The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-06
sEReT. CLAUDE W|NDHAM
WRITES INTERESTINGLY
FROM BORDEAUX

Sergeant Claude Windham has
written the following interesting let
ter from Bordeaux, France, to his sis
ter, Mrs. w. ]. Perkins, which will be
read with pleasurable interest by his
many Lakeland friends:
Bordeaux, France, July s, 1918.
Our mail came in yesterday and
received your two that were mailed
to me in the states and | surely was
glad to hear from you. We had just
about decided that our mail had gone
down on some boat but guess we
were just a little too impatient as 1t
takes time to get mail from the states
especially during the war times when
everything is so uncertain.
| am getting along fine and feeling
good and also like the camp we are
in now so do not worry about me for
will be alright and expect to be
back in the states and home again
some time though we do not have the
least idea when it will be for we
: know less about the war than you do.
We get a small edition of the New
York World that is printed in Paris
but it contains very little news and
/ that is our only chance Of learning
T what is going on at home so do not
> forget to send me the home paper.
, We do not know HON long we will
be here and ! cannot tell you when
we move or where we go as this Is
? the only place in France where Am
erican troops are allowed to tell
t where they are.
> will write you every chance that
$ | have and while the letters may all
! come at once still it will let you know
! how | am getting along as the days
! pass and and | expect they are going
$ to pass slow enough for some Of us.
u hate to see Paul enlist for II he
e does we will all be gone then but il
U he feels that way about 1t do not
u blame him He will not be able to
q pass an examination for the Tank
Corps as they only take real healthy
10 and able bodied men in that branch
y and know his health is not the best.
i Guess Albert will be satisfied when
- he finishes his course at Boston and
le gets over here for he will find plen.
III ty of excitement when he get to the
% front in the Aviation Corps.
- | know the Elks must have had a
70 good time and / hope w. ]. enjoyed
II it as much as / would have had
II been there. | guess quite a few o.
w them do ask about me for / surely
W have lots of friends and | consider
- Mr.. Eaton one of my best and would
~ do most anything for him. When you
~ see him tell him that il he is running
= for any office now to send me owe
~ a blank ballot and will vote for hin
:" regardless of what he is running for
ns Have been to Bordeaux since
:" wrote you last and like the town yer.
we'll and there is lots of interesting
: things to see but when you can't tall
~ word of French you are at disad
= vantage over here. / can count tn
~ money alright but can't realize tina
have any as the paper money owe
here looks like our cigarette COT
pons and the silver looks like tn
=, checks we use at the Elks club and
=, it was not for the fact I can bu
~ things with 1t guess / would handl
like coupons and checks.
-. | can hardly realize that France
so far behind the states in all kind
of modern improvements especial
=. their railroads and equipment whic
- is a big joke.
-. guess all of you work hard for tn
80 Red Cross and still enjoy 1t and
,,r know you would enjoy it more If yo
could only realize how much goc
a.. you are doing. think the Red Cro'
I'D and the Y. M. G. A. are doing as mut
ou toward winning the was as the me
leo who are doing the fighting.
ont The Red Cross ladies sure did tire
orb us we'll all the way from Carfp Ora
a. to New York meeting us at all q
, n stops and serving us with everythii
inc that we could wish for and then jul
inc before we boarded the boat tn
I1,- served us with hot coffee and rol
and we sure did appreciate it too.
and We always find a welcome ever
no where we go at Y. nj. G. A. and viii
in some places their buildings a
nothing more than a rough hut
Inv feel at home and they always see tn
we have some kind of entertainer
paper to write home on and son
thing to read and after all it Is
much tho LITTLE things that count