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Dearest Mother & Family: -
This is to be our last night on board
[Editors note: ship name was
Aquatania]
and I am writing now so that I can mail it as soon as we reach port. You
can't imagine the lovely weather we have enjoyed. Warm and bright every
day and the sea is just like a lake. The voyage across has been very
enjoyable and also uneventful. We left the U.S. with flying colors and
were allowed on deck all the time. Everyone took a good look till she
faded into a thin line. Our accommodations here have been fine and this is
one beautiful ship. I'd like to cross on it in peace times. Maybe, if I
can scrape up enough someday we will take that trip to "Bonnie" Scotland.
I was not sick for a minute and mealtime always found me in line. I wrote
you a short note before we sailed but don't know whether I got it off in
time or not. I have always wanted to ride on a vessel like this and my
first ride has been a long one. Like everything else I have read of and
never seen it has far exceeded my ideas. I hope you are all well and can
stay that way till I get back. As for me, I am still in fine health and
the trip has made it even better. They say that this is the best month in
the year to cross. I crossed the twenty-five mark in my age on Thur. and
celebrated it in mid ocean. You will notice I have numbered this letter.
The reason for that is so you can get the drift of them. I will write you
as often as ever but you may get them all in a bundle and then you can
sort them out. Of course, I won't be able to tell you all that goes on but
then that will leave me something to talk about when I come back. You
won't be able to wash the dishes from one meal to the next when Ben & I
start to swapping yarns. They say we will get over just in time to say
"Hurrah' we won", and I think that will be about true. I asked one old
sailor how they were beating the Kaiser now and he said "Aye lad, we're givin' im a bloody well doin". Did you hear from me from camp upton? That
is by letter. We didn't know whether our mail was going out or not. We
thot sure we would be paid before we sailed but we move faster than the
paychecks, I guess. I'll have a few shillings at least. You can tell Aunt
Annie that I am sorry I didn't get her box before we left. You can't send
them over here any more. I got Grace's letter the night before we left
Upton telling me about Ben's departure and I am glad he got away so
nicely. I'll bet he had some trip down with the city fellows. That will be
the last of king alcohol he'll see manifested, however because once they
hit camp it is taken from them and they don't get any more. How is Hempy?
It must be some warm down there now. You can't hand that boy too much. He
not only has the right idea but he has the guts. I'd liked to stayed with
or had him stay with me. He was good company and what he had to say was
quiet (sic) a change from the general run of conversation among soldiers.
He sure thot a good deal of you and dad. I guess that strike Grace spoke
of starting at the mill never came off did it? Who was the head of it? ---
Mork or Walt Stoner? I hope they will run steady now. They should, hot
weather is nearly here. We were given our first rations of tobacco today.
Two packs of cigarettes and a can of "makins" This is given to us by the
Army Girl’s Transport Tobacco fund. The money is collected at Theatres all
over the U.S. and thence to us in this form. I was home a good while
before I got started but beat some of the boys around to this side to the
world at that. One of my chief worries is settled now. I was always afraid
that it would be over before I got over here and it may be yet before I
see the trenches. We are in for more hard training here before we go on.
There wasn't much noise when we sailed out because watching the land of
your birth and the home of all that is dear to you fade away sets them all
to thinking. We hope to see the other boys soon and that will be a reunion
on your life. Everyone will want to lie at once. Give my best to everybody
and I'll be thinking about you all the time.
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