From Milroy family genealogy book

LETTERS FROM THE WAR

In 1917, the U.S. entered World War I. Norman May's brother, Bill, served overseas in France.

The following letters are from Norman May Jr.'s brother William May. Most are written on now-yellowed lined writing paper, which displays a red, white, and blue flag in the upper left corner, a red & white YMCA logo in the right, and the words "WITH THE COLORS" centered in the middle. At the bottom center of each page in blue is the command, "Help your Country by Saving. Write on BOTH sides of this paper."

Letter 1

Camp Meigs

Washington, D.C. Nov 24, 1917

Dear Brother:

Received your letter and was glad to hear from you. The people from Gairs wrote me and wanted to know my address, and I sent to them as quick as possible. That's a very nice thing they are doing for us, and I guess they will hand us a pretty good present.

(The original transcriber thought "Gairs" was meant to be "GAR" - the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of and for Civil War veterans. If the original transcriber was right and the word "Gairs" was meant to refer to the GAR, I'm not yet certain of the GAR's involvement in WWI)

Kramer sent me a nice box of cigarettes to smoke up with, the way he puts it.

We were out in the woods yesterday, and we came across an old tomb out in the woods. It was open, so we went inside, and there were a couple of skeletons inside. Some handsome place, the fellows were playing their bugles inside to wake them up.

I am now an acting corporal down (here), and I don't have to do any work in the kitchen or any place. Today I am in charge of quarters, so I am the boss out here today in our barracks.

Don't forget and write me a letter when you get time. I guess they will put me in the automobile game down here, or when we go over, which is pretty soon I guess. But that is the least of my worries about going over.

From your Brother

Bill

P.S. Love to All

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Letter 2

Dec 19th, 1917

Mechanical Repair Shop Unit

Camp Meigs

Washington D.C.

Dear Norman: Received you(r) package of thread and needles and it's just the stuff I will be able to use when I have a break down.

I guess Mama has told you we are in quarantine. We are not allowed outside of camp at all.

They have opened up canteens in camp where we can buy tobacco and soap, also candy. Soldiers down here sell newspapers, so the only thing we are missing is going out into the city.

Saturday night we thought we were going to leave here, as we had to sleep with our clothes on. And we had our packs all ready to get out in about 10 minutes notice. Last night we had a fire drill 12:30 p.m. sometime to get out of bed, as we go to bed at 9 o'clock every night now as there is no other place to go. I guess they are getting us used to getting up in the middle of night so we can beat it out of here some night quick.

The way I hear, we are going to Tenafly first. Maybe I can get a pass from there home, as I think I could get home from there in about 2 hours.

All we are waiting for now is pay day. I suppose they will pay us before we leave Washington. I hope they do.

We expect to be here a couple of more days yet, maybe a week.

Hoping you and family are in the best of health which leaves me the same.

Love to All,

From your Brother

Bill

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Letter 3

April 9th, 1918

Somewhere in France

Just a line to let you know I am gettting along fine over in this wonderful country. They call it sunny France. Darned if I see any sun. It has been raining for the last month. It just keeps on steady raining and mud, oceans of it. they had to give us hip boots, the kind that strap on our belt, and we surely do use them every day. The(y) are the best friend we have.

We have been living under canvas for the last few weeks, squad tents we call them. Eight men in a tent, all good fellows, and we have a mighty good time every night. We work seven days a week over here, so we don't have much time for our self except a few hours in the nights.

We are now located near a large city where we are allowed to go every night until 8:30 p.m. We got to be in camp by 9 o'clock before the bugle blows. We leave the city at 8:30 and you ought to see us double time back to camp. It's a mile and (a) half easy. We walk this in no time coming back.

We are allowed to drink beer and light wines, so you see a soldier's life is not so bad after all.

I am expecting another move into the country further. This will be our third move. We always travel first class a la boxcar - 40 men or 8 horses. We can take in the scenery through the side doors very good. The cars all have square wheels, so we don't get much sleep on them. We also live on corn willie (canned corn beef) rations and stop at various stations for what they try to call coffee, but we finally land some place in a couple of days as the cars are very swift. We can jump off and run just a little bit to keep up with them, speed nothing to them old babies. We have some of our real U.S.A. engines now, and when we hear them we think we are in the states once more.

I have a French helmet to bring home. I hope to have a German one before I get home.

Tell all the folks I was asking for them. Will close hoping you and the family are in the best of health which could only leave me the same. all us boys will be able to chew nails when we reach the good old U.S.A. once more.

From your Brother

Bill

P.S. Love to All

Tell mama you heard from me and tell her I am feeling fine.

Name, Adress:

Pvt. William J. May

2.M. Mechanical Repair Shop # 301

Via New York

A.E.F.

Put a three cent stamp on your letters.

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Letter 4

June 1st, 1918

Verneuil, Nievre,

France

Dear Brother Norman, Received your letter and was very glad to hear from you. I guess I must have kicked about the rain in that letter I sent to you. We are having some fine weather at the present time.

You will notice that I can tell you where we are located. Perhaps you will not find it on the map as it is a very small town about 500 people. If you get a map of France, look for Nievre almost in the middle. We are between two towns of larger size. One is Decize 7 kilometers away, and the other is Cercy la Tour just about 5 kilometers. We are allowed off on Sunday, and we make the trip to either of these towns. And believe me it is some walk. We walk along a canal which is pretty level and lined with huge poplar trees. So it makes walking almost a pleasure.

This town of Verneuil we are in is dead. They ought to put a crape on it. But we have two girls in the Y.M.C.A. tent, real American girls. It makes a fellow feel good to look at one of our girls once in awhile. We also had the St. Louis quartet here the other night. Plenty of harmony until we all started to sing, and then it sounded like H***.

You certainly are selling some Liberty Bonds. Good for you. Also let me thank you for mine, also the button and certificate you sent to me. We are still living under canvas, so I hung it on the tent wall.

Will close hoping to hear from you soon again. Hoping you are all in the best of health, which is bound to leave me the same.

Love to All

From your Loving Brother Bill

P.S. Enclosed find picture which I think you will be glad to receive.

(At the end of this pencil-written letter, is a note scripted in black pen: OK W. Daurelson, 1st. Lt.)

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Letter 5

(The following is written on a postcard with a photo showing a uniformed German soldier on horseback leading a long line of weary American troops on foot. Some are barefooted. In white along the bottom is the hand written phrase: 1918 SEP. Amerikaner)

April 14th, 1919

Dear Norman:

A picture taken last Sept of some American prisoners taken by the Germans.

You will notice some of them had their shoes taken away from them by these huns. Some are walking their bare feet. Some are using sacks to protect their feet on these long marches to the prison camps.

We got them down on their knees now, and they certainly will have to pay dear for it.

Will close in the very best of health hoping you and wife also the children are feeling the same.

From your Loving Brother

Bill

P.S. Love to All

Sgt. Wm J. May

RU. 301 M.T.C.

U.S.A.P.O. 772 - A.E.F.