Send mail now to 108th
Dear Ones All, Just got yours of the 26th. We may be here 3 or four days yet,but it
can’t be so very long till we are home now.
Love to all,
George
Love to all,
George
**********************************
Showing posts with label WWI Letters from Somewhere in France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWI Letters from Somewhere in France. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2019
May 31, 1919 -- Postcard Declare Heading Toward Home and Last Thoughts from New York
Send mail now to 108th
Saturday, May 11, 2019
May 11, 1919 -- George Celebrates Mother's Day
,,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.
Capt. 108th Engr
American E. F.
May 10, 1919 -- Corporal Pay and No Work At All
May 10th,
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 - !??
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
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
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.
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
Corp.
Geo Sherwood
108th
U. S. Eng. APO #750
PS- Flowers from a camp here in Brest
Sunday, May 5, 2019
May 5, 1919 - George Starts Journey Home & Gets Newsy Letter from Home
Dear Ones All:
I’m
dropping you a line from
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 New York France
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
108th
Eng.
CL Thomson, Capt. 108 Engr, Amer. Ex F.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
May 1, 1919 -- 108th Engineers Calendar
May
Calendar from 108th Engineers – American Expeditionary Forces
In little tiny print under this last line on the right it
reads -- C. L. T. 108th Engrs.
At first I wasn’t all that impressed with this little
calendar that the soldiers obviously got so they could keep track of time. However, when I looked at it closely, there
is a large amount of detail – medals, patch, etc., so this is actually an
amazing piece of work for such a throwaway little product. I don’t imagine they thought anyone would
still have this lying around 100 years later in 1919..
Sunday, March 10, 2019
March 9, 1919 - George Writes Home on a German Postal Form
Dear One’s All: Just
a line tonite to let you know I’m getting along as well as can be
expected. Mr. Kries has made me a crutch
so I can get over to the office now regularly.
The Dr. binds it up in iodine every other day and guess will be O.K. in
a week or so more. Hope so anyway as we
will probably not be here more than a month more at the most. This is a German card I am using. We got quite a bunch of them back of the
German lines in the billets they vacated.
So you can see it is a Souvenir De La Guerre. Daddy, you want to be real careful of
yourself when you get a cold. You know
it may be quite awhile till I’m home yet and you want to be in the best state
of preservation to stand some good times.
Love to you
all from “The boy in Luxem”
Geo.
Sherwood, 108th Engineers
Amer.
Exp. Forces
Friday, March 1, 2019
March 1, 1919 -- Officially Corporal; But No New Pay
Dear Ones All,
Here it is
only eleven days more to the grand celebration of the double wedding
anniversaries in the house of Sherwood – Weber & Co. And so let’s call this
the Anniversary Letter. By those same
signs I take this opportunity to wish you all the best and happiest return of
the day, and a fine and joyful celebration. May I be with you a year from the
12th of March to celebrate with you.
You have a
delinquent orderly to thank for this letter this evening. I was all ready to go to bed, it is after 10:
P.M., but as there was no orderly in sight to hold down the place I had to stay
awhile, and I said very positively to myself “Not one bit more work if it is
stacking up higher every minute.” So I came back to my desk, sat down to write,
and I leave it to you after perusing this book whether my efforts were wasted
or not. I’m so near sleep I’m inclined
to believe they almost are. But anyway
you will know I am alive and well as usual when you get this with no immediate
prospects of collecting any of $10,000 insurance.
I had a very pleasant ? surprise, along with several other would be Non-com officers when we were gently handed the news that a certain A. E. F. order prohibited promotions after the 4th of Dec last. So the extra pay the few of us made since then drew last month will be firmly and carefully deducted from this months pay, and they will condescend to let us hold our new grade, wear the stripes and do the work of N.C.O’s at the old Private’s grade of Pay.
I had a very pleasant ? surprise, along with several other would be Non-com officers when we were gently handed the news that a certain A. E. F. order prohibited promotions after the 4th of Dec last. So the extra pay the few of us made since then drew last month will be firmly and carefully deducted from this months pay, and they will condescend to let us hold our new grade, wear the stripes and do the work of N.C.O’s at the old Private’s grade of Pay.
Now I know
what “Empty Honors” are. Of course, if
they rescind the order we will perhaps start to draw pay in the new grades
again, but meanwhile doing Corporal’s work on Private pay is about as lucrative
as a seat in the Wisconsin Legislature.
We should worry! Four months more
and then “The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.”
The last
letter I got from you was dated February 12th and as I had about all
up to then you can see that mail has been coming extra fast the last few
weeks. Hope Herman’s nose has entirely
recovered from Topsyitis. It is a
painful malady, I imagine.
Hope my
letters are continuing to arrive now they have started to come thru again. We may move over into Germany
Love
again and again to all my dear ones.
Your
loving Soldier Boy
George
Sherwood
108th US
American
Exp. Force
C. L. Thompson
Capt. Eng.
*****************************************
*****************************************
1919-0220 -
George Sherwood – map through Luxembourg
Dear Sis
and All:
Just a line
tonite to let you know I’m still alive and kicking. This map explains itself I think. The cities marked are those we have billeted
in more than one night since we came into Luxembourg
Love to
all. Corp. Geo. Sherwood, 108th Eng.
Friday, February 22, 2019
February 22, 1919 - George's Happiness Spills Into Army Life
February 22, 1919
Dear Ones ALL
Since
reading today’s mail, I’ll never forgive Bill Hohenzollern if I don’t get back
by the middle of June. By the way, Mother,
this cancels the necessity for answering my “Confidential Note.” Don’t you all think I’m a pretty keen
kid. Now Sister, do not blame Mother for
in case you didn’t see what she wrote it was only a remark wondering if she
could get away to Aunt Nellie’s Birthday Party?!?! Of course I was crazy for
more information, for while I had hardly even thot of the possibility before
reading that, the first thought that came to me was “I wonder.” But having not even a ghost of a reason to
think I was right I searched the letters all carefully and found not even a
hint. Then I thot I was probably crazy
but occasionally a little bird seemed to whisper, “you're right, you're right,” and
then when I read Susan’s letters of the last of Jan suggesting a secret, of
course I knew my hunch was right, tho I rushed frantically on to her Birthday
letter to get verification in her own dear words. Now I know I’ve got to get
home to celebrate the Birthday Parties – How’s that? Oh, folks – you don’t know how proud and glad
I am. I feel just like I did a little
over a year ago when sister let me in on advance dope of March 12, 1918.
Herman, I hope you won’t be jealous or vain either one if I say that the only
thing which can make me happier than when I got you for a brother-in-law, will
be the safe arrival of a little niece or nephew.
Sister, I’m
sure glad to be let in on this too, and as luck would have it the news came
just when we were preparing for the usual kind of an Army Holiday plus
homesickness & Spring fever. Now in
spite of the preparation necessary for the coming inspection, and the work to
do, and the rain etc., etc., I’m feeling as cozy and happy as its possible to
feel “On this side of the Pond,” when you want to be “On the Other side of the
Pond.” Compree?
I think
this letter will mean quite a bit to you, but if it is censored very close they
will have me up on the medical carpet examining me for InSanity. Oh! Well, probably that is the only grounds I
could get a discharge on at present!
Got a
letter from Mayme Finnican today too. As
I just sent her a rather bum letter telling her I wished she would write, you
had better tell her I got it next time
you see her, but that I’m just as anxious to get an answer to this last
one I sent. I also received Aunt
Nellie’s letter, which I’ll try to answer soon.
All I can
really say about when we will get home is that things look as bright now as
they ever did for us to hit there by the 4th of July. And believe me, you bet if I’m in the US
So my
letters prove “intensely interesting.”
That is consoling but I’m afraid the General Public will not or rather
would not appreciate it. Ha! Ha! Bet if
I really did write something good you would all die of delight. By the way, what is the latest news from Ed
Schultz. And how is his mother. You know there is a little hitch between the
two arms of service, especially the Great Lakes Training Boys and the Army
fellows over here. The best name I’ve
heard applied to them yet came out this week remarking on them as “Ladies Home
Companions.” Of course we realize that
many of them really wanted to see some service, but so many of them squeezed
into that as a bomb proof job to escape the draft and then were coddled in
Chicago during the war that it gets under our skin a little to see the Hero’s
praised for the “Terrible Battle of Great Lakes” as we call it. And for every enlisted man you see in an
advertisement, or posing by some fair damsel on a Magazine Cover you see forty
sailors. There is a little element of
truth and irony in it at that for as far as most of the Great Lakes Gobs go,
that is about all they did. However, I’d
like to know what Ed’s address now is and I’ll try to drop him a line as he
doubtless has worked hard. I dropped his
mother a card from Aix-les-Baines. Hope
she received it OK.
A couple of
Dutchmen just came in with a pass to Germany to be vice’d and I had to trail
off down to the town Majors with them, but in spite of the rain I was even
whistling when I came back all because your letters had made me so happy. If this one to you could only spread as much
joy I would sure be glad I wrote it, but I’m having a lot of fun writing it
anyway.
Now there’s
more reason than ever to be very careful of yourselves so I’ll leave it up to
the Webers to keep good tab on the Sherwoods and vice versa.)
(Feb
23rd, 1919)
Just got
that far when I had to stop as per usual.
But here we go again on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, the sun fairly
blazing down on me thru the open window of the office. So I’ll just send my love along with him as
the moon hasn’t showed up lately. Say, you
nearly ruined me. I went to bed last
nite at about eleven P.M. and then I started to think about your letters and
going home, etc. and before I knew it I was going over and over the trip from
Echternach clear back home to that cool white bed. Bet I made the whole trip at least 20 times,
never twice the same. And you have gone
and busted one of my fondest hopes. With my little sister threatening
maternity, and a mother with heart trouble, how do you suppose I’m going to
dare try to surprise you. No, that is
another busted bubble. But guess there
wouldn’t be much chance anyway as Chicago
Love
to you all again & again
Corp.
Geo Sherwood
108th
US
American
Exp. Forces
C. L. Thompson
Capt. 108th Engrs
Amer. Ex F
********************************
********************************
1919-0212 -
George Sherwood to Herman Weber Rock formation
Dear Brother Herman
Dear Brother Herman
Was is
los. Ich habe kein brief von dir
furLange zeit bekommen. Ich hoffe bald von dir zu horen. Wel I don’t know as you can read that, but if you can’t, write me again just the same.
Love to
all, Corp Geo. Sherwood 108th U.S. Eng. Amer. E.F.
C.L.
Thompson, Capt. 108th Engrs. Amer. E.F. (Censor)
Sunday, February 10, 2019
February 10, 1919 -- George Worries About Future Life and "Bawls Out" Sister Susan
Regt. Hdqt Office
Echternach, Luxemburg
February 10th 1919
Dear Father, Mother, Sister, Brother:
Just
received a grand surprise when the orderly brot in 6 fine letters from HOME, 2
from Jo and 1 from the Rassmussens.
Those from the first two sources were dated the 20th and 24th
Jan so you see they made real fast time.
But Rasmussens was sent Dec 31st. Must have been held up a long time
somewhere. I also recd three Sat Evening
Posts. 1st I’ve
received. I’m just wild to get time to
read them, but guess it will be quite a while before I get said time as we had
all Day Sunday off yesterday for the first time since I can remember except of
course when we were on leave. We spent
the day sleeping till noon. Then we ate
dinner and played and read till about 10 PM
Johnnie brot over three Chicago Dailies and two Keystones. I skimmed thru them (the Keystones) and they
brot up so many memories of Home I was almost
homesick so thot I’d find relief in writing a letter too. But after scribbling a page it sounded so
very tragic I tore it up and went to bed instead.
By the way,
I’m still groping around in my mind trying to figure out what to do when I get
back. I reckon I can make a living but
at 22 ½ years I’m getting to be an old man! And have got to settle down to
something with future prospects and immediate financial returns. By the time they get us back that will be a
tough riddle to solve I fear. But I
guess it is hardly fair to even suggest a fresh problem to you folks so forget
it; that’s what I’ve done with about all I ever knew, or at least that is the
way I feel. Another grievance against
Bill Hohenzollern[1]!
Now Sister
as you write most of the letters you lay yourself liable for most of the
“Bawlings Out.” I’ve stood your self
depreciating and Soldier Brother Idolizing about as long as I can so here goes,
for with all my faults, I try not to be a hypocrite. And dear, I know
that even in the old days you were a better example, a truer Christian than
I. As for the present, you have
continued to grow, while I have in many ways deteriorated. True, I know the war has given to me as well
as you a broader conception of life or service, a keener sympathy but it has
also had its weakening phases and has taught us all so much we can never
forget.
But your
letters today have got me started again so I may as well rave on and you can
take the consequences. I was just prepared to throw a wet blanket on your hopes
of seeing me the 4th of July for one thing when my own hopes got a
fresh boost so will just let it ride, live in hope, and we will see what we
will see. There is no accurate dope but
bucco rumor. At least we can’t get home
much before that. I can’t compree why
you haven’t been receiving at least a letter a week as my memory and letter
record show an average of better than one per week dispatched since we struck Luxembourg
It’s almost
time I got to my residence or I’ll be locked out. Say, they have the biggest liars up here.
Someone told me they started to sow oats the last of Feb and the winter was so
mild before we went on leave I believed them.
But since we got back I’m undeceived.
The ground is froze up, we have a little snow, and the nights hit very
close to zero. If they cover those oats,
they will have to get the pick and shovel artists of the Engineers busy.
If you
don’t lay off talking about pork, beef and fish in your letters, not to mention
honey, biscuit, etc., etc., I’ll be trying to swim the ocean. Oh, well, you haven’t got a corner on all the
good eats because the oldest daughter of our landlord brought in some crullers
covered with sugar this Sunday Eve. And that after we got to scuffling and
mashed a bed, which by the way the boss had fixed yesterday and never said a
word.
Did you
read “Suggestions for a Mother’s Letters” on the 3rd Column, Front
Page of Jan 16th Keystone?
Whoever wrote that had sensed present situation very vividly. And it reminded me so very much of the
letters my own dear Mother and Sister send me, it rings so genuine and true I
almost think it was written by a Mother who had at least one boy “Over
Here.” I’m afraid at times in the old
life while I knew of my many failings which no one else seemed to notice, I was
guilt of a certain sense of satisfaction and self pride that I had overcome
certain temptations which associates yielded to. I have learned that I never knew what
temptation really was or at least the grippe it could have on one. Especially since the Armistice was signed,
there are times when the homesickness, loneliness, the desire of companionship,
entertainment and life are almost unbearable. I’m not excusing myself, or any
of the rest for that matter, tho many have not had the wonderful home example
and training I enjoyed. But I can’t
stand it to sail under such false colors, so try to forgive my faults and love
your Son and Brother as he is, not as you wish or thot he was. And keeping this in mind, I hope you will not
worry, but will still be glad to prepare and look forward to the time when
“Johnnie comes marching H O M E,” and I in turn will still keep up the battle
and return to you your own loving son who understands and will return at
least as physically clean as when he left.
I don’t know as you’ll understand, perhaps I’ll only succeed in making
you feel bad, but I hope you won’t do that. And now, let’s try to get away from
this which I seem to make sound so tragic.
Now all the
boys have gone home but me so I’ll close up shop and go along too, for there’s
no chance to get “Over the Garden Wall” without an extension ladder.
With lots
of love to Dear Old Dad, My Sweet Little Mother, My Lovingest Little Sister and
the Big Beloved Brother she gave me. May
God Bless you all and keep you safe till my return and long after. Mizpah*.
108th
US
American
Exp Forces
* The Lord watch between you and me while we are apart from one another.
1919-0206 Susan
Weber to George S. Sherwood
February 6, 1919
10:15 a.m.
Dearest Brother Boy,
Today is a
bright, sunny, cool, but not cold day, just crisp and pleasant. Herman has started for the woods and Papa is
doing chores.
I keep
forgetting to tell you about my birthday as I was so interested in telling you
about our “great expectations”, but guess I can stop long enough now to say
that I received a box of stationary, and two handkerchiefs and the big
amaryllis plant from the folks. You know
I always did like the amaryllis and it makes our living room look so much more
home like. Mrs. Rasmussen gave me a
small fancy plate and Mama gave me a of six glass sauce dishes and fruit bowl
which grandma Atwater told her last spring to give to me, but she could keep
them herself for a while before doing so if she wished, grandma Atwater said.
Aunt Nellie gave me the “charming quilt she has been making, and Dora made me a
sofa cushion and worked it all herself.
It really is very well done. “The
folks” invited me to meals for the day and had a big birthday cake and other
good things so altogether I guess it was the “most celebrated birthday” I had
in years, only you were not there. Oh so
much love to our boy Mizpah Susan
Feb. 9 – 1919
Dearest
Laddie,
Did not get a letter off to you yesterday so will add
a very important piece of news, we received a card like this
Mr. and Mrs. A.E.
Fredericks
Announce the birth
Of Gordon Keith
January 31st
Nineteen hundered and
nineteen
Weight 10 lb.
A few days ago. Their
address is
Lieutenant A. E. Fredricks
Pulaski Heights, Little Rock College
Little Rock, Arkansas
Write and congratulate them if you get time. They sent ten$$ to the C.H., credited to
Kendall. Time and space say close this
letter.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
December 25, 1918 - George Writes Home of Food, Gifts, Lice and Bathing Adventures
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
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.
GeorgeSherwood
Hq. 108th Engr.
C.L. Thompson
Capt Enginr American Ex. F.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)