France,
Dear Mother and All;
Will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope the same of you all. Was going to write sooner, but didn’t have any paper along.
I have been over here a week now and like it pretty well, but there are some things that seem awfully funny to me, especially the trains that sure are some outfit – they would be nice toys for some kids.
The grain looks good around here and is all headed out, but I haven’t seen any corn as yet.
I must tell you about our trip across. I was afraid that I would get sick, but it didn’t bother me a bit; I don’t know whether there were any that got sick, or not. We had a large ship. I had a ride on a little one tho which, I guess if I had been on a couple of days I would have changed my mind, as it was just like a rocker.
We how are you getting along at home? Are you going to harvest pretty soon, or not? How are all my freinds over there? Say “hello” to them for me, and tell them to write to me. I haven’t had any mail for about a month and feel like having some once more. Did they draft again since you wrote me or not? If they did, let me know who left. How is the weather over there? It is pretty warm during day here, but awfully cold at night. I can cover up with two blankets and am none too warm. It was cloudy and cold the Fourth of July.
They are busy making hay here with one horse and a cart, or a pair of oxen and there isn’t a fool of land that isn’t in use. They have binders just like ours and their mowers are the same. There isn’t a frame building in this town, they are built of rocks, even the roofs. You had ought to see the rocks instead of shingles. The French people would like to talk to us if we could only understand them. There are a few boys here that can talk it and I wish I were one of them. Perhaps I will learn it if I stay here long enough.
With best regards from your son, Albert Gerardy Co. B 315 Engrs., A.E.F.
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Albert Joseph Gerardy.
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Posted: November 26, 2018 by Renville County Historical Society
Writes From France published in the Fairfax Standard August 8,1918
France,
Dear Mother and All;
Will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope the same of you all. Was going to write sooner, but didn’t have any paper along.
I have been over here a week now and like it pretty well, but there are some things that seem awfully funny to me, especially the trains that sure are some outfit – they would be nice toys for some kids.
The grain looks good around here and is all headed out, but I haven’t seen any corn as yet.
I must tell you about our trip across. I was afraid that I would get sick, but it didn’t bother me a bit; I don’t know whether there were any that got sick, or not. We had a large ship. I had a ride on a little one tho which, I guess if I had been on a couple of days I would have changed my mind, as it was just like a rocker.
We how are you getting along at home? Are you going to harvest pretty soon, or not? How are all my freinds over there? Say “hello” to them for me, and tell them to write to me. I haven’t had any mail for about a month and feel like having some once more. Did they draft again since you wrote me or not? If they did, let me know who left. How is the weather over there? It is pretty warm during day here, but awfully cold at night. I can cover up with two blankets and am none too warm. It was cloudy and cold the Fourth of July.
They are busy making hay here with one horse and a cart, or a pair of oxen and there isn’t a fool of land that isn’t in use. They have binders just like ours and their mowers are the same. There isn’t a frame building in this town, they are built of rocks, even the roofs. You had ought to see the rocks instead of shingles. The French people would like to talk to us if we could only understand them. There are a few boys here that can talk it and I wish I were one of them. Perhaps I will learn it if I stay here long enough.
With best regards from your son, Albert Gerardy Co. B 315 Engrs., A.E.F.
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Albert Joseph Gerardy.
Category: Fairfax, Fairfax Standard, History, Minnesota, Renville County, World War I Tags: Fairfax, France, Letter, military, Renville county, war, world war i