Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-08-27
SOLDIER LETTERS
July y. ls1s

July ~, lslS
Dear Folks at home:
suppose you think something has
happened to me such as getting in
the way OF one OF ''Jerry's" bombs
or something OF that Kind. am
pretty sure that II anything were to
catch up with me it would be a
bomb, as they are the only break In
the monotony OF our career. /
don't think there is much likelihood
OF anything like that happening
though, as don't think my number
Is on any Of the bombs. We haven't
had a real interesting visit for over
a week and things sure have seemed
dull, as usual. The French people
have a way all OF their own for
keeping the bombs away from them
They have little combination OF Al
'Jeux-chasio" made up OF two little
figures like punch and Judy" only
the French call them Annette and
Rim Tin Tin." They are hung on a
string and worn on button or
around the neck. It's funny, too, the
implicit faith they put in them. II
anyone makes fun OF their belief
they get right up in the air. | have
pair of them inside little glass
case like locket and am keeping
them for souvenir. We sure have
had some awful weather here lately.
For a day or two the sun win be real
warm and then for a couple of days
or more 1t will Just pour down rain.
When ! say that it ''pours' down /
mean pour" for ! never saw such
hard rains in my life. They even
beat the heavy rains of southern
Oregon. 1t takes only few minutes
flor the sky to cloud up. then WIN
come the lightning and the thunder
der. In about Is minutes after the
rain starts, then all Is mud. It's real
mud too, and about six inches deep.
The mud makes me think Of our days
in Texas. 1t doesn't make 1t any
more pleasant for the drivers when
,it rains either. For my part I'm sure
live built at least mile OF road in
order to get my truck out of sticky
places. The trucks are so heavy that
Ithey get stuck even when empty II
near sticky place. We are getting
along pretty we'll as an independent
squadron. One OF our pilots got our
7 first Hun the other day and / sup
= Ipose and hope that they will keer
right on getting them.
,l One OF our pilots was forced t6
land his machine In mo Mans
Land" in front of the Belgian
trenches; he wasn't hurt, and {
bunch OF our fellows went up a
night to get the machine. The wate
and mud was about three feet deel
clear out to the machine. After the.
came back the Belgians pulled tn,
thing back of their trenches and an
] other bunch went up and broug gh tn,
plane back.
i This place Is near town, and 4
: one Of the best places we have beef
at. We go to town quite often an,
can get anything we want. rye col
9 lected few little things for sou
venirs, but don't want too many, al
| won't care to have SO many remind
e ers Of this war, when l. once ge
a out of it. There is one intsrestin:
place near here; 1t is where the col
llected mines are exploded. The traw
lers bring the mines in from the sea
to the shore where they are brought
/ up on the land and exploded, either
| by machine gun or rifle fire. They
are exploded at 10 o'clock in the
morning, and 4 o'clock in the after
noon. When they go off they
throw great geysers of dirt into the
air. It's fine sight when one is
far enough away to enjoy it.
Wednesday, July "a.
Will finish this letter now while
/ have nothing else to do. ] am on
ambulance duty for the time being.
Whenever there are any planes fly
ing there Is an ambulance kept ready
for use at the edge Of the airdrome
for use in case Of accidents Az
there are hardly ever any accidents
there isn't much to do, but the anl-
.,bulanee must be here just the same