John Douglas writes home to his wife and daughter on his Corona typewriter with just enough light to see the keyboard.
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On Christmas Eve, John Douglas recalls the cold, dank conditions of his wartime travels.
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From Capt. J. N. Douglas
317 Sp. Fn.[?]
American Post Office No. 766 - AFF
Aug. 8, 1918

Dear Bib and Dots:

We are located in one of the nicest camps imaginable - so long as it does not rain. It rains every day or two and then camp life isn't quite so nice. - but as I write the sun is shining brightly and the temperature is just right for comfort. The night before last about midnight it commenced to pour - "Beauceau Pluie " - as the French say, and it leaked through my truck cover until I thought it was time to get up and put on my life belt. My blankets were pretty badly soaked and I really was obliged to pull my shelter tent over my head to keep the stream from flowing down my neck. It was cold and wet - and miserable. No I did not take cold but it was not pleasant to get up in the morning and dress in wet clothes in a cold room - but after an hour or so the rain stopped and the sun came out and dried things up. I do not know what we would do without the good old sun. We moved out on Sunday and have all been very busy ever since organizing the camp and the means of transportation. We are now handling all the Divisional supply from the railhead to the regimental dumps and everything is moving smoothly. I wish you could see me now. I am sitting on an extemporized bunk in an old truck with my Corona on my knees and a soap box set up on end in front of me with a safety lamp in the middle and a candle on each side. They afford just enough light to see the keyboard. The tailgate is down and the other trucks are parked within sight. Lt. Claypool - a new one just over from the U.S. - is Officer of the Day and asked me to relieve him for an hour or so. There is no place to go nor nothing to do at night - so it isn't any burden to take the job over. The office doesn't call for any work after the trucks are in except in an emergency. Capt. Barrow is another officer who normally stays in camp evenings. Lt. Welsh has a French girl somewhere - he won't tell us where - whom he goes in to see quite often. Brandon is not doing as well as he should - he likes the wines and cognacs too well. I am sorry because he is not well physically and cannot stand much dissipation - I do not know whether that should be spelled with two ss or one. I received a nice letter today from Hayden Sampson at Is-Sur-Tille. He saw Bill Nichols pass through there the second night after we passed through. He has also seen Bunnell who is now at Tours. Hayden is situated where he has a chance to see many of the boys from home which is pretty fine for him. I mailed his watch from here and he got it without mishap and seemed very much pleased. Poor Hayden deserves a Sergeancy and I wish I could help him but he is in another department and I do not come in contact with the officers who can do anything for him. I have him in mind and if I get the chance at all will speak for him. I am being bothered by someone every minute or so so if this letter is disconnected you will understand the reason. It got so dark I couldn't see at all so I placed a board across my knees and stuck a candle in its own grease on each side of the machine. This works fine only I knock one of them down from time to time as I move up the spacing lever. I did burn myself a little once - also. I am not working very hard at my French. I pick up a word or two every day and read a little. I bought a French-English dictionary for 12 francs - an awful price for a cheap book - but everything is very high here. Our mess man learned today that he could trade two pounds of sugar for a dozen eggs. This makes our eggs cheap and we can get the sugar. Jam is scarce and over here everybody seems to crave sweets. My candy is all gone - I had a can of lemon drops but did not like them so gave them to Chauffeur Fulton who did a little work for me. Yesterday I took an hour off and went to see a dentist about my teeth. Strange to relate he did not find a thing wrong except a few sensitive spots at the bottom of my teeth near the gums - due to the gums receding from the teeth a little. Gu Can't find them. Will send later. He shall love you "jusqu'au bout" - until the end - or in English - forever - Pron. - "Juska - boo"

Good night dearies - write soon.
Dad

OK
Capt. J. N. Douglas
317 Sp. Fn.