Nov 24 1944
S France
Dear Mother + Dad,
I’m writing this letter with another new pen. It arrived in the package from Weston. I like the way it writes better than the one you send. It seems to hold the ink more evenly. A large package arrived today from Westons, they don’t seem to be bother with the food that there are certain size that you can send. In the package was this pen, a set of dice 4 in all, six packs of Tobacco, cigarettes. A cigarette lighter (which I gave Sol.) One dozen handkerchiefs, a towel, wash cloth, 4 bars of candy, a bag of stuffed fruit, pair of sunglasses, a wallet, blades for the razor (50) etc. I was a swell package. I’ll have to write them thanks, I never did last year.
Also received five V mails Christmas cards and the French English book today. The boys received quite a few packages and we had the French woman make coffee (Charlie + Sam born) which Fred got from home. It was the first good coffee they have had in 5 years they showed us some German so called coffee, it was a bunch of seeds and dust, did not even smell like coffee. You didn’t have to ask them twice if they wanted another. The cookies and cake went far too. Again they told us of how the Germans took the F.F.L men they caught and shot them and how the town people had a big funeral for them after the germans left. The german also took all the horses + oxen to pull their equipment and the French say they know longer have auto and know gas for them. In all we sat till 11:30 the old lady smoked a cigarette we told the man that Strauburg had fallen and he got out his map. They are all intended for the war and the little fellow will sing the Marcellin if you look at him twice. He’s seven and claim to be a member of F.F.I. The little girl is about the cutest thing I’ve seen in France her name is “Wren” it sounds nice pronounced in French.
Just before we went to bed her pared us with a drink of 20 year old champagne and proposed a toast “La Victorie + La Amerikans Bonne Voyage to Berlin:.
It was the best drink I’ve had over seas and we’ve really had a taste of everything. The children were sleeping on the [unreadable] when they said “Bonne Nwee” with their mouths filled with chewing gum and candy. In all we had a very interesting night.
Love as ever,
Bill
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