Well as it is five clock for me in
the morning / will ring off and go to
bed. With love, Roy -.
T., p. S.-Just word about the mail.
When you send packages, register
them and also put in a bunch of
Heralds in the package and register
them Newspapers and unregistered
rackages seldome reach us. Letters
get thraugh in three or four weeks.
, November ~, 1917. Dear folks: Just
have time to dash off a line. Have been
at the new post for two days but have
not had time to write. Besides / have
been sort of under the weather, but
am feeling better now. IN the FIST
place it was quite a disappointment,
but of course no one could tell that
we were to be changed to another
section.
?, nOWeve | intend to keep on as be-
fore and see what happens. will at
least have the satisfaction of knowing
that L did my best. We have about ten
= times the work here that we had at
the other place. We are right in one
of the largest towns of France. 1t has
been shelled quite a bit and was &C.
cupied by the Germans for some time
but they are now eight miles away. 3d.
We get a little closer to- the front
every time we move 1t is every ones
ambition to go through an attack but
it looks as though We wuld have to
wait until spring for that pleasure. ''
/ Am enclosing a piece of poetry I saw
in the Paris edition Of the Chicago
Tribune. l also heard the lady who
wrote it recite it the other night at
1.-THE Y. NJ. c. A. in Paris. Goodnight
With love, ROY KEMBLE. ....