Shaubury Salop, Eng., Sept. 23, ‘18

Dear Mr. Reid:

You will no doubl be surprised to hear from me, but I am going to write a little anyway. I have been pretty busy and when we are not working we have athletics. Everybody has got to get out for sports from 2 to 3:30 every afternoon. We have a baseball team here in camp and we travel around the country playing games. About three weeks ago we were over to Shakespear’s home and played a game. This week we go to Wales for a couple of days to play ball. England is a very pretty country, it reminds a person of a high park or museum to see so many old castles and ruins.

We are now working on the airplanes and we get a lot of chances for rides. I have been up several times and it is sure great sport to get up in the air for 9000 feet and look out over the country. The going up part is alright, but it makes you feel a little top-heavy. We are living in some nice concrete huts. But don’t know how long we will stay in them as they are built for the W.A.A.C.S., and they figure on having some more of them in camp, and if they do, we will have to move out. Well, from the looks of things over here I guess the Germans are about through. We are having an awful lot of rain here now, and it is beginning to get pretty cool. The sun can be shining nice and bright, but still it rains.

I received your paper last week (Issue of July 16^th), that was the only one I received since leaving Pittsburg, and it sure was good to read. So hoping you will continue to send them I will close for this time.

Yours truly, Pri. Lester E. Smith, 216 Aero Squadron, A.E.F.