Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1918 — Sherm Parks Hopes to Be Home Soon From Overseas. [ARTICLE]

Sherm Parks Hopes to Be Home Soon From Overseas.

W. fl. Parks received a letter Monday from his son, Lloyd, who is in an artillery unit with the A. E. F. in France, in which he stated that he hoped to be home almost as soon as the letter reached him. He has not arrived yet, however, and nothing further has been heard since November 28, when the letter was written: Camp Haussimont, Thursday, Nov. 28, 1918. Dear Folks.—Just got off of kitchen police and am now going to write you a little news and it may be the last letter I will write to you from this country as we are under orders to move and I today we leave by Wednesday of next week. Here’s hoping we do as I have had all of France I want. This is one of the most disagreeable places you could imagine. It rains a lot and the mud hangs on to youir already heavy shoes and it is pretty hard to walk, let alone doing work. We have been having it pretty easy since the armistice was signed as we turned over our guns to the French, and we don’t have to bother with them. You will notice I am telling you the name of this camp. It is pronounced “Acimo,” and is a railroad artillery camp. I understand this is "Father’s Day” and we are allowed to tell where we are located and anything else we care to and it will not be censored, so will try and write a little about this camp. We came here from the port eight days after we landed in France. We landed in Brest and it took us two days and nights to get here so we got to see a good deal of France. We were here about three weeks

and were sent to the front where We joined the battery I am in at present. We were there a month and then sent back to this camp, where we have been ever since. We are a little over -one hundred miles east of Paris and about twenty miles from Chalons. We were on the Champaigne front between Suippes and Somme Suippes in a French camp. I got to see several interesting sights and will be able to tell you about them better than writing.

Haven’t heard from you folks for over a week, 'but got a good letter from Mrs. Fred Phillips. Her letter was dated November 11, and it was only on the road 17 days. Also had a letter from Harry Parker Sunday and I received a paper today. I didn't get much news out of it though as it was September 27, and I have received later issues, x Mrs. Phillips told me of the big celebration you folks put over and of the false alarm. I am mighty glad to learn of you being clever enough with the old Ford to run over people and not touch them. 1 was always afraid to try that, but I guess I will try it when I get back. Well, a miss is as good as a mile I guess or I might not •be writing this letter tonight, as some of those big shells didn’t miss the youngest Parks boy a great ways, and T was beginning to think they were shooting at me, but I guess they were too scared to shoot straight,

Was glad to hear Ray got by with his flu, as people must have been dying pretty fast back home. We didn’t have much sickness in this camp, and I guess the old proverb about the good die young still holds good as I escaped. Thought one day I was going to be sick but I guess it was a false alarm. Had a fever of 102 and didn’t know it until I went to get a few pills to knock a cold. Was marked quarters a couple of days and was O. K. again. Our lights are out this evening and am writing this by candle light, sitting on my bunk and using a cigar box as a table. I may be home or on my way by the time this reaches you, so if you can’t make out the writing I will be glad to help you. Most of the fellows are writing to their folks to send them plenty of money when we hit the States as we all need clothes and kinda want to see a show or two. Now I am going to fool ydtii and not ask for any money in this letter but you' might get a telegram from me when we land. Forewarned is forearmed isn’t it? Nnff said. Well, Dad, I won’t be able to get a German gat for you as they cost like the devil and are very scarce in this camp. I may get one if I am not sent home, but sent to Germany to do guard duty, but I don’t want to go there. I don’t believe anything I hear as we get new dope about a million times a day and the best way to get along is to lot it all in one ear and out the other. Must write another letter tonight and must close for this time hoping I am home before you receive this and that all of you folks are well. Give my regards to all the people and tell Mrs. Phillips’"! was awfully glad to get her letter and also Parker. Don’t suppose I will have time to write to them but hope to see them before long. Lots of love and kisses to the kiddies and tell them I have a few little presents for. them, and if we get paid before we*l«a!ve here I will try and get something more. Of course, they will have to be good girls or I will give them, to some one else. We suye do get held up for things, and a hiundred francs doesn’t go any farther than a five dollar bill does back home, but you have to walk farther to spend it. It is raining tonight, and has been all day, and if we don’t get away from here pretty quick we will all be web-footed, so here’s hoping again I will see you soon. As ever, SHERM.