The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-08-14
NUMBERING IN FRANCE is
DIFFERENT THAN IN US.


Continued From Page One.)
gcing down, was slabblng up new
log, the other side Of the. same saw,
coming up, was cutting the pile of
slabs along the edge, making the head
saw its own edger, some scheme. So
it goes W tn these people, they are
never wasting anything.
We have received some reinforce
ments in our strength lately and at
present / am occupied with a small
crew of carpenters increasing the size
Of cur camp. We hear very little
definite news Of what is going on at
the front, but there seems very IT.
tie likelihood Of an early peace. How
ever, this .oes not bother us, as all
our plans are made for a long time
campaign.
] hope that you and Aunt Mary
continue well and that everything
goes well with you.
With love,
Co, F. 4th Bat, goth Engineers, A.
+. +.
Hugo Fales has also written the
following letter to his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Elmer +. Fales. Hugo is
apparently taking life about as easy
as he can and does not intend to let
the war worry any of his weight
away:
lie Foyer du Soldat
Union Franco-Americain
lie July z, 1918.
Dear Father and Mother:
Well, here it is Sunday once more
and that is about the only time /
have to drop a line. l really have
been working harder lately than /
ever did before, that is to say this is
pretty stiff course and fellow has
to devote every minute of his time to
study if he has chance to get through
it. Along with the school we have
very good meals and nice quarters;
each one Of us has desk and bench
beside our beds; have large shelves
and place to hang our clothes, white
sheets and a man to shine our shoes,
make our beds and keep the place
cleaned up; in our dining room we
have walters, white dishes and we can
order chocolate to drink, eggs any
style, toast or anything of the sort
very good also. We are allowed to
Is to say, when there are no classes
and we have no restrictions whatever.
In fact everything is arranged so that
we can be as comfortable as possible.
/ tell you this is great for now in fact
it is the best thing / have struck in
France so far. We have a very nice
place to swim and sure do take adj
vantage of same. It is pretty warm
here in the day time but we always
sleep under blankets at night. There
are a number of Frenchmen at this
school, in fact an equal number of
French and Americans; we had cell
ebration for the 4th of July, all day
off, nothing to do but celebrate and we
sure did some; we had one grand and
glorious day; we had three big meals
to start with, everything to eat and
drink that a person could want. that
is to say in wines. l am enclosing
one of the menu. We had all kinds
of races, tug-of-war, that is where !
shined, shoe race, potato race, tin race,
sack race, relay race, 100 yard run,
and ball game which was rather a cur
iosity for the French. In the tug-of-
war the motor transport men pulled
the Ambulance and beat them then we
pulled the French team and beat them.
The French team then gave us treat.
We had some of the high moguls of
the French army here to witness
same and they also gave us a talk.
Some of the Frenchmen were decor
ated here in the morning with the
Croix de Guerre and we stood up for
them. Some of our boys have the
Croix du Guerre and | hope some
time to have the opportunity of get
ting one. l haven't missed anything
by being in school so far, have been
in every offensive since / have been
over here and what is more am not
going to miss one if / can help it.
We sure have seen lot of action in
the past two offensives and that is
about the only thing ! can say in re-
gard to same. think you wrote you
were at Ionia to hear Mr.. Taylor; well
how did he picture same to you? /
can appreciate his talk as have had
the same thing myself but with~no
bad results. / have had the exper-
fence twice but it is very different
from the kind Mr.. Leonard has.
am glad the souvenirs were received
and if I have the opportunity / will
send some more. i had several 9TH
ers with me but that was trial send.
/ will try and locate Lyle Madden. /
think / will be able to.
/ had a very good friend over
here that has just returned to the
States; his name is John Berger, jr.;
he lives in Great Falls, Montana; he
was taken sick over here. Palmer
writes me that / don't say much in
my letters but guess you realize l
am not allowed to and guess it is
good for all Of us that we are net al
lowed to give much dope. am get
ting along fine and never felt better
in my life than do right now. In
fact i have been in good health ever
since / arrived here which will be
nearly a year now. Time sure does
fly, don't it? Will close for this
time.
From your affectionate son,