Letter
From LibraryWiki
The following is a letter from Richard S. Gummere to his parents published in an unknown newspaper during the war.
My dearest Folks-
- Well, I am having one grand time of it and am feeling good, with plenty to eat and all. Here in the rest camp are “Y” men who all know Charles and arrangements are being made for Charles and I to eat supper together at the “Y” hut. If that isn’t fine I would like to know what is fine. And at the other rest camp that we stayed last night, Sam Garwood was the first man I saw. Maybe you think I wasn’t glad. He has charge of that camp. Charles was at this camp yesterday afternoon at this time, and the “Y” men are trying to located him now as he only lives 8 miles from where we are located, and can get here in a half hour’s time in his machine. Sam gave me smoking tobacco, cigars and candy and last of all-money, one half crown, which is about 60c in American money. And as we were leaving he handed me a box containing one half lb. of sugar. a real luxury here as the only allow one half lb. to a family each week.
- The fellows are feeling good and looking good with no complaint at all. So we are all pretty well satisfied. When we landed we came into the most beautiful water front I ever hope to see. It really looked like one of these picture post cards that we see in different stores the buildings and trees are all arranged the same on both sides of the street, all houses are the samee and built with red brick and with green lawns and trees all the same. Then our train ride was very beautiful country. We arrived when everything is at its best, they do real farming here, and one cannot see a foot of ground but what has something growing on it. The fields are not large ones as we have in America, but all well laid out, with a hedge or rows of trees to separate the farms and take the place of fences. Everything is kept clean and neat which adds to the looks. The trains are somewhat different and about 1/3 the size of a B & O. They enter from the sides into little compartments holding about 8 or 10 people, they have large ones but all the same style.
- Well I have just finished spending fourteen very pleasant hours, they being Charles. He came up to our camp last night at five o’clock and I went with him back to his headquarters, some nine miles from here. He was in his Ford car and we could see a lot of the town. Then went to his hotel, had dinner and met some of the “Y” men and also some of the American women who are in Y.M.C.A. work here Charles is looking fine and says he feels good but surely is kept busy, I know just from the little time I spent with him. Every place he goes someone is stopping him, asking this or that and what they had better do, ect. Just 8 months ago I and the rest were saying good-bye to him at Union Sta. and I said good-bye to him this morning as he had to go on. He was supposed to have gone last night to some other city but he took the time off. Am well and feeling fine and in high hopes of many great things and adventures to come in the future and am sure they will. I most sincerely trust you people are O.K. and enjoying life to the utmost. One could not pay me enough to turn back now as I would not miss it all for a great deal. Chas. took me thru one of the old Abbys here that has been standing since 1200 or 1300. It is very interesting to look upon these old buildings and think of all that has happened there in the past centuries. Chas. was right in saying one would think they were back in the States as there are so many American troops. Every place you look you can see them. The little children some only four and five years old, call to us as we march by them “Good luck Sammy” and grab our hands.
Give my love to all the boys and families and best to you dear people.
Your loving son,
Stanton
