Putnam patriot., 1919-01-24
WHISTLES TIED
ON BIG ENGINES
Wilfred Chandler Writes of
Peace Celebration
Saw. He would Like One of Dick
Sharpe's Oyster Stews Right
Now"

Patrolman Ernest L. Chandler, writes
a most interesting letter to William
p. Warren, brother Odd Fellow. in
which he tells how they celebrated in
France when the news of the signing
of the armistice was received. Pvt.
Chandler says he believes they tied
the whistles on the big American To-
motives to add to the noise.
The letter is dated Dec. IS from
base veterinary hospital l, at Nevers,
France, and reads:
AZ have just received your letter
this afternoon of Nov. % and sure
was glad to hear from you again. l
am in the best of health now.
Il bet you were all somewhat sur
prised when you heard about the
good news from over here. had a
letter not long ago from friend
whom | knew in North Grosvenor-
Dale. and in the letter was written
Il wish you could have been here
North Grosvenor-Dale)a and seen the
parade we had. Our parade was mic
| err than the one in Putnam. They
were all sleeping at eight o'clock in
the morning. Webster had big par
AIDE. too That does not sound very
good for Putnam. | wonder what
can be the matter there. But | guess
YOU did your share in celebrating.
| | know we did here, and | wish you
could have been here that day. The
stores were all decorated with Ameri-
can and French flags, stores were
| closed and everyone went out to cele-
brate. There were several big par
AIDES and several bands, including the
big 10th Engineers band, and they
! sure did sound good. Many automo-
biles had their horns blowing. The
big American locomotives we see here
must have had their whistles tied
there sure was some noise down in
the railroad yard. r.>-s-
Il saw the crowd here on the
streets July 4th, but the night of the
celebration | could not believe there
were SO many people in Nevers. No
one. only we boys of the American
Expeditionary Forces, knows what it
means when we have crossed the sea.
And now it is over. We all have won
the greatest war in history. Of course
there are many of us who have never
been up to the front. But we all
have tried just as hard az those who
were there. -
"When we all come back there will
be some fine times, but there will be
some sad and broken hearts. May we
all look upon the memory of the ones
who are left here but not forgotten.
And when Decoration day comes
again, it will mean the greatest day
in American history.
81 guess sickness in and around
Putnam has been pretty heavy l am
glad that you all had a good showing
at Brothers Tourtellotte, Smith and
Nichols funerals. 1t sure means so
much, as we are brothers in one big
lodge which extends to many lands.
81 have not seen anyone here yet
whom | know and | have been in
France since April %, 1918. 1t does
not seem as if we have been here so
long, but it is, and here it is nearly
Christmas. / am wearing a gold SER
vice stripe for six months service in
France. | haven't had a chance to
travel around very much, but have
been to several large places. Just
two weeks ago tonight / was in a
place called Tours. | did not stay
there very long. | passed through
many large places such as Bourges,
Sammur, Segre, Redon, Nantes,
Rennes and many smaller ones.
haven't had the chance to visit Paris
yet, nor have / been to Bordeaux
where Dr. Perry is located
81 saw in the paper where John
Warner had been made lieutenant.
| guess he is still in Paris. ! had a
letter from both Glen Dow and Mark
Hobart not long ago, and they were
both we'll The Putnam papers sure
have looked good here and l have sent
quite a few of them to DR.. Perry. Tell
Walter Torrey l wish to thank him
for sending them. / am glad that all
the letters from brothers here are
read in the lodge / guess there are
many interesting ones, too.
81 do not know what we would do
if we did not have a Y. M. c. A.
around. 1t sure has been just like
home to us all. We have piano
and monograph in our Y. M. G. A.
and they have helped to pass away
many lonesome hours. Tonight we
are having an orchestra and here's
hopinp a big crowd will attend.