The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-24
RANDOLPH
Letter from Pvt Roy M. Bragg Describes
Trip Across and Incidents Since Then.


quaintances in this town, where he en-
listed and where he was employed for
some years previous, and also to those in
the Mad river valley, where he lived I'M
til within few years.
Bourges, France, Nov. 10, 1918.
1T is now . a. m. and as / haven't any
thing TO do will spend q while in writing
to you. As / told you i'll one of my re-
cent letters, / was taken sick with inf1u-
en2a and entered the hospital Oct, 10, UT
didn't take long to lose all my strength,
but think / am gaining little each day.
had two-hour pass yesterday after
noon and went out on the street. Did
not see much of the place, as | could not
walk around, but believe me, ] saw a
parade that was some. Everyone was
happy and they sure had right to be.
All the old men and women, children and
hundreds of soldiers paraded the streets,
carrying flags and singing popular songs.
They were having a big time in Paris,
too. The people over here have had a
hard four years and the glorious news of
Nov. IL filed their hearts with Joy.
can imagine how the headlines look
in the papers "over there" and I'll bet
you are buying all the extra editions.
This is dandy day, the best we have
had for long time.
Suppose you folks are busy knitting,
that is, if you can get the yarn. ] can't
begin to tell you what a lot the Red
cross does for the boys over here. 1t is
surely wonderful organization.
As | am getting some tired, will ring
off for to-day. Please don't worry about
me, for I'll be all right in time, although
my strength comes rather slow.
Nov. "a. Well, it is the same old story
that it has been for the past month Am
still in the hospital, but feeling some bet
ter. My breath isn't as short and my
strength is coming slowly. Hope / shall
not be sick again while in France. / like
this part Of the country better than at
Camp DE Souge; it is very sandy there, a
regular desert. They tel me that it
doesn't get very cold in this part, just a
little below freezing. France may be all
right, but give me good old Vermont.
Shall be mighty glad when get started
for the U. S. A. and I'm not the only one,
as all the boys are anxious to get back
home.
There must be lot of mail for me
somewhere in France" as | haven't re-
ceived any for about two months.
know you have mailed me letter every
day and hope to get some OF them before
long. Should like to get back with my
company, but hardly think can. have
met boys from every state in the union
and that is worth lot to me. wouldn't
take good deal for the experience
have had and for what have seen, but
don't believe ! shall care to come to
France again.
Nov. rs. This is dark, rainy day
not very pleasant to stand outside.
am told we now have permission to write
home about our trip over here and I'm
sure you'll be interested to hear about it.
We left Camp Deyens July about
3:45 p m. rode the rest OF that day and
all night, arriving at Hoboken about
p. M on the .4th We then went across
to New York on the ferry and on board
the transport Aquatania. She was sec
ond largest in the world, being 900 feet
long, and you may imagine she looked
some big to me.
We sailed from port about 1915 p. m.
on July 5 and came most Of the way
alone When within about 80 hours Of
landing, we were met by five destroyers.
The weather was very nice, only one day
that the water was very rough. | ex-
pected TO be seasick, but was not.
We landed in Liverpool, England, on
the 18th Of July, about 2 p m, and that
was long enough for me to be on the
water Was mighty glad when we sight.
ed land We went off board the ship and
marched about two and ne-half miles to
the station. There we were loaded onto
the cars and given As hours rations.
will tell you little about the cars They
are not nearly so large as our y. S. cars
and are divided into four sections, with
only room for eight in a section. You
may imagine we were some cramped for
room, with eight men, our packs, rifles
and IS hours rations, in a small place
like that. We rode that way for about
80 hours and arrived at Winchester, Eng
land, about 2 a. m. Then we marched
about three miles to camp, most of the
distance being up grade. We only stayed
there one day and night when we started
for lie Havre, France, and that was some
trip across the English channel tCan
tell you better about that when ! get
home We arrived at camp in lie Havre
July l6 and left the 18th for Camp De
Souge, which is located about 10 miles
from Bordeaux, where we worked with
the engineers the remainder of the sum
mer.
do not know where Co. is now, as
they were TO leave Camp De Souge about
the middle of October and start in train
ing again Hope TO meet them back in
the states before many months.
Nov 2S Thought | would wait and
finish my letter on Thanksgiving day.
We had nice Thanksgiving dinner here
in the hospital, but | hope my next one
will be with you,
Our papers say that some Of the boys
of the A. +. r. are on their way back TO
the states and | understand that three
regiments of engineers are 70 leave next
week 5uall be glad when get on board
the snip really, am ready to start any
time. Hope may be home on our next
anniversary anyway. Think shall leave
the hospital in few days. Give my love
to the folks and remember me to all in
curing friends Roy.
DR.. and Mrs Harry Clark of Danvers.
Mass, arrived here on Monday TO pass
several days with Mrs. s. G. Clark and
Mrs. Emily Hastings.
Henry Smith, for several months in
training, has received mis- discharge and
is again in town
Mrs. J. L. Pitkin left Monday for Nor.
folk Downs, Mass, where she is TO pass
the holiday season with her son, Clarence