The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-01-30
Sergt. Spiyey Isn't
Stuck on France;
Will Be Glad
To Get Back

Mr.. w. A. Spivey, SON Of MRS. J.
d. Griffin, Familiarity known among his
friends as "Alga" has written the fol-
lowing interesting letter to Mr.. B. o.
Jeffcott in this city. He says:
A. P. O. 7O5, Jan. Z, 1919.
We have been in the A. e. f. now
going into the 3rd month, coming over
Just as they were staging the last act
OF the biz show. 1t took IA days to
make the trip and encountered some
pretty rough sea. Also early one
evening our crew let loose several
shots and heard after arrival that
they finally landed sub, the next
morning about 4 o'clock after laying
for it all night.
There sure was some anxiety
among all the boys that night and am
safe in saying, there was sleep lost
by all. The following day we en-
countered a storm that the crew said
had not been equalled in years. The
waves came over the deck and we
thought we'd be floating any minute.
1t sure was a great relief when we
spotted old man earth, coming into
Brest Our escorts were Uncle Sans
minute men of the navy commonly
known as subchasers, and they sure
can cut the salt sea. The harbor
there was about as pretty scene as
an artist could ever picture. High
bluffs on both sides of the harbor that
stood out like the Rock of Gibralter.
When we set foot for camp the kids,
knee high to grass hopper, followed
and sang, Hail, Hail, the Gang" etc,
and its sure remarkable how much
quicker these youngsters pick up the
American tongue than the older folks.
After a four mile hike we put up in
a camp which we were told was called
Rest Camp, and If 1t was rest" we
figured there would be h in store
for us when we started to work After
one week there we entrained to our
present camp, and travelled in cars
marked 40 men or s horses. Every
time the train stopped it would Jar
you loose from years growth. The
engines here look like the first one
the famed inventor Of steam locomo-
tives built and l think Rock Noun
tain burrow could make better time.
This camp is located about IL miles
from Bordeaux where with the artil-
lery units are stationed, which are
a great number of American soldiers
most of them are of the Saith Division,
organized at Camp Taylor, Ky.
There's several small villages around
camp whose activities are recorded in
the Battle of Cognac" and guess if
it wasn't for this we'd some back to
the states without seeing any action.
About the only thing we know for
sure is the weather. In December we
had one day of sunshine, and as the
New Year opened with another 1
guess wen not see any more this
month.
There are many historic sights to
be seen but as we're not tourists we'll
not get the opportunity to see them
all. The fact of the matter is we've
seen about enough and "any place in
Dixie is good enough for men, OF
course, would like to see old gay
Pari'' but don't think I'd sacrifice a
ticket home for the opportunity.
We believe our time here is about
spent but of course any such informa-
ton is indefinite. To say we're. "rar-
ing to 60" doesn't begin to tell the
story. Suppose ere We return the
biggest part of the boys home will be
mustered out.
| Further news is about as scarce as
eggs in our chow, so will cut this
short, with regards to all the boys,
am, as ever, yours,
VIM. A. SPIVEY.
Address, Sgt. VIM. A. Spivey, 18th
Balloon Co., A. E. F., A. P. o. 705.