Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-27

Private William Stelzner writes from France to his father, Fred Stelzner, of | Norwich Town, describing his trip ] across from Devens and his part in the war.
 His letter follows:
 France, Nov. 24, 1918. My Dear Dad:-
 Today being Fathers day, we have | been asked to write a letter to Dad l and we are allowed to write a few | things of our trip over here, so I will ] try and tell you a little of our life over here, starting from the time left DeVens, Well, Dad, we left Dew ems on a Monday morning, July 8, at half past 2 o'eoek. We went from the in the morning; we left the harbor about 1 o'clock and went to Halifax, where we laid in the harbor for one day, then started on our long trip.
 The water was very calm but I did not feel very good. I cannot stand the water at all, and l was glad I did not join the navy. We were on the water for fourteen days and we had some very good weather all the way. There was some mob on the boat-abopt if teen hundred on board. We did not see any subs on UT trip across. There were twnty-two boats with us. All had troops on-some bunch of menl We then landed at Tilbury docks, July p, in the afternoon.
 We then went to a camp in Win | chester England, rest camp-by name only. We then went to South | ampton to board another boat on the 1 24th for France. We landed in France | the 18th in Havre. We then went to another rest camp for another day; we left Havre the 26th, on a train this time. in box cars-forty in one car and they are only one-third as large as the U. S. freight cars. We stayed | in them for two days and nights and ! landed in ,Lunery. Maybe you will
 not be able to find it on the map, as
 it is very small, the nearest big town
 being Burgis
 Bruere was about five miles from Lunery. That town is the center of l France. Our headquarters were in St. l Amand; that was twenty two miles from Lunery. You will have to get quite large map to find these towns When we got here they made a s. o. s. ! division out of the 18th, so they broke 1 us all up; most Of the boys went to the front. They shipped all the wag- oners out of headquarters but me. They were going to get one truck and was picked to drive it; but they never got it, so I did not do anything
 for six weeks.
 Then they transferred me into A company was there for a few weeks. They only could keep thirty-five in the
 company as instructors and after I was there a short time a bunch went
 to officers training school, so I was
 put on as an instructor on machine
 guns. We used to get the new fel-
 lows that just came over and instruct
 them for a few weeks before they
 went to the front. I was there up to
 Nov. Sth. They broke the 7Gth ur
 and we all went to the Hath machine
 gun battalion, 41st division, all west
 ern fellows, a very goqd bunch, they are in the S. 0. S., too That S. o. S } means service Of supplies. They train men for the front. So that was the l nearest to the front I have been
 do not know how long we will staS here, but it does not make much diff ference now.
 l Well, Dad, this is the longest letter ever wrote since I have been in the service, so I will close very soon } Your land you have home is wortI l more than the whole of France-tIle . land is very poor; all they grow i: 7 wheat, rye and grapes. All they thinl : of is wine. Well, Dad, I am feeling } fine, hqping this letter finds you tht , same. Your son,
 : BILL, A. P. o. F27. : Pvt. William Stelzner, A Co.,. 146tl ? Machine Gun En-, American E. F.