The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-09-12
OUR BOYS N FRANCE
WRITE TO PARENTS
ABOUT EXPERIENCES

The following three letters are from
James Putnam to his father and moth
er and were all received on the same
mail Sunday:
Somewhere in France.
August 3, 1918.
My Dearest Mother and Father:
How are you getting along? am
well, feeling fine. ! have had a fine
trip. only one thing, and that was the
ocean. Oh lordy, didn't get as sick
as some of the boys though.
thought | was going to feed the fish
several times, but didn't.
The people over here are so queer,
after we got off the boat about four
hundred kids followed US to the camp,
pretty near every step one would say
American give me cent. Our money
is worth much more than their money
sure have had lots of trouble with
money. | can't count it. First En-
glish money. couldn't learn to
count it, when I did, finally learned it,
we changed to French money, guess,
] will have to start again.
| went to the canteen the other day
and bought some stuff. | ask him
how much il was, he said something,
and | just layed the whole hand full
of French money and told him to
pick out what he wanted.
Who said the French girls were not
pretty? They sure are.
went TO town last night and sure
had u good time. We can get passes
only for about four hours at time.
Some Of the cities are walled in.
believe the scenery in England was
prettier than in France, but this is
pretty enough. would like it fine
here il | could talk French, but the
states for me.
would have written sooner but we
have been moving around so much that
! haven't found time.
August ll,l9lS.
This is Sunday, and it sure il pret-
ty day, and no place to go, only to
Church and | am going there.
Another fellow and | went out and
picked black berries yesterday and
they sure were good too. think will
go again this evening and get some
more.
We have the funniest dreams over
here. dreamed night before last,
that the war was over, and we were
loading on the boat getting ready to
20 back. wasn't the only one that
dreamed the same thing about six
or seven did.
We were at one camp where we
could hear the roar of the cannon on
the fronts for two or three nights.
Well must close as it is pretty
near church time.
August 90, 1918.
How are you getting along? ] am
fine. 1t isn't nearly as bad over here
as | thought it would be. We drill
most all day but that isn't so bad.
We have plenty of good eats. We
go out and pick black berries and the
cook makes US pie and believe me
we eat all we want.
| sent you paper yesterday. |
suppose you have gotten it by now. 1t
is a pretty good paper called "The
Stars and Stripes.
haven't heard from you yet. !
suppose | will get letter in few
cause we sure are crazy after the
mail. The news is old by the time it
gets here but we are sure glad to get
il.
went to town night before last !
saw lots of nice souvenirs down there,
and am going to send you some If
they will let me. don't know whether
the censor will let them go by or not.
We went out the other evening and
watched the officers shoot the trench
mortars and ! don't blame the Ger
mans for running. saw at least ten
projectiles in the air ut once and when
ttey hit they tear hole big enough to
put house in.
We are having some mighty nice
weather. 1t is about like II was in
Crockett. Well l must close as it is
getting dark.
Lots Of love and kisses,
JIM PUTNAM,
Battery ID. 3rd Tr. Mtr. Battry.
A. r.. +. +