Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 249, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1917 — Vern Davisson, Goatee and All, Enjoying Life on French Front. [ARTICLE]

Vern Davisson, Goatee and All, Enjoying Life on French Front.

Dear Father and Mother: Hope this letter finds you all O. K. I am feeling fine,, but having an awful time keeping myself warm, as we have to sleep out most of the time and the waether is very damp, cold and rainy. At two of the Post de Secors we are obliged to sleep outside, as there are no places fixed for us. We move .from one place to another and every building of course is shelled, dynamited and burned to the ground by the Germans before they retreat, so there are no places for us to stay except outside, or_ln_ our ambulances, which is very uncomfortable, and also close to the firing line. We must remain there twenty-four hours unless some wounded come in on stretchers; then we hustle them to the field hospital and go back to the Post de Secours, after the twenty-four hours is up, a relief ambulance comes out and we return to the camp, which is also located in ruins of towns generally about six or seven miles behind the firing line. We make little houses out of tar paper, old boards and bricks, or anything we can get. There are cave abris made at different places, where we hustle into when a bombardment commences or when the big German shells begin coming in too thick and fast to suit us. Some times we have to remain there for a long time. When a gas attack is started we are warned by a claxon horn, or a bugle. We put on our masks, which are always in a little sack swung across our shoulders, ready for use at any moment. We have only used them once so far. You asked me what I wanted for Xmas. That’s an easy question. It’s something that all the boys are getting and we cannot get it here. It is a sheepskin lined sleeping bag. It it about the only thing we can keep warm with at nights. It is understood here that we will be sent to the mountains with this sector of the French army and it is terribly cold there. I don’t know what it will cost, but it wiil be worth a million. Look through both catalogues, and if you cannot find one, Marshall Fields of Chicago or some of those army stores have certainly got them. The officers say a person will almost freeze co death without them. You see we have no beds and have to sleep wherever w can lie down, while on duty. We vry nearly freeze now and the winter has hardly begun. My sheepskin coat is the best thing I have. I wear it every day now. Don’t send mail or anything through 21 Rue Raymond anymore. They hold it \up too long and it takes too long to get it. Use the following address: V. C. Davisson, Convois Autos, Par B. C. M., Paris, France. I am enclosing you two pictures. One was taken on the Chicago ship, about half way across the ocean. The other was taken after we were in service abroad two or three days. The strap across my shoulder is a part of the case my gas mask is in. The two at the left of me are Frenchmen at the war telegraph office. I have a lot of good pictures, but I cannot send them for the French censors would throw them out. Oh, I forgot something of grave importance to tell you. I am growing a nice little mustache and goatee. That is quite an army of home guards. I see Clyde is in it. Tell him there is lots of fighting over here. In American money the Frenchmen get 5c per day. We get. thirty dollars a month, and they think that is a tremendous sum. Will close for this time. Goodbye. VERN.