Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-02
YOUNG SAUNDERS WRITES
OF HIS LIFE IN FRANCE
Member Of Rainbow Division De
scribcS Devastated Towns
and Cities.
GLAD WAR is OVER THERE
Soldiers Well Fed, but French People
Are OH Limited Dict, and Gladly
Take NfOldy Bread Condemned by
Quartermaster.

W. e. Saunders has received the fol-
lowing letter from his son. w. G.
Saunders. Jr.. with the Rainbow Di-
vision. dated in France, June 10
My dear father.-l received your let
ter also the, clipping. was awfully glad
to hear from you. The writeup was
fine and l feel quite proud. How many
letters have you received from me? \
letter from Louise the other day states
that you haven't received a single let
ter, and ] know that I've written you
three or four times since Christmas +
admit that I'm very negligent when il
comes 10 writing, Dad, but not SO bad
as that. And II | don't write to you as
often as I should it is not because
don't think of the best father hoy
over had. of home, although | don't
think it is in me 10 be homesick
How" did you come out at the shoot.
you didn't let Anderson beat you, did
you? Just wait until | get hold OF I.
shotgun again after handling a nine
pound Springfield, and FL show you
something. ] made twenty-four hits
out of possible thirty-hve with my
automatic which don't sound very good.
although the average of tho company
was about twelve hits out of the thirty
i've.
Speaking of Tanks. I'm thinking
seriously Of trying To transfer TO be
driver of one. II can't get transferred
TO the Aviation Corps. | feel that I'm
not doing my country much good
as ! could. with the training that I've
had. as a buglcr in an NJ i. organiza-
ton. And II had known what kind
OF duty We were going 10 do | never
would have transferred from the Thlrd
Company. Coast Artillery Corps. where
l know that | would have gotten 4
scrgcuntshia anyhow: which is mpos-
siblc In this outfit
am mailing mother two more vases.
that made myself. and | leave it 10
you whether the French have anything
on us when it comes 20 hammered brass
work These vases should be quite
valuable In the states.
Has the draft caught Jim yet? II
they Ee, him il VIII he worse than
your son. Ell. Tell him got ought In
a cyclone instead Of draft.
THANKFUL VAR IS
On THE OTHER SIDE
It's pretty bad about the submari..
operating outside OF New York harpor.
] guess the people viii wake up now
TO THO fact that VIC are at war. And
Dad" one Of the creates. thInbs We
have to be thankful TO is that ,r
war ia over here. not over there. II the
people over there could just see how
some OF these towns torn all TO
pieces. and are st!lI being torn to pieces
they would thank GOD for that fact.
And the people are not getting enough
TO cat. Most of them nave little gar
den at the back OF the house that they
raise vegetables enough TO las, them
throughout the summe~. And most AL
OF them raise those Belgian rabbits for
meat. l happened TO be in cafe the
other day when the family was eating
dinner. they had a bowl OF some kind
Of vegetable soup and bread and wine
They always drink wine. very seldom d
Frenchman drinks water.
Yesterday the Q. NJ. gave the French
people of this town carload OF bread
that had moulded. and the mayor is
sued It out according TO the number In
family. ] suppose. You just should
have seen how they went for IT, Some
of IL was good on the inside. They sell
dom get any white brcad--their's is all
made from unbolted -four. and is hard
and sour unless you get II hot They
are allowed four ounces of IL per head
day. don't think they can buy
-four Eggs are four and a half francs
dozen, which is about ninety cents in
our money. The baker OF this town
will certainly lose money for about a
week anyhow.
The United States has not only go.
TO furnish food for the allies now. but
after the war Is over. until the people
get on their feet again And unless
the people wake UP to this fact and
stop wasting food they will be In the
same fix As these people are to-day.
Let them waste their money but not
food. We soldiers are not suffering
for anything: jus; finished eating 4
dinner OF beefsteak. boiled potatoes.
brown gravy. bread and coffee ith
suGar-soncthi ~ tho French people
very seldom get Why would YOU be-
licvc it. father. VIC used TO throw away
enough stuff al home 10 feed three
families here.
And would you believe that the Ger
mans not only lombard towns occupied
by innocent women and children. but
gas them Gas the horror Of the war.
something you cant tight against. One
good breath Of certain kinds OF gas or
five or six whffs will Kill man or
leave his lungs in such a condition that
he dies SLOWLY or develops consumption.
Most OF the Fren n people In the dan
ger zone arc prepared against gas But
imagine putting gas mask on a
twelve months baby and keeping it
there.
There has been lot of artillery duel
ing lately but nothing outside Of thar,
and a few aeroplanes. but pretty soon
we expect to he in the greatest battle
of history And believe me the Amcri-
can boys have been doing some nice
fighting lately. and If they will just give
us six months longer we will show them
somthing. And the Huns are afraid
US.
Uni writing to Bureau OF War Fisk
Insurance. Washington. about the in
surancc policy. 7 tool: out $4,000 at
Camp Mills and the policy should have
been MAJ He'd TO mother. II she don't
hear from 1t in a reasonable length OF
time. write me. and 7 would advise YOU
write Washington also.
will have to close as have written.
on all the paper I could scrapc together
as you Will notice. Can get plenty more
at the 7. NJ. G.. 4. though.
Give. my love to everybody at home.
and much to you. from your affection
ate son.
(Sgned) w. C. SAUNDERS. JR