Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-29
OUR !. BOYS
OUR COUNTRY'S SERVICE

The following letter is from John
E. Hickey Of Gardiner a member of
the First U. S. Naval Railway Bat
terry: e..
U. s. Naval Railway Battery No. /,
Amer. Exped. Forces.
Or. Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
Sept. rs, 1918.
Dearest Mother. Father and Sis
Just a line to let you know that the
world is treating me the best ever. /
am sorry that I have not had the
chance to write for some time but
one can not take in the sights in this
country and do something else at
the same time, and would not miss
| any Of it for the world. This leaves
me in fine health and sincerely hope
that it will find you all we'll at home
We have been travelling for about
a week and have taken in large
number of the principal towns such
| as Nancy. Paris, etc. Well, dear
folks l did not form a very good idea
of this country while stationed at
Saint Nazaire, but / have certainly
changed my mind and l see now
what France is fighting for. After
leaving the coast we travelled through
some of the most beautiful territory
that ever hope to lay eyes on again.
We would go through long tunnels to
come out and have before us great
valleys (got so / can't think of half
the words) with beautiful streams
running down through them and then
we would pass miles of level country
with cows, horses and sheep grazing
over them. And have even seen the
goose girl tending her bunch of geese.
We have seen quail and jack rabbits
here and there along the way.
Our travelling is done in the day
time and that means liberty at night.
We have also had couple Of after
Moons off in which to look over the
different towns. At the town of (No-
CENT?? we went in a castle grounds.
The castle is over 700 years old and
people are living in it yet. The
grounds were well kept and although
we were unable to get into the inte-
rior of the castle we were allowed to
enter the dungeons and dens where
kept. We also saw where they were
put to death and it sure was some
sight AT Chartres we visited a
cathedral the third largest over here.
The oldest date 1 saw on the wall
was back to 500. 1t was built in 1900
and is the most wonderful work l
have seen yet. I have some views
that 1 will bring back. The priests
that saw there were very old. They
have their vaults inside where the
dead are buried and also a sort Of
dungeon under the ground. 1 can't
compare it with anything have seen
in the States. And talking about
mansions. these in this country can't
be beat, with their large flower gar
| dens. all laid out around the grounds.
An. the further inland one gets the
better the people treat us. We went
all around the outside of Paris on the
train and had a fine view Of the city.
We laid off for the night at a station
outside SO that the fellows were al
lowed to go into the city at night.
Now we are getting into the land Of
trenches and barb wire entangle-
ments. We have passed by many Of
these and stopped over night at Cha
te2u- Thierry where the Marines made
the grand fight. Certainly wonderful
sights we have gone through and we
are still travelling.
l think this will be all for this time.
dearest Mother, for l have got to be
getting ready to go on watch. Be
sur, and write and give me all the
news around home. Don't wonder If
you do not get my mail quite so often
for we don't get the time for writing
much now.
From your loving son JOHN
U. S. Navy Railway Battery No 1,
Amer. Exped. Forces.
CT. Postmaster. New York City. N. Y.
P. S.-Dearest Notwithstanding
day gone by, so l will add few more
lines. Have seen number Of de-
stroyed towns and they were some
sights. Everything cated in and
have also heard few of the big boys
roar. for we are getting up near no
mans land
Letter to Mr.. and Mrs. E. W. Hus-
sey Of Albion from their son:
st. Afghan. Meyers, France,