December 25, 1918 - George Writes Home of Food, Gifts, Lice and Bathing Adventures

          I hope you have received the rather lengthy letter I dispatched to you the other day, but in case you did not you can see by this that we are now in the army occupying Luxembourg.  The people here have never been overly well disposed toward the Germans, so now they treat the victorious army very well.         

            The two packages arrived here at the most opportune time.  Both in time for a Very Merry Xmas.  And it has been all of that due to those same packages largely.  The clothes and pen came day before yesterday and I kept them a whole hour before I opened them, examined said pen and laid my face I the beautiful warm union suits that were there for me.  The size looks right, but as we have not yet established bathing facilities here, I haven’t even tried them on.  You see, the company is not all gone yet and I hate to salt them bad the first time.  Now I think we may have settled long enough to nearly exterminate them with proper pains.

            I don’t think I told you about the bath I took at Senningen, did I?  We blew in there about 1 P.M. alive literally – no bath for three weeks.  The first thing we hit on a large wash house at the Chateau similar to our spring house, only there were two cement water tanks about twice as big as ours and a little deeper.  And an inch stream of mountain water gushing into each.  No sooner seen than done.  Out came our other suit of underwear, kept clean at much sacrifice, and we repaired to the wash room (toot-sweet), that’s the way French in a great hurry sounds but I have no idea how to spell it.  Anyway, we stripped and stepped off our board on to the cement floor.  Shock number 1.  Bravely we mounted the sides of the tank and Johnson stuck one grimy toe in the sparkling fountain of cleanliness.  And like the leaf of a frost blasted tree he withered.  After a consultation we decided to approach our bath with caution, soaping up with much groaning and shivering and chattering of teeth.  We were well lathered up and contemplating the icy depths with sinking heart when we heard a titter of feminine laughter, and caught a fleeting glance of three men and three women coming down the road.  In an other instant they would be opposite the door and literally catch us in the bath, so with but one thot in mind we hit the water.  It was only waste deep but we were forever getting to the bottom  Johnnie let out a yell like an Indian and started standing on one foot then the other, tho I still fail to see how that helped the case any.  However, we made noise enough so that the party grasped the situation when they saw our shoulders above the edges of the tanks and how they laughed. They had a right to, I guess, but they took their time to do it.  Well, we got one layer of dirt off anyway, but Johnnie says – Never Again.  We felt fine after it was over, but oh was it cold.  That night it snowed a little.

            We have our office here set up in a little school room  The four of us that constitute the office staff have 2 rooms here in a Luxembourg home.  It is certainly typical.  Barn in the basement with cows, pigs and chickens.  The room we spend our very few leisure hours in has a stove, so when we can get a little wood it is fine.  I rather expected to have a very busy or else a bored Xmas, because the family consists of the old Grandmother and the unmarried son who hasn’t much imagination.  But yesterday evening his cousin came to spend Xmas, so as I can talk a little German things brightened up considerable.  And yesterday we went out to scare up a meal of some sort for today and found a place where they had a big, fat, grey rabbit.  Finally we came to an agreement.  The man’s wife promised us soup, coffee, rabbit, potatoes, black bread, sugar and gravy for 35 F ($7.00).  So we took a chance and it was worth it.  We had a good feed of roast pork, dressing, potatoes and gravy for dinner at noon. 

            Then at 7 P.M. we went down there and how us four did eat.  It was from a plain wooden table, and a plain room, but she brought in browned potatoes, enough for threshers, she had a great big bowl of delicious noodle rabbit broth soup and the rabbit fried like mother used to make.  I feel yet like a stuffed pig.

            And yesterday the most beautiful Xmas box came to me.  We had that for Xmas Eve.  Of course, I swapped up with the fellows as they did with me, but how good that old familiar fudge looked to me and how much better that and the nuts tasted than they looked – if that be possible.  You see, I’ve run out of superlatives already and haven’t half expressed myself.  The little metal box was so original and kept the candy and nuts as fresh as when packed. It landed fresher than many that came only to Logan.  Everybody was wild over it. 

            The gloves fit just fine too and are so long and warm I’m sure fixed for the winter now.  And the pictures bring back fond recollections of “days gone by.”  OH, may the soon come again.  Well now I’ll have to close with a very, very Merry Xmas and a Happy, Happy New Year to All.

                                                            Love to Auntie too.

                                                                        George
                                                                      Sherwood
                                                                        Hq. 108^th Engr.

C.L. Thompson

Capt Enginr American Ex. F.

December 24, 1918 -- George Remembers Family Far, Far Away on Christmas Eve

This particular letter is written on parchment paper, only on one side.  Two letters are written on each folded over sheet.  You can see the letter to his mother through the scan under the writing on top.  The Army Engineers Logo is drawn by George with his 108^th added in color. ]

 Dear Dad,

            You can’t know how much I appreciate the little letters you write me in your own words and handwriting.  Please come again often.  The Thanksgiving letter from you all was such a treat. So I am stealing enough time from the Government to drop you each a few lines, just to show you how much I appreciate it, even though I haven’t much to write or at least have so much that I give up writing any of it and wait for the times when we are once more together to tell them.  Since it is not our luck or duty to occupy the land we have recovered and what we have won, I hope we are in line to be some of the first to be home after those who are sick or wounded.  Of course, that will probably be several months, but I think we ought to spend the next Fourth of July in the land where it originated as a holiday.  The weather here now is about like our rainy November weather home. It freezes every night and sometimes the roads stay frozen.  Most of the day as well.  In fact the last two days have been quite cold.  Now I’m at the end of the space, so I’ll just close with love and Happy Christmas greetings to my dear Dad.  Write again soon to your loving son, George Sherwood

Dearest Mother a Soldier Ever Had;  I’m writing you last, but you are far from least in my thot’s if you are in kilograms (I pause to weep for the bygone days of pounds).  And talking about pounds someway reminds me to suggest that as soon as they ease up on the sugar a little you might make a dainty little fruit cake of eight or ten lb size and wrap it up to put the Xmas finish on that fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years – Easter – Prodigal Returned Repast, I have casually mentioned every time I wrote and dreamed about which the Kaiser and the kindred Rats and Cooties let me dream.  I think this will be the last thing I request until I write again.

            I sent Daddy a card and you a little French apron which I hope you will have received for your Xmas [illegible] arrive.  I also hope you receive the summary of My Travels in France which I mailed to Dad a few days ago.  All things over here point to the fact that we have actually largely accomplished the first part and talk over here and really made the German People sick of the War.  Four weeks ago I would not have believed that so complete a success could reward our and YOUR efforts so very soon.  So the joyful surprise of it is a regular Birthday Gift to me, as was your lovely letter.  I doubt however, if we felt or celebrated the Victory with the same abandon shown in the States, for we realized there was much left to do yet, and the emotions do not flare or respond so easily after the overwork and curbing they have received in six months of this. 
            But it will be a Happy, Happy Xmas for us all if we can only be together in spirit this time, so enjoy it to the utmost for your loving son, George. 

 

Dear Brother,

            I guess I owe you a letter if I do anyone so I will just send you a Christmas letter.  You don’t know how I appreciate the letters and notes you write to me personally, and I hope you will continue to write to me once in awhile.  The folks write you have the barn all painted.  By the time I get back I won’t know the place. Suppose by now you have opened up the silo and the calf “is starting to get properly fatted for the Prodigal’s return!”  Can you imagine it?  I am working in an Army Office now.  Rather I should say a Regimental Office.  Am glad I didn’t get roped into it until after the Armistice was signed, as it don’t look like I was trying to duck shells and line work. 
            I wonder if you have snow there yet?  We have had just enough here to make the ground white one night and it was gone soon after daylight.  I am wondering if we shall see much of the Real France:  even now there are only a few of the war refugees back this far up, and the wreck of war, even tho the area is already salvaged of all useful debris, lends a very gloomy atmosphere to what must have been a very beautiful and picturesque country.  Will close now with a Very Hearty Wish that you all enjoy a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to amply reward you for the victory you have helped us win.
                                               Brother George
 

Dear little Sister:
            Now here goes for your share of this Xmas letter. I got your birthday letter to me day before yesterday, and read it with much pleasure both then and today.  Then the mail today bro’t me your letter of the 12^th November, and one from Aunt Nellie, besides the Keystone for Nov 7^th so I have had a very enjoyable day.  I have a slight cold now, but it is better today.  Oh, I forgot. One of the boys in the office got his Xmas Package today, so we celebrated with that too.  I am very anxious to see the new pen and from your description it must be a dandy.  I never intended to make you all of that trouble tho. 
            I was very shocked to learn of Mrs. Smith’s death.  I got a letter from Jo, dated the 7^th and she spoke of her mother being too sick to move, but even then I didn’t think it was so bad as later events proved. Poor kid, I haven’t heard from her since naturally, but I sent her a Xmas letter which I hope won’t make her blue instead of help. 
            I have sent you a little Xmas souvenir under another cover, which I hope you receive. If you don’t just let me know.  That list of good things for the “Returned Warrior” makes my mouth water.  My but time goes slow now, doesn’t it.  But say, you are a joy killer.  Here I have my mind made up to celebrate the 4^th in the States and you say you hope we can get home by next Thanksgiving.  Well, here I’ve written a whole page and said nothing so I’ll close with wishes for a Merry Xmas & Happy New Year over the New Kitchen cabinet. Your loving file clerk – Geo.

December 19, 1918 -- George Plays Pied Piper and Visits a Mansion

Senningen, Luxembourg 19/12/18

 

Dear Ones At Home:

            It seems a long time since I wrote you last, so now I’ve a little time I’m going to have a good visit with you.  Since we left Tilly we have been constantly on the move, till now as you see we are well up into Luxembourg.  A large map would show you this town about 12 Kilometer east of the city of Luxembourg. 

            We left Tilly on Dec 7^th, the office moving by truck directly to Droitmannt (near Conflaus).  Of course that put us well back of the lines the German had evacuated by terms of the Armistice.  Droitmannt is one of the mining colony towns of the French mining district.  The houses on our side of the River were quite comfortable and fairly quaint in architecture, but they were all exactly alike outside, like some of our factory residence in the states.  However, it was a new departure after the nondescript houses and crooked streets of the older French Villages we had been through and occupied.  The houses had been left frightfully dirty by the departing Germans, but we cleaned up some of the rooms enough so that we used them. 

            We were there for a day and a half.  While there I was lucky enough to get down into the main mine.  Went down with a Frenchman who was taking pictures of the bases from which Jerry had removed pumps and motors.  We were down 600 feet in the Motor room and main tunnels.  I think the French and Germans go in for more permanence and comfort in their mining than we do, for all of the main tunnels are bricked and the large motor room I spoke of is cement lined and floored, so that it always gives the same effect as parts of New York’s subway world. 

            The Germans had been working the mine since they captured it four years ago, removing plenty of iron ore to be used against the Allies. When they left they disabled the pumps, but the French got in soon enough to repair the damage before it was badly flooded, so we found the mine nice and dry, except around the main shaft, where it was like a rain storm.                                        *  *  *  *  Medernack, Luxembourg, 20/12 – 18

            Well, here I am 20 hours later in a town 30 kilo north of where I started this letter.  So geht es in Krieg.  When I started this I was in a most beautiful Chateau and hunting lodge of a French Banker, now I am at the poor little school house of this village occupying the desk and seat of the erstwhile demagogue.  Well to return to the thread of our latest tour.  We left Droitmannt on the 3^rd evening there and landed at the Hospital in Brily where we had a good feed and a cot to sleep on, then away again with the office baggage to Mont Bonvilliers.  There we stayed a day and night then moved to Havange.  All the way along we were confronted by the effects of 4 years Prussianism and the final evacuation.  At Havange I started trying a little of my German and was surprised a little at my indifferent success but I only tried it a little as we landed there late and left early the next morning.  Then we crossed in to Luxembourg proper, passed through a couple of good seized towns, and located in Kayl, near Esch and about 15 kilos from Luxembourg City.  Ours was the first truck in, and was soon surrounded by a horde of children. I started to talk a little with them and soon discovered that those who had learned German in the schools understood me very well, and I could understand their simple language too. I surely was delighted as six months in France where you seldom saw a civilian and then had to use an interpreter was getting very tiresome.  I soon had a following of kids to equal the Pied Piper, and was able to locate stores, latrines, cafes and drinking water.  One little fellow with a red French cap was my especial adorer and as he had a gang of four or five pals I always had an escort if I stepped out of our office for even a moment. In fact, a couple of times it was slightly embarrassing, but I didn’t have the heart to hurt their feelings.  The towns and people of Luxembourg seem to have suffered few more privations than you in the States and have had almost as many in the French as the German Army, I understand.  It is the most beautiful country I have seen in Europe so far.  The house where we had our office was still the home of civilians who were quite nice people and had some interesting talks with the Herr.  They had a very cute little girl too, who was the pet of the office.  We slept in a real bed there, and when we left they did not want to take any pay, but I gave them 5 francs (to buy the little girl a Xmas present). 

            In fact, everyone treated us fine in Kayl. And I’m proud to say that the boys stood up to the test fine, there being very little abuse of people’s kindness or the extra privileges reported.  On Sunday 14^th Dec. we left Kayl and went to Alsingen about six miles from Luxembourg.  After a night stand there we went on to Senningen where I started this letter.  That Chateau was undoubtedly the best and richest I have been in in Europe.  The owner, being an Officer de la France had not been there for four years, but the caretaker had kept it up as well as possible.  There were beds in the rooms, a pool and gaming room, a dance room, a sun parlor and all such trimmings, with hunting trophies and such things galore.  The surrounding grounds were landscaped in a style to delight mother’s heart.  The lodge itself is up in the hills, secluded from the road, screened by evergreens and was well above the town in a ravine on the hillside.  The immediate grounds on one side stretch up toward the road with trees here and there, a real waterfall at the edge, the brook then dancing and roaring down diagonally by the lodge in a series of falls and cascades. 

            We moved from there directly up here the evening of the 19^th, passed through some very fine country, but could see little of it, it was so dark.  It snowed that P.M. and evening quite a bit, but the only place any of it stayed was the grassy hillsides.  It has been a very mild autumn here the inhabitants say. 

            I have spent nearly the whole day in trying to act as interpreter for the various little activities and transactions that the office and Regiment must carry on with the civilian population.  There are hundreds in the Regt. I guess who can do as well and many who can talk many times better than I, but being here at work and handy much of it seems to devolve on me.  I get away with it for the most part, and my vocabulary is slowing increasing, but it is slow work and I wish every hour of the day for a good little pocket English German – German-English dictionary, so far have been unable to find one, but am keeping on the lookout, as I will probably have to fill in a little that way as long as we stay up here and I remain in the office.  Anyway, I’ll always want to talk with people when I get a chance, on my own book. 

            I think some of the fellows are jealous of even my polyglot Deutsch for this morning I went out to borrow a table and got me a present of six apples from the people thrown in with the table.  Pretty good when they pay you for asking them for something. 

            We can scarcely make it seem possible that Xmas is only four days off.  The weather is very much different and there is none of the festive air and preparatory bustle to offset it, as there was in the States last year.  But if we can scarcely notice the difference in holidays and no difference Sunday, we will just chalk that much more up to the Celebration when “Johnnie Comes Marching Home.”  A Sient was up here today with replacements from Angers, and bro’t regards from Lt. Mohr who has been back there ever since he came over.  I sent back a note with him as Lloyd has received none of the mail I have sent him.  Now I’ll close with love to all my dear ones.  Don’t forget Auntie is included                  

                                                                                                George Sherwood

                                                                                                            108^th Eng.

 

[Below see censor approval and  signature on the side.  George’s last name and the 108^th Engineers was added in censor handwriting as well. George was writing in blue ink on cream paper, censor wrote in dark brown fountain pen ink.]