Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-03-10
CORP. BOOTH TELLS
INCIDENTS Of TRIP
Somewhere In England
January rs. 1918.

Dear Mother.
Al last we are across. II took ns
i5 days on ship 10 come across and
nothing OF interest happened. We
didn't hit any mines and weren't
sunk by torpedoes. or any other such
happenings. The weather was good
all the way although the wind sure
did blow fierce at some places. Al
one time the waves came clear over
the bow OF the boat. which was a
pretty good sized one too. We had
quarters In the hold OF the ship with
straw ticks placed on boards and
over this we put our blankets. The
place was always warm enough 30
we didn't suffer any from the cold.
The worst part OF the whole trip was
the food. but | don't suppose any
better could be expected In times
like these. After we we're couple
OF days out from land the fellows
started getting sick and there were
sure some sick ones on board. had
q bad headache for day or so but
that soon wore on and then | felt
perfectly normal. Cla1d was little
sick at one time but the rest OF the
trip was alright We sure were sick
OF the sight OF nothing but water all
the time--just as far as you could
see. when we finally came In sight
OF land. II did look good to us.
We landed In one big city mo
name as usual" on Tuesday night
and laid In the harbor over night.
The next morning we dlsembarked
and got on some OF those little dinky
English trains and travelled for about
10 hours. You should see those
trains. each car Is about 20 feet long
and is divided into four compart-
ments. There should he about four
persons In compartment but we
got eight fellows In each one. The
engine ls Just about as big as one OF
those steam rollers nj home and they
didn't 20 much faster than one OF
the rollers would. When we once
started we went fast enough but II
seemed as II they stopped at every
cross roads and every COW shed. We
finally got In the station at II p. m.
and walked two miles to camp where
each fellow was given four blankets
and put In tent. 21 to the tent.
The tents we're big but crowded Just
the same.
The last four nights on shIp, board
we were ordered to sleep with all our
clothes on and this was the first OPP
portunity I had to sleep with my
clothes on. was snugly tucked In
} bed when one OF our corporals came
} In and shouted. &C. w. Booth report
for guard at once" This was after
midnight and as was all fixed up
for a big sleep you can we'll imagine
my feelings.
The American Y. NJ. G. A. Is about
one fourth mile from here and Is
+ pretty handy for us and sure Is a
popular place.
On the trip. we noticed all the
farms as orderly as can be and there
Is some beautiful scenery. The
: buildings are made OF brick and
: nearly all are the same.
A strange thing is to see small
e canals all through the country. and
e small barges being towed by horses
and the horses led by women. That's
the strangest thing OF all to see the
women doing all or nearly all the
work. At one place We saw women
handling large sacks OF flour. at an.
other they we're shoveling coal from
. box car.
What bothers us most is the
money. They say zone and three
pence" and then they have to trans
late 1t and we find the shopkeeper:
means, zone shilling and three
. pence" But one always has to stor
: and think. It's hard not to hear two
bits and four bits.
ri write more soon and be sure
and write for II takes a long time
: for letter to get here.
Love to all,
l. CLIFTON BOOTH.
y 18th Aero Squadron