The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-12-20
ED. SPENCER
TELLS OF HIS
NARROW ESCAPES

. meet the mosquito fleet that nigh
A but they didn't show up until Friea
a morning. They We're funny littl
! boats, fast as lightning and chase
Z around our boats all the time. We ha
, eight 3 troop ship, 8 food, ammuni
tion and supplies, and two cruisers
we landed at Liverpool Monday morn
, ling. March 4, about O'Clock. w,
unloaded, got on trains and went L
Romsey, RESTC?) camp in th'
southern part of England. We stayeS
there until saturday morning and We
were sent to Larkhill camp OF Sails
bury Plain. The aerodrome was al
Stonehenge, 2 miles away. We march
ed thru the camp streets with dur
flag unfurled and We're given warm
reception. We asked some fellows il
there were any Americans there and
they said there were "Waacs.' We
didn't know what they meant until we
saw girls with that insignia on their
arms. 1t stands for Womens Army
Auxiliary Corps. They work in Of
fees, cook, wait table drive cars and
| in fact do most anything a man can
and have done great work. OF course,
they liked the yankees" and every
fellow had girl or two or three. We
used to march to work every morning
and back at night. In few days we
moved over to the aeroGrome in tents.
We stayed there all summer, Had lots
of work but we liked IL,
Now for my first trip to London.
That was about March Is We were
about so miles west and south of Lon
don. II was a grand sight for us. The
girls nearly mobbed you. The Yank
was a new sight for them. The build
ings looked funny to us but they were
very fine That's one thing you can
say for England. Nearly all the buile-
ings are of stone and are built TO stay.
Old castles, churches, towers, monu-
ments, etc, built years and years ago
and in perfect condition today. VIII
have to tell you more about them
later on.
Decoration day was holiday. Also,
Fourth of July. was made Flight
Sergeant" about June 25th and had
charge of the only American flight
on our field and we had 10 work. The
rest OF the fellows got off. l was due
for my 7-day leave July but couldn't
take IT, About July 18th ! was put
in charge OF the Engine Repair Sec
ton and took my leave the latter part
of July. Went to London Edinburgh
and Scotland. Had fine time. More
about that later on. On July 3lst 30
OF us were ordered to Ireland. We left
on August /, went over on the Lenis-
ter-the one that was later sunk-and
stayed there until August "a. Here
we had good time also. Was just
like a picnic. We We're ordered back
TO England August "a and were sent
to Ford Junction Aerodrome, in Sus-
sex near Brighton and Southhamp-
ton The rest of the boys were there
and 1t was a real home coming Here
we were made into a Handley- Page
Night Bombardment Sqdn of 203 mon,
We usd to have 154.
| was made Sergeant Major OF the
outfit about Septembr 30 and Il was
a job too. There were so many men
coming in and going out and YOU had
TO keep track of all of them. We were
scheduled to go to France about Jam
uary and all thought we would get in |
on the blow up The day the armis-
tice was. signed we got the news by
our wireless that morning and the ar
ternoon was holiday Several OF the |
boys got to London but had to work
That night we built a big bonfire and |
shot rockets. flares. pistols yelled and |
danced like schoolkids. Next day ! |
went to Brighton and helped them cell
citrate. We had two or three days
holiday that week. We closed shop |
pretty soon. on November 16 tSat-
urday) at noon we got orders to pack |
up and leave. We transferred in sew
eral men and officers and left sun
day night at 9 O'clock for Liverpool.
Arrived here Monday morning and eX-
pected to go home on the first convoy
We worked all night got our stuff
ready, and next day were notified we
were to stay here until everybody else
had left England. Now what do you
think of that. Mad and gloomy is no
name for it. Anyway, here's hoping
we get home by Christmas. Last Wed
nesday was my birthday and ! ceie
brated it by working. We are in Knot
ty Ash camp just outside Liverpool
now. All the boys are leaving for
home and want to leave too.
Will see you soon dad. Have had
perfect health-just one week sick
ness with the nu-and now weigh 100
pounds.
Must stop now, So long for short
time Maybe I'll beat this letter home
yet,
with love for ALL
Your son, ED.