(1) Lee T. Bashore to Hazel and Ted Roberts, March 4, 1919, La Pallice, France, 7 pages, 4 postcards enclosed, envelope.

​Dear Hazel & Ted,

 

Just rec'd your letter and was certainly glad to hear from you.  I didn't know w[h]ether you had forgotten me or had written and the letter had never reached me.  But I know now and realize that you people surely must be busy. I'm sure glad you people are getting so well.  If nothing happens shortly after I arrive home I will try and arrange to accept your invitation by bringing Myrtle & paying you a visit.  I haven't fully made up my mind as to what I will do when I return.  I would like to buy a piece of [p.2] land around Covina or West Covina so Myrtle and I can be close to the folks.  I understand that Oregon is a good place for a young married farmer to go to but I'm afraid of the web feet. ha! ha!  I've certainly seen a lot of country since I've been over here.  I've been all over France and up along the Rhine river in Germany, and am now <I'm> more than anxious to return to fulfill my dreams and to the girl I love.  Convoying trucks & cars over France is a great life at times but when you have to sleep on the ground and eat cold corn beef for 3 & 4 weeks at a time, it makes one wish to be back home.

 

[p.3] But we're nearly thru with handling trucks at least in this camp.  There are only about 500 trucks left in our base at present.  Our train has handled over 3000 trucks since we have landed in France.  That isn't so bad when we have to drive the trucks anywhere from 350 miles to 700 miles for delivery.  Of course it wouldn't take long to drive one car that distance but when you have anywhere from 40 to 115 cars or trucks in one string it takes some time to move them.  The first convoy that our bunch took out of here was 115 Fords to Paris.  I didn't get to go.  Believe me there ws sure some pile of tin on [p.4] the road <all> at once.  I certainly had a wonderful trip to Germany.  We had 35 White touring cars.  Went up through the [Foul?] section where some of the hardest fighting was carried on.  We stopped and went thru all the trenches & dug-outs. Slept in No-Man's Land one night.  I saw many citys that have been blown to peices.  We also went thru the city of Metz.  While on the trip I staid in Trier, Germany, the oldest city in Germany.  It has the oldest Catholic <Church> on this side of the water built by Julius Ceaser which I was lucky enough to get to go there.  It certainly was a wonderful place.  Then we finally reached Coblentz and it is certainly a wonderful place. [p.5] They have regular electric street cars.  Just like they have in Los Angeles.  The first evening I was there I met Lieut. Ralph Smith.  Just think he was su[r]prised to hear that you & Ted were married.  He & I were sure glad to see each other.  He has been over since last Aug. Then on Sunday we took an excursion trip "Up the Rhine" by boat.  We saw all the old castles that we once read about in history & fairy stories.  Also passed the castle that old Kaiser Bill once lived in. And on the whole we certainly had a wonderful trip.  One that I won't forget as long as I [p.6] live. Well here "Sis," I've rambled on telling you part of my experiences. Censorship will not allow me to tell all.  I'll keep part to tell you when my wife & I come to visit you.  Yes, Hazel we were all glad when the fighting was stopped but also figure that Germany is getting away awful easy.  It certainly will be a wonderful time when we will have that reunion in dear old West Covina but I'm not so sure about "Daddy" Bashore being there.  Maybe there will be a Bashore then that wished he was Daddy but you can't always sometimes tell.  Ha Ha. Well I must bring this to a close and [p.7] write to Myrtle. I rec'd a good letter from her yesterday.  May God Bless you & keep you & may you prosper in all your undertakings.  Bye bye for this time.  Write soon.

 

Yours truly,

Lee

Junie  address

Some views of the River Rhine.

P.S. Excuse scribbling.  Expect to reach home in Sept or later.

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