The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-02
GIVE THANKS TO LADIES.
FOR YUlET|OE JOY
Committee OF Enlisted Personnel tx
presses Sentiment of Happy
Hospital Crowd.
Base Hospital Training Center,


Camp Lee. Va, Dec. 2S, 1918.
Editor Of The Richmond Virginian:
Sir-The undersigned, representing
the committee of enlisted personnel
of the Base Hospital, Training center.
Camp Lee, Va, together with a rep
resentation of the patients commit
tee of this institution. wish TO ac-
quaint the people Of Richmond and
the surrounding country of how the
Christmas holidays were made pos
'sible from a standpoint of happiness,
and we are taking the liberty OF ad-
dressing you in the~hopes that you
VIII find space in one of your columns
to express our wishes
II would be quite impossible to in
dividualiy write and thank all, and
there Would be numerous OF these
ladies whose addresses we were UNI
able to learn, but through your me-
diunl we feel that all concerned will
be apprized of our real and sincere
thanks. and consequently we repeat
We will deem ii a particular favor II
you will find space for us.
A committee of ladies of Richmond
headed BY Mrs. G. r. w. Kern, and
an additional committee from Peters
burg, with Mrs. Marion Moon as
chairman. together with the Red
Cross and the War Work Community
individuals who assisted are the ones
We desire most to thank.
You will get some idea OF the huge
undertaking when we say there were
approximately twelve hundred pa
TENTS, and in round numbers one
thousand men of the detachment on
duty here, and not one was forgotten
Each received gift-box containing
candy, cigarettes, chewing gum as
~ 9TH Iat, ~ al -
wooden bed socks together with a pair
of wooden gloves, apples. oranges,
nuts, etc.
Each ward in the hospital was ap-
propriateiy decorated with holly and
poinscttias and each one had a
trimmed Christmas tree. On Christ
mas Eve. band of choral singers
went from ward to ward singing
Christmas carols. trying in every way
TO cheer their less fortunate com
rades. the greater majority Of the pa
TENTS having been those wounded in
action in France in defense of our
glorious flag.
The Red Cross building In the con-
valescept area we think should de-
serve some special mention. The in
terror was a veritab1e forest prim-
eval,' overhanging boughs Of cedar
and holly completely conceaiing the
walls and ceiling and Transforming
the entire building. into miniature
sylvan.
An unusually large Christmas tree
was most beautifully decorated and
on Christmas Eve with the lights in
the building dmmed the small cleo
tric lights from the tree shone down
like so nranX stars, and the spirit of
Christmas was apparent everywhere.
~~ On Christmas Eve vaudeville show
was given in the Red Cross building
which was followed by a spread of
sandwiches and LIQUID refreshments
for the detachment personnel. after
which the Santa Claus Committee"
distributed the above mentioned ar
ticles to the beds of each man The
patients were taken care OF as they
slept and their surprise in the morn
ing on awaking was indeed delight
to know. they had not been forgot
ten.
In the afternoon of Christmas Day
the members Of the Trans Oceanic
Vaudeville company who were show
ing at the Liberty Theatre gave their
show in its entirety to the patients
of the hospital.--this performance was
also given in the Red Cross building.
We have given you very short
idea of the activities. but we feel it
would be imposing TO encroach too
much on your valuable time and
space, the main noint being that with
out the ladies who .unFeservedly- gave
their time to us. our Christmas would
have been far from merry. and natu-
rally while there ware MANY who In
the beginning had that longing for
home that the promises of a happy
time could not erase, We feel that we
were fortunate TO have been a part
In this undertaking. and only through
our hospitable friends was this made
possible.
We cannot express too deeply our
feelings. we cannot tell YOU of the nu-
merous trips made from Richmond
and petersburg to THIS hospital. bring
ing these things to cheer us. and OF
the unselfish energy displayed. but IL
trough you we can express our heart
felt thanks TO the ladies, they will
know we are sincere and that the
Christmas. 1918. will live forever in
our memories.
Lieutenant Colonel W. r. Dear.
medical corps our comma nding Off
Ger. haso given his permission for Us
to approach you in this manner and
hoping that the new year will bring
we remain.
-I-A- Neil prixater-ii-4h Infantry
Thirtieth division.
Harvey c. Goff. private. Twenty
eighth infantry. First division.
Lee Crisson, private, ! 20th infantry
Thirtieth division
Wilbur r.. Perkins. sergeant first
| class. medical department
Adrain r. Cast sergeant first -class.
m edical department
. Roy Miltenherger, sergeant. medical
department.
| 100. 600 PRISONERS DIE