The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-08-29

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Tours, France, Aug. /, IS
Editor Gazette-Times,
Heppner, Ore
My Dear Sir:
1t has been on my mind for some
time to write you few lines and let
you know where ! am and a few
things about this land OF France.
First, personally. l have been in ex-
cellent health, and have been on duty
every day since | came over.
The company belonged to of the
oregon regiment came here to Tours,
france, nearly eight months ago. and
Tor four months we were all together.
Dut orders came for the company to
leave for training and part of us were
transferred to Headquarters Service
OF Supplies, and | was lucky or un-
lucky' which ever you may consider
one OF those that remained behind.
Also two other Morrow county BOYS
that left in the same contingent tha,
| did, they are Roby Simcox and Jas
Mcmillan. The old company were in
training for short time only, when
they were sent to the front, and many
OF them were killed and wounded.
but from the reports we get here they
all made a fine record. At presea.
we are ali pretty we'll settled.
am now assigned to the new Ar
my Postal and Express Service and
am travelling on the trains as a mai!
courier. Like the work very much
although we have such things as
staying up all night with hardly
standing room on the trains to con
tend with. Quite different from the
job had last summer of pulling a
long line on bunch of combine
mules, or juggling wheat bags, but
we are all satisfied and are glad to
do our bit.
Early last spring | met j. w. Mot
ley, one of the II. H. S. teachers. He
was one of those daring aviators and
has gone to the front by now. Also
heard from Alya Jones, but he has
now gone somewhere from his old
camp as | have not heard from him
for months. Have heard that there
are many more Morrow county boys
over here but have never seen them.
We have plenty of high class en-
tertainment and movies given by the
Y. NJ. c. A., also fine Soldiers and
Sailors Club, as we'll as great many
other organizations that are doing
lot for the boys to make them feel at
home, and we can only thank the
good people at home for supporting
all these things for us. The war
news is very good now and seems to
be in the Allies favor, but remember
we have a hard fight before us yet,
and no one can predict the end. I'll
have been up near the front several \
times, so have heard the music of the
big guns, and eXnect and hope to be
up there to do the real thing soon.
Now just few lines about This
land ever here and The place | am
stationed. France in general. what
have seen Of it, Is very beautiful
and historic. The places in the coun-
try owned or rented by the peasants,
are small, and they raise all kinds of
;rops but On very small scale. The I
houses are very old and built of stone
md most generally the people live in
)ne end OF the house and have their
arm with the hay stored in the other,
Is well as their wine. The French
lre great for wine, and they have it
With their meals, the same as YOU
,eople have your tea and coffee. They
lave very little meat, but plenty of
and no white bread, SO
hey rather think it funny to see us
lse good white bread. The little city
where | am stationed is Tours, popu-
alton of about one hundred and fifty
thousand. Very historic indeed, and
t is one of the old battle fields Of.
france where many great victories
ave been won Have visited great
many CT the old castles, chatteaus
nd cathedrals, as we'll as a fine mu-
cum of art.
The people in general are very
ind to US, and are glad to show us (
round, not saying anything about \
he beautiful girls, which are plenti- \
Il This may be an inducement to n
he boys still in the States, if they n
ear of it. b
Well, time is flying, so must now 4
lose. Hope everything Is fine in
ood old Heppner, and some day we
lay all get together again for high
Id time, and you can all depend on
le Morrow county boys to give
ood account of themselves when
ley 60 over the top. Heard some
ling of quite fire in Heppner. Very
Unfortunate II true and you can all n
e assured of our sympathy, and =
ould do anything we could to help
/ time of need. May victory soon bs
urs and may God be with us all. I
,main, one Of Morrow county's boys
France.
CORP. HENRY E. PETERSON.
dqrs. Bn. Co. g., s. O. s., A. P. o.
TIT, A. e. F. =