Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1918 — THOMAS COX OFF FOR ENGLAND [ARTICLE]

THOMAS COX OFF FOR ENGLAND

The following letter was received lere today from our former townsman, Thomas Cox: Hamilton, Ont. Canada. Dear Brother Hamilton: Just a few lines as I promised you to let you know everything is going fine here with me up to date. I am very much pleased to tell you that I am going overseas next Wednesday, May 15 with 250 more men. Sent 500 from here last Monday, destination unknown, so cannot tell you. Remember me to all the boys of the lodge and tell ColHns I am sending my dues next week. Hope everything is all right at home. Pleased to say that I got over the three innoculations and vaccinations first class, but have to take one more when we reach the other side for spirtal menengitis, but an going to take it like a man. \ Well, friend, I must say I had] a good send off from Chicago to Tor-. onto and have been kept busy ever since. No use grumbling as lam sure we will have to do more when we get on the other side. I tell you it is astonishing what men are coming here from all parts of the States and Canada. I would not have believed it had I not seen them myself, men from all conditions of life. - Max Harrison ait the factory talks about not being a fit man for the service, but, I can assure you that they would make a man or a soldier out of him very quickly here as there are shorter than him not near so prysically well as him, yet they are turning them out pretty good men and sending them overseas. Well, friend, there has not been 'much excitement here since I got here, only'on Monday when we sent the 500 men from here and then there was a little bit of it. It nearly got away with me thinking of my own wife and children. Still it was soon over after they got started on

their journey. We had a little bit more on Thursday afternoon when a fellow who had been confined in the guard room for fifteen days tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat, but I see by the paper they saved his life and I am enclosing a little copy of it from the local paper here. You can make use of it if you like. The following is the clipping: “Much mystery surrounds an attempted suicide at the armories yesterday afternoon of a soldier named Carter. He is a private in the Railway Construction battalion, and hails from Vancouver. It is said he attempted to end his life by cutting his throat. The man had been placed in detention at the armories for fifteen days. Yesterday was the last day of his imprisonment. How he obtained / the instrument with which he injured himself is He was seen walking about with a sweater-coat buttoned up closely about his neck. Suddenly he staggered and fell. When assistance reached him it was found that there was a severe cut in his thoat. .He was rushed to the military hospital. It’was stated this morning that he is doing well and will probably recover.’’ . Well, friend, I am anxiously waiting for the time to come to start on the first leg of the journey. We are not having very pleasant weather here, it is awfully cold and wet, still we are under cover so we can’t grumble. We have plenty of food, good and clean and cooked well and can always go and get second helping if we need it. We get variation of diet every day. Every meal there are a few grumblers which must be expected from among so many men, but, I must say that I have taken special notice that amongst those who grumble most is the ones that have been on the road and did not know what it was to get a square meal before getting in here. But they soon get over it Well, I do not know what else I can tell you now so I will come to a close of all this scribble, so au revior. I am respectfully yours, PVT. T. W. COX, : 2500355 C. E. F.,‘ James St Amories, Hamilton, Ont Canada.