May 11, 1919 -- George Celebrates Mother's Day

 



May 11, 1919
Brest, France

,,Mother O Mine,

            On this, one of the greatest days of any year, and greater still this year, I can send you no greater tribute than those contained in the little folder I enclose.  At first I had it in mind to mark the copy in those places which most appealed to me, but it is so full of my thots and the things I would say to you, I have given it up.  I can only reiterate that whatever of good I may bring to the world is due to Mother, Father, Sister and Brother.  And again I will to try to make my life more worthy of you all and the Love and Sacrifice by the Father and Brother of us All.  I have just heard a wonderful address to “A Mother” in the Y.M.C.A. auditorium here, yet especially in the last two years have I come to realize that no man can do that theme Justice. 

            And again it comes to me as the time draws near for us to return, that the hardest battles of the war were not fought in the trenches, but rather by those who loved us most, yet said, with a smile thru their tears, “God Bless you and Keep you in the Performance of your Duty.”  Then through all the self denials of war and in spite of the fear in their hearts, cheered us with frequent, sunny letters of the bright spots, with never a shade of sorrow or cloud.  Ah, but we fooled you.  While we dared not think of it or tell you, some of us (I think most of us) felt and read between the lines some of the battle, the fear, the heartache, the sacrifice you sought to hide.

            But soon we will be home again.

            The clouds will roll away.

            And with a better, useful life

            We’ll strive the debt to pay.

                                    From your Loving Son

                                                George

C. L. Thompson
Capt. 108th Engr
American   E. F.

 

May 10, 1919 -- Corporal Pay and No Work At All

APO Brest-France

May 10^th, 1919

Dear Ones at Home:

            This letter has no special word to bring

Except the world old theme of Love and Spring.

But I thot I’d take the time to say hello

So it wouldn’t seem so long before we meet

For we’re getting out of here so very slow

Twill be in early June ere have that treat  

!?! -- !?!!??? XX - !??

             If the censor reads the above spasm I’ll be indefinitely detained for insanity or given a “cuckoo discharge.”  This is a beautiful sunshiny day.  It scarcely seems possible that a week ago we were suffering from cold and snow in our sidedoor Pullmans bound for Brest via “the longest way round.”

            I just had a bath “by the numbers.”  Explanations when I get home if you don’t “get it.”  I wonder how many phrases I’ve used in my letters have rather mystified you.  We sure will have to learn American when we get back, or teach you A. E. F. which really is expressive but probably will not improve the literary purity or beauty of the American language.  I used to call it English – but never again. Ahunderstand the bally Tommies about as well as Ich verstehen Deutsch or Compree French, don’t cher know.  Well I can’t complain right now.  Awhile back I said I drew the pay of a private and did the work of a corporal.  Now I draw the pay of and don’t do anything you might say.

            I haven’t take a trip down to the town of Brest yet.  Perhaps if there isn’t much to do tomorrow I may try for a pass, as I might get some interesting pictures. Now I’ll ring off and see what I can pick up about camp, sew on a few chevron’s buttons, etc. 
            Keep well and prepare to have a few good times in June -“This Means You” as  Uncle Sam’s enlisted posters used to say.

            Love to all.  Sent a letter to Aunt Nellie day before yesterday.  Goodbye and God keep us all still we meet again.

                                                            George

 

May 8, 1919 - George Writes Poem for Those Left Behind

 

 

Dear Ones at Home: 

            Just now I opened a little Y.M.C.A book of A.E.F songs and it came over me how much they show of the spirit, the soul, the varying moods of the “boys” – as “boys” – over here.  So I think for a change I will make that the theme of my letter to begin with anyway.  I may not make much headway or it may prove uninteresting but here goes.  This little verse first caught my eye, “It’s the songs we sing and the smiles we wear that make the sunshine everywhere.”  Then I made over a well-known song called “I’m gonna pin my medal on the girl I left behind” to fit my thots and memories.

 “The praise they give me belongs to those I left behind.

They deserve it more than I

For the way they said goodbye

I saw you try to keep away the tears that blind

For brave heros

Would be hard to find. 

You’ve put a smile in every letter that you sign

But I’ve read what’s in your hearts between each line

So when I get back home again

I hope you’ll bear in mind

That the praises people give me, belong to those I left behind.” 

I will try to bring one of the little books back with me.  I was just out and saw the old cigar shaped motor driven observation balloon which we saw a year ago here.  It brot back that time very plainly, for it was one of the first sights of Brest to impress e as it sailed out to meet us and guard our way up the harbor.  I suppose I should say they as of course there are several.  We may sail the early part of next week.  Didn’t expect to be here as long as this even.

            I hope a picture I snapped this A.M. turns out well. A rather cute little French girl of perhaps fifteen or sixteen was at the gate selling papers. I stepped around back to the sun and commenced to open my Kodak.  But she said “no” and ducked away.  Finally she threw down the papers, but refused to be taken with them.  So I snapped her then hung around.  Pretty soon a soldier stopped to buy a paper and dropped his change. They both stooped to recover it and I hastily got “set.”  Then I said “Victoria” sharply as that is what she called erself and she looked up and around. Quick as a flash she “compree’d” and threw up her arm, but I think I got her before she hid her face – papers and all.  Now I must close.                              Love to you all

                                                            Corp. Geo Sherwood 

                                                            108^th U. S. Eng.  APO #750

PS- Flowers from a camp here in Brest. 

May 5, 1919 - George Starts Journey Home & Gets Newsy Letter from Home

 

Dear Ones All: 

            I’m dropping you a line from Brest.  This is our port of Embarkation.  Have seen the harbor and ships but ours are not in yet.  Do not expect we will get away from here for a week at least.  The harbor here looks much as it did a year ago, but the camp is so enlarged that I hardly know the place.  We were four days on the train coming down from Luxem.  We entrained at Echternach Wed. morning at 8:30. Have Kodak and buccoo films but the weather was so rotten all the way down I got no pictures I’m afraid tho I tried one reel.  Hope we have good weather on the boat.  I ought to get a few good ones there if we do.   Hope to get a few about camp here too.

            I got nice bunch of mail this morning.  5 letters from home, dates Apr. 9, 10, 11, 12, 21.  The intermediates ones evidently got by and are up in Europe somewhere.  But there were letters from all – even the “old home place” so SI am feeling better.  My face is healed except for a few rough scales but the hand is still sore in a couple of small spots.  So there is no need of worry.  Expect to be on the water or in New York by the time this reaches you but may be here yet so don’t plan too much.  Guess I‘ll spend the dough. I’m afraid you couldn’t stand the strain of a telegram from New York anyway.  My return will sure be like that of the prodigal son, for as Johnnie says, “I’m as free of France and centimes as a fish is of feather.” 

            One month or so and then this kid will be a civilian again.  I think my lucky star has superseded the unlucky in the sky for we sustained a slight wreck on the trip down and all I suffered was loss of  15 min sleep.  A French engineer tried to hose us off the track but only succeeded in getting his engine smashed a little and off the rails.  No one was hurt except [horrors – written on the side with an arrow drawn to]  bruises and slight cuts; mostly from shifting baggage, etc., but we were delayed a day by the accident.  This is sure some camp.  About 80,000 troops here now. Well, I’ll have to close. 

            Expect to write at least one more from here but may not find time.

                                                                        Love to all

                                                George Sherwood

                                                            108^th Eng. Amer. Ex. F! 

CL Thomson, Capt. 108 Engr, Amer. Ex F.