Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1918-12-10
FROM HIS DUC-OUT
7. {. THORPE WRITES
To PYTHIAN SISTERS

A letter addressed to the Pythian
sisters from Sergeant Thomas L.
Thorpe, written in France on the day
oil the signing of the armistice, was
JeoelVed by Mrs, G. l.. Maddox recent
~ IN order that the message might
eS1'h every member, Mrs. Maddox is
HeIlVering it to the lodge through the
uleulum of The Republican:
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
On active service with the L. S,
Nov. II, 1918, Medical Detachment,
So6th Pioneer Inf, A. Z. F., via New
The Most Excellent Chief and Mem
bers of Purity Temple, No 9, Pyth-
Ian Sisters, Phoenix, Arizona.
Dear Friends;
sitting in my dugout, thinking about
Inc u S. and my friends at home, I
remembered that it has been a long
time since ! wrote you. over here
one appreciates mail and of course there
Is only one way to get it and that is,
Write Today we heard the most well
come news of all and that was "F'ini
IA suerre." The war is finished the
poys over here are all glad and l am
sure the folks at home are Just as
Pleased about it as we are The thing
mat won this war is the pep and push
OF our troops | have recently been in
duSouts that the Germans have lived
IN TOT the past three and half years
ana they had them fitted up like palaces
carpets on the floors and fine furni-
lure, electric lights they certainly
We're comfortable, but they were run out
IKE bunch of rats and did not have
tfne to take their personal belongings
along. They had nice gardens in front.
II was very fortunate for US, as we
We're able to get fresh vegetables and
luey were a pleasant change after two
months of hard tack and corned Willie.
one good thing however, we get plenty
TO eat, and so far we have never been
real hungry, though on sveral occa-
SONS IT mas been quite while between
meals. The boche cannot understand
why VIC will march over barbed wire
"ntanSlements and right up to their
machine guns. but they found out that
nothing would stop the Yankees and
lley were wise to sign the peace as We
were on our way to Berlin. and right
now we are only one hour by airplane
from Berlin. This is a great life if one
does not weaken, but if YOU weaken it
Us goodbye. | have had wonderful luck
SO far and have been all over France
riding mostly in motor trucks and
tAiANtiess 1iiOuS5li dl lliiitS 1 nave IluQeu
in box cars. 1t is very interesting
along the different battle front and
have been fortunate in seeing good
many of them. I was through the Ar
Sonne forest, where there has been
some severe fighting lately and also
along all the st. Mihiel sector Being
in the medical department one has an
opportunity to see and 90 to places
that you could not go otherwise. and of
course medic comes in handy when
the big shells come over, but now that
1T is over with, whilst no doubt we will
have to stay here for some time I hope
to see the balance of France and part
of Germany. just so we can send SOU
Nenirs home I won't kick. The regi-
ment | am with is made up of members
of the family of George Washington
from Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi
and North Carolina, so the color is
pretty dark. There is only one other
white sergeant besides myself with
them but we have pretty good time
at that, though you would all laugh if