Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-01-23
FROM OVER THERE"
Letter from "Chet"
Monpont, Dordogne, France.

II mas DttH ny noltNN llAtHAAtn ~
take time off and write you and the
people of the college for almost a year
but due TO negligence perhaps more
\ than anything else, the task was never
begun and consequently never COM
plcted Not that | consider il a task,
no, it's more like a pleasure. for the
/ eleven months thus far spent in the
army have been devoted in thought
at any rate 10 the old days at Alma.
\ Up until the present there has been
but little to look forward to; 30 most
of the thoughts of all the soldiers OF
my acquaintance have been of the
past and naturally the best part of
my past was Alma. so Alma was first
in my thoughts. Now that the war Is
80 nearly over and the chances Of re-
turning to Alma so bright once more,
the paths of thought lead in the same
direction and | am almost ready to
start counting the days.
Many things of great interest have
happened during the past eleven
months and have had many wonder
full experiences, but the greatest of
course was the trip over here and the
many things learned since arriving.
The least interesting experience was
] the actual trip over, for we didn't even
encounter any wind. Our landing en-
; ablcd Us 10 see great deal of Eng
{ land and To wonder at the scenery
there. Then we had our first touch
: of France, the really foreign country
as far as language goes. | have been
more than glad for the small amount
of French | really learned at Alma,
being the only one 10 blame for my ig
norance, for the French was there, but
il. What little | did know came in
very opportunely, however, and | have
learned much with the aid of the Ian
guage. Not being in the real combat
divisions and having the experiences
If the fighting itself, ! have, with thc
help OF the language, learned much
Of value from the people Themselves.
They are very fine race and all the
soldiers have been exceptionally vel,
treated, but the concensus OF opinion
s all for the greatest country in the
world The United States is so far
ahead in all the great industries that
could never be contcntod 10 live in
country where the farm work i, done
with oxen and where the wine Is
made by tramping the grapes with
the bare feet Sanitation seems TO be
a lost art and modernization mere
spcck on the horizon. OF course am
>peaking of the country, for Peri
gueux is the only large city have
seen.
There were some wonderful. celc-
brations thluout France when the
news arrived that the armiSticc had
been signed and ii was easy to mag
inc the JOY in the hearts of the home
foiks, for altho We have not been in
the service nearly as long as the
French, We all know what war is
like and are glad it is over once and
for all time.
One hundred Of my company, in
Guiding myself. are now stationed at
Base Hospital No 3 about three ki.o-
metres outside of Monpont, and we
have heard some remarkable tales
told by the wounded men in the hos
pital. We have not seen the front,
but from the things we have heard
il is Just as well. We were ready 10
60 but the order never came; so we
missed the most interesting OF all the
experiences. The boys who have been
up to the front and are back alive
are mighty fortunate, for il must
have been terrible. One fellow told
me that he was lying 80 flat on the
ground that he opened his mouth to
make himself nearer. and when the
Boche was thru firing at that sector
J with MS machine guns. his pack was
literally riddled with bullets but he
: had only a couple OF scratches. Some
of the lads certainly had some close
calls. The Yankee doughboys deserve
all the credit in the world for the
marvellous spirit and bravery they
: showed in facing the German machine
guns.
Now that the war is over know
that all the Alma men are longing for
the time when those Of Us that are
left can get together and IN our mea-
ger way pay homage 70 the boys who
gave their lives for the flag.
Sergeant Enrol Stafford has been
within easy access up until about two
: weeks ago when he went 20 some med
ical concentration camp, and it is
doubtful whether will see him again
until our return. We have spent more
than one Alma day together and both
wished we were back with the old
bunch great many times.
Please remember me 20 the Alma
bunch
Loyalty. Chef.
Corporal Chester r. Robinson.
: Amb. Co 333. American T.. r.,
France
Extract from Letter Received from
Melvin Wonder