(02) Letter: Jack Bentley to Cornelia Bentley, July 22, 1918.

July 22 1918 Somewhere in France Dearest Mother, Ilanded in France last Monday and now am located in a small town well across France just fourteen days from the time I left campMeade a record trip. I am well and very happy as happy as I can be so far from home I am living by my self in the home of a very lovely French lady and I am beginning to pick up enough French to be able to get my needs and say how do you do -I thank you etc. We just finished billiting the men which means that we put a dozen or

or more in a cellar a hundred in a barn with the band - who by the way gave the towns people a concert today the first music they had had in four years - they went wild over it. We traveled four days on a train six of us in a compartment sat up to sleep etc the men 40 in a car (box car) suffered very much -- half could lay down at a time to sleep then the other half had a chance but they stood it like men and I was proud of them, with the aid of the red cross who seem to help you in a systematic and efficient way. At one of our stops we lined the men up for their coffee and as I stupped inside the shack who should I spy but Alice Miller

in her lovely Red Cross costume she was dear and I had a very pleasant talk with her. We saw no submarines at all altho we picked up a life boat with 20 people in it. I can't describ my feelings as we entered the harbor and as it was very misty we were close up when we first sighted land - the beautiful French landscape that I will tell you all about on my return. Visting for a few hours one of the oldest towns in France said to be the oldest "Brest" I went to a Hotel belonging to the YMCA

who should I see but Tom [Dewaut?] who had been ship wrecked so he told me he looked well & happy - and I was so glad to see him. We have had our first causualty which was the result of a truck running into our column at night two men killed and four injured. I was put in charge of all the baggage and spent three days & three nights getting it I am not going to gloat over my harrships but they were many. People had told me about France but I did not know that people could be so lovable and enrgetic as these people are - their loyality is beautiful, they think the Americans are wonderful they say they can do no wrong - may they continue to think so.

I must say wine is pretty generally used here in fact they think you queer if you don't use it and it is very mild stuff. I have seen thousands of German prisoners there being lots her 9000 I was told. We saw numerous hospital trains and they said the Americans take no prisoners they illistrated this be imatating a thrust with a bayonet and cutting the throat - they said we had brave hearts and a clean brain -I could write lots more but must close - Love to thee dearest mother Thine Jack