The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-08-19
Lieut.. M. p. Bergeron Tells
of Experiences with US
Forces i'm France
TROOP TRAIN UNDER
FIRE FROM THE AIR


They Went to Front Trenches Was
Almost as Good as Brattleboro-Lo
donderry Gauge of Years Ago.
AZ n recent meeting of the Foresters
in lIinsdale an interesting letter from
Lieut.. NJ. T.. Bergeron, ID. r. g., of the
47th Regimental Infirmary in France
swas read and is published herewith.
DIR. Bergeron, who is son of Mr. and
Mrs. Edward Bergeron of Hinsdale, en-
listed from that town.
Somewhere in France
June 81, 1913.
Dear Brother Foresters:
Thinking maybe you would enjoy
hearing from someone cover here
and wishing TO let the court know that
have not forgotten my brother Fores-
tiers, will try TO give you an idea of
what ] have seen and gone through so
far. / left the United States many
weeks ago, during n heavy thunder
storm, on very large vessel which was
taken over by the United States after
war was declared. After a very rough
night of IL we had very calm weather
for three days, the only excitement be-
ing what we made on board ship and
seeing a few small whales and porpois-
cs.
Then the fun began; we had rough
weather and plenty of il and believe
me, most of us were some sick, but
fortunately | did not get sick; and of
course we had TO play with the subs.
They tried to get us but the navy de
partment could not see il that way and
gave them hell; as far as we know four
of them are at the bottom of the
Great Atlantic" | say great because
anyone who has never crossed her has
not given her due respect, she sure is
some pond.
Well, after several DAYS of zig-zag-
ing we finally landed in France En-
tered n beautiful harbor with one of
the largest conveys that the United
states has sent over so far, Passing
through a quaint French city where
most of the people wear wooden shoes
and the plainest of clothes and seem
all worn out from going through four
years of war, we made our first camp
in a spot ! would IKE TO tell YOU all
about but can't as it is not allowed.
hut / will say il dates back couple
hundred years. After being here three
days to rest we started to tour France
and believe me, we have seen the
country. Have been TO most of the
large cities and into the largest; it is
some place
Now for the country as n whole. I
must say it is a wonderful little coun.
try. The farmers are all well taken
care of and they respect the trees by
trying 10 improve them and most of
the roads have a row of nice trees on
both sides. One thing that struck me is
that one sees very few wooden houses,
in fact seldom. Many of them have
grass roofs and sides of grass and mud
mixed together and white washed. The
chateaus are wonderful and one sees
them in nearly every town. Some are
very old and have dark dungeons and
all kinds of places to torture people
like they used TO do in oldcn days II
is very interesting.
The weather so far has been far from
what we would like. When not rain
ing II is real cool like our fall weather
Mt home. Have read about the warn
weather YOU are having there and
sure would enjoy n few DAYS of it.
Now for the war end of It, Well aft
or our first stop TO rest they loaded II,
ON what they called trains,-most a:
good rs the narrow gauge they used tC
have running into Brattleboro. but not
quite After going for a day and night
the Germans were in envy of MS and
here we received our first idea of war
plane started 10 drop bombs at oui
train but with our speed and the anti
AIR craft guns we were no, hurt but
we saw what bombs could do. The
night before they had bombed a hos
pital and killed several patients and
nurses and we passed the place soor
after our little fight After three davl
on this supposed train we again wen
into camp near n pretty city and TAX,
II from me. we saw plenty doing her,
nights IL seems the Germans TAX,
pleasure in throwing bombs down OF
this place as every night regularl,
planes come over and start the fun
What people there are outside of sol
dicrs make n hasty retreat to cellar
made for the purpose and stav Their
during the Smelling. OF course all tn
planes don Z return as the Frene
planes fight them; il sure is some sigh
After staying here few davs the
again started us on our way. We trav
elled two days this time to camp out
side another nice city which had one
been taken by the Germans. All thes
places ! mention show signs Of destru,
ton and one sees nothing but destruC
ton. IL is too bad. still the people al
brave and seem willing to do anythin
20 help win the war They are yer
glad 10 see ms here to help them Aftt
walking many miles with a heavy pac
ON our backs we are now very near I'll
front trenches and the noise and sigh
are more than l can tell War is MOI
than what Sherman called it. I ha,
seen many dead and have watched OF
planes send down German planes unit
il all seems to be the daily routine m
ono does not mind it,
| have not MS vet met any of OF
brothers that are over here but / kno