Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-04-04
LETTERS FROM FRANCE
Chamont le Bois France,
Feb. 10, 1918.

ooolDiy oOIiiC Y
you people will be surprised I
hear from me, and to know tina
| am still in France though tn
armistice has been signed som
time there is lots of work for tn
soldiers to do yet. At presen
things do not look much like go
ing home any time very soon.
Charlie Johnson suggested II
me the other day that we orde,
some turnip seed and SOW
couple of rows from the billet Il
to the end of the mess hall, ant
go half shares on the crop, bu
not knowing just how long W.
would be here, | wouldn't heal
to his plan. Hardly think W.
will be here long enough tt
harvest a crop any way.
So far | am well and perform
ing whatever duties that are as
signed to me, making the very
way. Nearly all the boys from
Roanoke Rapids that came over
with me are stationed close
around here. They are all get
ting along real we'll. ! see some
of them real often. The food
and sleeping quarters are all that
can be expected, a good many of
the fellows have been off on
passes to Paris and other places,
| haven't been to Paris yet. |
am hoping to get a seven day
leave some time soon to southern
France, as that is our leave area.
We also have the privilege of
of taking a fourteen day pass to
Italy, Belgium, Great Britain,
Ireland or Denmark.
Now just a few words about
our locations in France possibly
it will be agreeable with that
person known as the
censor, as the armistice has been
signed quite a while.
From our first temporary loca-
tion (Pierfoutaine) we could hear
the guns on the firing line, and
could plainly see the light from
them at night. We spent about
two months in that little town
during that time the BOYS were
such good progress, they
gradually moved beyound our
hearing. When we left we could
not see or hear them at all. Our
next location was Camp LIE Val
1ahon, here we spent lots of time
IN the range, as we expected to
start for the front most any day.
IN the night of November 7th
he Btry's put on a barrage fire.
About seventy two guns of var
Gus calibre were firing just as
asst as the men could possibly |
ire them, the night was very
lark but the light from the great
guns fairly lighted the sky and
md you can just imagine what
noise was going on. was sick
n hospital at that time with
Spanish Influenza but | took my
stand in the door and could plain
y see them about a kilometer
away. The scene was very
beautiful and | wished that |
,ould be with them, however, |
lid join them the following
Sunday morning on their way
o firing line. Hadn't quite
arrived there Monday morning
when we heard that the armis-
ice had been signed, therefore,
failed to get my full quota of
Germans, the wild cats howled
ust a few hours too late, guess
you all know what division the
Wild cat is. The job was finish
ID so there was no kick coming
Practically all OF our time is
aiken up now, in taking proper
,are of our horses. We have lots
If things to do that may make
t seem hard at times, but after
all this a wonderful life: 1t must
be gratifying to the people back
IN the states to know that the
work the boys came over to do
has been accomplished, although
my role in the play was of very
little value for | didn't even get
to the front but there were num-
bers of boys from N. c., that
played a very important part.