American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-06-18
LETTERS FROM POWER
COUNTY SOLDIERS.

+ 4 + = = T. T. = T. = = 4 = r = & r r
Mrs. Charles Kampf received the
following interesting letter from Per-
cy Newman who is somewhere in
France"
May 26th, 1918. My Dear Mrs.
Kampf-Your most welcome and un-
expected letter came to me the other
day, although it did not find me in
very welcome place. 1t found me in
the hospital with a case of trench few
en- l had been in here several days
when the chaplain brought your letter
but l am up and around now and ex
pect to get out in a few days. 1t is
very nice here; though, real American
nurses to wait on us. 1t seems good
to be able to speak with girls once
more and know that they understand.
Still, l have learned quite a little
French.
There are quite few trench fever
cases here as we'll as some gas cases,
and a few slightly wounded. You can
see -- of American troops. -
the Press that the town we were near
was given during an engagement ear
ly this month. You are right about
censorship, l feel the way you do.
l get the Press quite regularly, but
of course news is old, nevertheless they
are certainly welcome. Some of them
have never reached me, but between
those l do get and the letters from
home l manage to learn what they are
doing back there.
You have perhaps heard that l am
not with the old Idaho bunch. | have
been transferred to another division
which accounts for my change of ad-
dress. When we landed in England, l
with several others was left in hos
pital with the mumps, so upon coming
to France we we're transferred to this
regiment which was then in action.
They had been over here since October
and first went in" sometime in Feb
ruary. l joined them March 9TH so
you can see how much quicker l have
seen real action than if l had been
with my original company. OF our
/ trip across, will say that we left the
| U. S. on and reached England
-. 1t was a very nice trip for
most of the boys, but little did l en-
Joy it. l no more than got over the
sea sickness than l took the mumps.
was in England a month and three
weeks of the time was spent in hos
pital.
1t is surely a great experience to
have seen so much of this old coun-
try. We are always on the move SC
time goes by fast.
70 oa,.toiY,Iv pratfu nlaQa
especially now, when everything is SC
green. The hospital is situated in q
park that is the pride of the town
The customs of the people seem queer
to the American people. They are al
least hundred years behind. Farm.
ing is done in the crudest manner. Sc
much is done by the sweat of the brow
and what little machinery they have
is done by oxen. 1t is nothing TO SEE
one horse driven with one or more
milch cows. I have had many laugh
over such sights.
The people do not live on their farms
but live in villages of which there
are many. About half of the people
live on dark bread and wine. Their
seems to be very few young people
so the work is done by children ant
the aged. | understand that most o
the girls are in the larger towns work
ing in munition plants. OF cours
boys eighteen and over are in tn
army. When going over some of tn
old battlefields l can see the last rest
ing place of many, many of these younl
men. 1t seems that nearly all hav
gone there" as there are not man,
young men in the army. A person Il
the states cannot realize what thi
war has done to France. -.
You asked what l am doing. We'll
, belonging to the supply company, it |
our duty to see that the regiment i
clothed and fed. My particular jo
is to divide the rations after they reacl
the battalion I'm with, so that with tn
! regular military routine, I'm KEEP
: rather busy. / can hardly say wher
we are located, but when our battalion
is in position we are generally in