The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-09-12

B. Russell's 52Sth Service Ba Engr.
Co. b, A. Z. F., showing new phases
OF soldier life in France
| Somewhere in France.
July 20, 1918.
My Dear Mother:--We are now
temporarily located in a camp near
the port where we arrival. The
country is wonderful and holds as
many things of interest, the people
and all their funny ways. We are
housed in our pup" tents and are
really and truly camping out.
There has been rain most of the
time, which is natural for this coun-
TRY, | guess. \ The country is beau
tiful and every loot put to some use.
We don't expect TO stay here only
very few days and then will be sent
on to some other camp where We can
be more settled. won't get any
mail until we get located.
We worked all night last night at
the docks helping to store stuff in
warehouses and expect we Will have
to do the same tonight. slept all
a. M, SO will be in fair shape to go
to it again. ---
will make all my letters short and
TRY TO write oftener, as | don't have
lot of time. Tell every one hello.
never felt better in my life. My
love to all, DON.
Boys From Home.
July %. 1918.
We are still where we stopped on
arrival. The camp accommodates a
lot of troops, as they come and go
continually. We expect to be moved
any time, so most likely my next let.
ter will be from some other camp.
Last night saw a fellow by the
name of Wallace from New Sharon,
who is in camp here. | saw Carl
Landau the other night. He is in
the Engineers. He was at Ames and
also worked with John at the County
Engineers Office in Oskaloosa.
This is sure some place for rain
which makes it inconvenient in pup"
tents. But as soon as we are located
We Will luOSl NC DlIiCICu III OIu
homes or else have squad tents.
This is sure beautiful country.
The houses, walls, barns, etc, are all
made of stone masonry of fine work
manship.
We don't know so very much about
the war here as a newspaper is a
scarce article.
saw in a paper the other day that
in a certain town in which soldiers
were located there was a Beta club of
forty members from forty different
schools in the States. may get a
chance to get in touch with these
men.
We get plenty of money as it does
not require very much to keep going,
there being nothing to spend money
TO-.
On Real Job.
July 81, 1918.
We are now on our real job. Of
course can't tell you much about it
but it is a big construction job on a
hospital ont of the danger zone. 4
like it fine and expect to be here for
a long time.
1t is fine country, likt Iowa only
a very hard and stony soil
l was cold last night with two blan-
kets but it was hot this noon.
There is all kinds of work and lots
of good men to do it. However the
job is such big one that many men
are needed.
French Railways.
August 1, 1918.
After I had started to write found
out that the mail won't go out for an.
other day or two, so l waited until
/ had more time.
The whole company marched to a
river near by last night and took a
good bath. 1t sure was great.
The country is full of small villages
and we are near two of these. | can
say that we are about IS miles from
Paris but | don't expect to see that
city. We have been through several
other large places already.
A large railway passes by our
camp. lney claim one OF the fastest
trains in the world and the American
Engineers have had lot to do with
the r. r. II would tickle you to
see switching crew making up a
train. They carry toy horns and
blow these as signals and to warn
any one on the track.
The Americans are showing the
French, as well as the Germans, how
TO do things.
We are quartered in a very COM
Portable place but will be changed as
soon as some more barracks are fin
ished. We have dandy mess and
a very good class OF men to work
with. As the hours are pretty long
there isn't much time left for recrea-
ton before hitting the hay and be-
! lieve me. ] Sleep have a bed sack
full OF hay and my blankets on ce-
ment floor. But as soon as we are
moved we will have wooden hunks.
, don't know whether told you
that ] saw Hoyt BEAM at the last