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LETTER HOME FROM GENTRY WHITE KEITH
(Nov. 1918)

FARMINGTON NEWS, Friday, December 27, 1918


Fridos, France, Nov. 21, 1918.

Dear Mother, Dad and All:

Well things have been happening since I wrote you all, so will try to put out a mean letter.

Tuesday (19th) my sis, Byrde, stepped in to see me. They are located just about 35 kilometers from here. She had a letter from Laura giving my address, so she got my location and came over. I have been in this town several times since they moved in but didn't know that she was in Mobile Hospital No. 4 and didn't have time to inquire, so you see how it happened.

Today I was relieved from duty at 8:30 a.m. and caught a truck right up there and arrived about 10:00. We hit the talk-line until noon; then had dinner and went to Hill No.240. Probably you have read of this place. It was the place where the Bosche had tunneled in, built concrete dugouts, and was preparing to spend the winter. Anyway, we fooled them.

It is a wonderful place. The passages lead way back under the hill and then the barracks start in. They have rooms for machine shops, gun repair shops, also generator rooms where the electricity for lighting and other purposes were made.

Fred Fuhrmeister went with me and this out-did my Verdun trip by far. Byrde was delighted to see me, but not any more than I to see her. She looks fine; is in excellent health.

Have been driving a large Packard truck for the past two days but don't think I will keep it. The Captain want me back in the office. So am quite willing to do so for the winter. Byrde says that they are to go to Germany, so we will be near each other there I am sure, and so will see each other again.

We are to receive a French and U. S. medal for efficiency in addition to our service badges for service in France and Germany so you will see quite a specimen when I stroll in on you.

I suppose George will be home pretty soon now. Sincerely hope so at any rate, for if any one has done his bit Doc Watkins is that one.

Of course, you know that all hostilities have ceased and things are so quiet that it seems that there is something wrong; but it is nearer all right than it has been for a long time.

The old "Vic" is going again and sounds as good as always does.

I still expect to be in the states by spring, so you must set some hens early so as to have some friers for me when I pull in. I want to live on eggs, milk and fried chicken for the first two weeks, then fried chicken, eggs, milk and oatmeal for the next four months.

We have excellent eats here, fresh beef, corn, tomatoes, rice, tapioca, excellent bread and plenty of cigarettes,all furnished by our esteemed "Uncle".

My cough has entirely disappeared and I never felt better in all my life. We are still having beautiful weather here. The French say that it was sent by God to help win the war, and I believe it.

We have services twice a day on Sunday. There is an Ordained Methodist Minister in the bunch and we all get together and have little meetings that do some good and keep the bunch from forgetting that there is such a thing as Church, and that it itself is a great deal.

I think I will write Laura a little letter tonight so had better cut this one off and get busy on the next. Hope the kiddies are all O.K. and give my regards to anyone in town that appears interested.

Love to All,
GENTRY.
Pvt. G. W. Keith, Evacuation Hosp.
No. 10, American E. F. France.

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NOTE: The "Laura" referred to in foregoing letter is Laura Keith who married Ellis J. Lawrence. According to St. Francois County Cemeteries book, Laura was born in 1890 and died in 1970. She and her husband are buried at Parkview Cemetery near Farmington. The writer of the above letter, Gentry White Keith, was son of Hugh Lawson Keith (son of Pleasant G. and Clarinda Baker Keith) and Josephine White Keith (daug. of Joseph Jefferson White and Melinda Overall White). According to his mother's obituary, Gentry White Keith, who relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, after the War, died December 24, 1941. His sister, Byrde Keith, became Mrs. Perry Ryan and lived at Bolivar, Missouri. Other siblings of G. W. Keith were: Lucille (Mrs. Charles C.) Colvin of Chicago, Illinois; and Genevieve (Mrs. George L.) Watkins of Farmington.

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