The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-01
letters From Our Ardn1ore
Bous "Somewhere In France


heir son, Roy Loggans, Battalion
Eergeant- major, 343rd Field Artil-
,rv who recently arrived overseas: !:
',As | have promised | VIII try
nd write as much about my trip
rom the states over here as wouiu
ikelv get bv the censor. This letter
,eyins with the starting OF part
# nv trip and carries along to our
rival over here. could say much
,ut letter writing is slow, tedious
,-ocess and the result OF the effort
uncertain, as the mail service IS
low. Letters YOU may have writ,
en- in Iune have not yet reached
ne. have been over here a long
ime, mngly at leasD ana l
have received no mail yet. am am
informed that something like Z9'ooo
hacks are piled at the station some
where over here, taking its turn
like going to mild, for distribution'
would like to send you something
n the way OF a souvenir, but we
iare not near a place where sucn
hinrs could be obtained. And
.yerything is, (here the letter was
censored and portion deIeted,}
When visiting you can have only
wine.
Out of Camp at Midnight.
"To begin, where | was last
,,ot;oned embarkation orders hav-
Bng been received, we moved out OF
ca1np at midnight, entering Tor
mort from which we sailed about
noon the following day. Members
| OF the Red Cross met us at the pier
and served hot coitef, sandwich
ciearets and mailing cards. these
cards read, The ship on which J.
sailed has arrived safely overseas,
two cards for each enlisted man.
We addressed these, wrote our
name on them and dropped them IN
a mail bag at the head OF the gang
wav as we boarded the ship, no
doubt breathing wish that they
would be mailed, which would be
done the day our ship reached an
overseas port.
No time was lost in boarding.
Each organization formed IN the
order that names appeared on the
passenger lists, which had been
prepared, in part, several days Jrc-
lyiouslv. All officers, OF course, were
assigned first class cabins or state
rooms, which were on the super
structure deck, amidship; certain
non-commissioncd officers, Gnclud-
ing myselD, were assigned second
class staterooms on the main deck
ait. Other enlisted men were billet
ted in the 'steerage' or holds (some
called them holes, which IS not
bad description, though grammatlc,
allv incorrecD; cargo space that haa
been temporarily fitted with rows
OF shelves ior hunks, four deep.
The baggange was hoisted on board
by the ships steam Winches, proper
ly stored. and the ship secured tor
sea- In a surprisingly short time
everything was shipshape and two
tugs came alongside, tied on to the
vessel and pulled us out into the
harbor. The vibration OF the pro
beller shaft soon informed us that
We were underway for our long eN-
pected voyage over there. Crowds
of workrnen and citizens on the
shore gave US rousing cheers, waved
us farewell and bon voyage. Amid
salutes from ships whistles and
sirens. factory whistles and ringing
bells we steamed seaward.
After a time we rounded cape
and began our long voyage on the
Atlantic. The sea was calm except
ordinary rollers which we hit at
different angles, following zig-zag
course. This gave the vessel
chance to show her gaits, so to
speak. She had two. When we
were taking the rollers head-on, She
would pitch-bury her nose between
tile rollers with her stern in the air.
When we hit the rollers at an angle
or steamed parallel with them, the
Slip rolled. Which is the most dis
ressing, depends on which part of
the ship YOU are on. The roll affects
YOU about the same in all parts OF
the vessel, while the pitch IS most
distressing far aft or we'll forward.
Very soon many were, (inciudng
myself, experiencing a light attack
Of NAL de mer', as Frenchman
would say; in plain American, sea
sickness. However, all were pres
ent for the first meal, dinner, which |
the swathy Hindu announced by
saving. luncheon is sehryed suah'. .
Re would announce supper, by say
lng, dinner is suhrved, Suah'. AT
hist the eating was lair, but soon,
due to sea sickness and lack OF vari- /
ETY. and lack OF exercise, We were
nibbling', as Mark Twain would /
,ay. The English. as We have heard, .
ire great meat eaters. and three or /
more courses OF meat were served |
1t every meal,-fish, beef. mutton,
ssal. etc. Eating in the second
lass was fairly good throughout,
Jut there was much complaint by .
he men, who got thoroughly dis
,usted with mutton, (including .
nhch meat, | believe). They would .
gteet the ships steward with u
.horus of 'baahs' when he showed .
limself below during a meal time.
Vt times a local rupture OF Anglo