"Over Here" - somewhere in England
June -- 1918
June -- 1918
Dear Ina:
This note will confirm that we arrived here safely -- as first stated in my brief message written on a post-card the other day. We had a wonderful voyage and I wasn't sea-sick at any time, though many of our poor chaps were, particularly when we encountered heavy seas in mid-Atlantic.
When we landed here in England we were told of the sinking of those ships by U-boat action off New York harbor. That was indeed bad news -- but you may be sure there will be a day of reckoning in the not too distant future.
This morning we hiked from our ship to the debarkation camp with full packs -- a distance of several miles in very hot and humid weather. It was very exhausting and several of our boys keeled over from the heat and were placed in fourgon wagons to ride the rest of the way.
As we marched through the streets, many thousands of people lined up all along our route to welcome us with cheers and other expressions of good-will.
We saw many wounded "Tommies" - back in "blighty" for rest and recuperation.
There are so many women doing men's work; we passed a flour-mill where there were many girls and older women dressed in over-alls. And there are women conductors on the buses - which are double decked (2 storied affairs). The girls all look kind of cute in their uniforms. The streets are narrow and winding in many parts of town. Most of the houses are of red brick and look very neat but quaint in design.
And now to conclude on a happy note; I'm well and happy and feeling just fine -- so please tell the folks not to worry about me. Our convoy was well protected during the entire voyage and there was very little danger. We had ship drill every day and once did it seem purposeful. But of that I'll write another time. Tell Bess I'll write her soon.
This note will confirm that we arrived here safely -- as first stated in my brief message written on a post-card the other day. We had a wonderful voyage and I wasn't sea-sick at any time, though many of our poor chaps were, particularly when we encountered heavy seas in mid-Atlantic.
When we landed here in England we were told of the sinking of those ships by U-boat action off New York harbor. That was indeed bad news -- but you may be sure there will be a day of reckoning in the not too distant future.
This morning we hiked from our ship to the debarkation camp with full packs -- a distance of several miles in very hot and humid weather. It was very exhausting and several of our boys keeled over from the heat and were placed in fourgon wagons to ride the rest of the way.
As we marched through the streets, many thousands of people lined up all along our route to welcome us with cheers and other expressions of good-will.
We saw many wounded "Tommies" - back in "blighty" for rest and recuperation.
There are so many women doing men's work; we passed a flour-mill where there were many girls and older women dressed in over-alls. And there are women conductors on the buses - which are double decked (2 storied affairs). The girls all look kind of cute in their uniforms. The streets are narrow and winding in many parts of town. Most of the houses are of red brick and look very neat but quaint in design.
And now to conclude on a happy note; I'm well and happy and feeling just fine -- so please tell the folks not to worry about me. Our convoy was well protected during the entire voyage and there was very little danger. We had ship drill every day and once did it seem purposeful. But of that I'll write another time. Tell Bess I'll write her soon.
With Love,
(signed) George
(signed) George
censored-
Lt. S.V. Benson,
Battery "F" - 122nd F.A.
Lt. S.V. Benson,
Battery "F" - 122nd F.A.
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