The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-01-02
SOLDIERS LETTERS

ItM FtsfR'Nt f'ss
mcur Of Dorset.
vi,rey. France, Nov o. 1918.
Dear Mother
read in the paper this evening that
the ccnsoring OF mail has been eased
an q great deal, giving US The privil'
eye - beading our letters with the
town xe ere located in. We also have
the privilese Of writing all about our
past experiences to a great extent, 80
l thought ,hs, ! might be able to think
ND a little more Interesting news than
In the past.
To begin with We sailed from around
18th street, New York City on July
2lst We boarded the ship on Sunday
morning at 500, staying at the pier
until abou, il.00 before pulling out.
We pulled out about three miles, an
chored and stayed until about 1000
the next morning. So Monday, the
22nd. was the actual day that we be-
ran sailing. We were IS days on the
water. and actually sailing IL days.
We landed at Liverpool, England, on
Angus, srd and from there took a
second class passenger train to South
smpton. England.
We landed there at 1000 on Satur-
day night and walked about two miles
TO a rest camp. That nice hike with a
full mack was made through dark, rain
and mud.
We slept in tents, 20 to tent; took
"A bath and cleaned up some, and lett
about 200 in the afternoon for the
boa, to cross the English Channel. We
sailed from Southampton at 500 p m.
and landed at Cherbough, France, the
next morning about TOO o'clock.
will now 90 back bit to say the
boat We sailed on was the Minnekauta.
II was a very large boat, formerly be-
ing a freighter, On our trip it carried
about 3700 men, including the crew.
II was British ship, manned by q
British crew.
The first five days of our trip was
fine, very warm and enjoyable. For
the other eight days il was quite
windy, rainy and cold. was not SICK
at all coming across, except for about
three days ! had to keep pretty quiet
and stay in the middle of the ship
But my, oh my, made that all up the
night crossed the Channel sure
did make life anything but pleasant
that night guess that had better
wait and tell you the particulars when
| get home, as that is going to be
pretty soon. feel pretty sure now.
wish that you would look up my
present location on a map. | th'nk
that YOU can easily find it, Look for
yitrcy which is located near the east
ern part Of the country. II is IN the
state Of Haute Saone, which is directly
south OF Nancy. vitrey is a small
town and may not show up on a small
man. There are several Vitreys so be
sure and locate the right one. ! was
also located at two different times
about 35 miles south Of Bordeaux at
Camp Hunt. You will find Bordeaux
ON the coast in the southern part near
Spain,
You viii find just east OF Paris
town by the name of Chelles. our
first time after leaving Camp Hunt we
landed only few miles from there IN
town by the name of Brou. From
there We went to another small town
near there called Champs. The camp
there was called Camp deNlarne, as y
is ON the Marne river which became
widely known after the Battle OF the
Marne. Some Of that battle was
fought on that river at Brou where we
were, We used TO 90 in swimming IN
he Marne and at the point where
many mon were killed. At that point
the Germans were only q very few
miles from Paris. We had infantry
drilling there, our instructors being
Marines.
After leaving Champs we were sem
TO another small town called Noisei'
For the first week we were in large
stockade or storehouse used by 2
large chocolate factory which think
| wrote you great deal about. Bui
/ guess will wait and tell you per
sonally about that in detail.
From Broa We made our second trip
to Camp Hunt, staying there about
two weeks before VIC were sent to ms
town. We landed here on October 4'h
after five days on the road. In brou
is where we witnessed the big an
raid killing three and wcunding sis
people.
The Artillery Center here is about
TO be broken up and ! hope we will al
be sent TO an embarkation point to sal
for the grand old U. S. A. There are
troops leaving here every day, bu'
whether for the United States or mol