Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-08

AS AOliOWAi6 10 d 0dO .
Letter which has been recently re-
ceived by a Winthrop man and is
very interesting:
France, Nov. %, 1915
Ny dear Dad:
Today is the day that all the A. e.
F. boys are sending their Dads
Christmas letter. We are allowed to
talk fairly freely of our life here and
as it will be a long story will not
hesitate
OF course as you know we left
Portland on Aug. 9Th for Montreal by
the way Of st. Johnsbury, VT. 1t
was q beautiful trip up through the
White Mts. and we were met at sew
eral stations by summer people and
the civilian population and given
cigarettes, candy and soft drinks.
1t took four long trains for the reg
iment. battalion in each train and
the headquarters company to which
we are attached. was the last of the
four. In the regiment we have six
batteries and h1rs. Co. We arrived
in Montreal at II r. NJ. and after four
AASeiS ANA SHf AZ 1t we'll ~llouSc were
finally loaded on to III. NJ. T Takada"
an old cattle ship about three hun
bred feet long. Will not stop at this
time to tell you about the transport
and will not detail much anyway as
it would he too long a letter.
However we left Montreal at =.
NJ. Aug. 9TH, and sailed down the
ha
bridge and put into Sidney, n. S. at
the end Of the third day and were
tied up there for four days awaiting
our convoy. We were on the water
eighteen days III all and il was an
awful experience. Did not have
much rough weather though. On the
sixteenth day we sighted land, Ire
land and later sailed down through
the English channel past the cliffs Of
Dover ana locked at the Eastman
dock, London. While passing through
the SITS. of Dover we could distinctly
hear the boom Of the big guns. We
we're we'll conveyed during the entire
trip and there were lots Of torpedo
boats. aeroplaneS and diriSibles
around US when we were nearing this
side.
On arriving in London We entrained
at once in English carriages which
looked familiar to me and shipped to
Winchester. The first railroad was
the CIR. East. and then we changed
over to L. & S. w. for Winchester.
At Winchester when we arrived at
about 9 o'clock at night. we had a
four mile hike to an English rest
camp. Believe me. we were some
tired. OF course we each one had to
lug our own packs on our backs and
they must weigh about 60 pounds
They felt like a ton when we got to
the rest camp. We stayed in Win
chester two days and had a sightsee-
ing hike through the town. Have lots
to say about Winchester when I get
home. From Winchester we en-
trained for Southampton and shipped
lie Harve we entered another Br. rest
camp but was there only one night
and part of q day. Met the 6Sth and
list Art. G. A. c. over there and ran
into an old friend from Boston. From
LIE Harve we shipped direct here to
st. Leonard which is in Hank Nienne
State and near the city Of Limoges.
We are IS miles from Limoges which
is quite an American base. We have
been in St. l.. ever since and are do
ing about the same duties we had at
Williams
This is merely an outline Of our
trip but now ! want to send home
some very good news. l am coming
home and coming very. very soon.
Would not he surprised if l eat
Christmas dinner with you. Am
making every effort to pay my re-
spects to Jim'S grave before return
ing and get a picture if possible and
have spoken to the adjutant today
about it and he is going to see the
colonel about my getting permission
to run up there.
Beauval Military cemetery Is in
Somme about 275 miles from here.
Believe me 1 will do all in my power
TO set a picture Of his grave for
Jour and mothers sake.
Going to see you very soon and
want to wish you all now, yourself.
mother. Vene. Annie, Mary. Chris and
Marion very, very happy Christmas
and new year and may the future
ones Of you all be many. This Is my
earnest wish from France to you all
in this my Dads Christmas letter."
With love to all.
Sjncornlv vnur con