23 September 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

23 September 1944

Dear Mother:

Decided this morning, after coming off work, that I have waited long enough to write you.

We have been moved since my last station that is six of our teams here at this field hospital and our team has been on the night shift from 8-8, and I have been using the day hours for sleep.  During the last few night (two) I have been able to sleep some during the night.

The information that Mrs. Hall’s cats being of the Cheshire type.  We were stationed there for a while you know.

I am getting quite a collection of post cards in my travels which I am having to carry around with me as I am not able (to) mail them home as yet.  I acquired quite a few in our last station as it was the first chance I have had to really get around.  The French really have some very attractive cards.  Much nicer a lot of them than ours.

In one city we were in recently they were willing to pay 100 francs for a package of cigarettes.  As for myself I managed to do more by trading then for things I wanted.  The present exchange is 50 francs to our American dollar, so you can imagine what some things cost in American dollars.  Of course we are filthy rich to most of them.

Have the censors been doing much to my mail?  I never try and write anything which I tab(oo)  but often wonder if they find non passable things.

Just two months from leaving Fort Sam were we ready to start to work here.  That is rather quick, and much faster than most units.

I received your letter of the 31 Aug the night before leaving.  Have had no mail since then, of any kind.  But as time goes on I do not miss it as I used to because we have waited quite often since we left home.  That is one objection to us being Auxiliary.

I left so hurriedly from our last station that I did not have time to mail home some perfume which I bought.  So Sgt Kupfer said that he would wrap and send it for me to you.  There are two bottles, one is “Balloggia”[1] by Caron which is sky high in (the) states and the other was just put into the bargain.  I want you to divide the bottle of Ballloggia between Nina, Muriel and some for yourself as Xmas presents. You may keep the other bottle for yourself.

I wish I could get more for you but the condition seem against it.  I hope you have received the English silver by the time you receive this.

In answer to your question regarding the bicycle riding.  I usually borrowed one from the Major of someone else when I needed or wanted one to go somewhere.  Yes, I had to practically (learn) how to ride one before going very far, but I caught on quite soon and landed in a briar hedge one evening while going down a small hill which there are a lot of in England.  All of their roads are hedged and quite a few of them are plants with thorns, and a lot of them.

I hope that you will excuse this stationary as I am too lazy to go to my tent and get my other.

I understand Bob returned East still troubled.  From the money he has spent he should be free from such trouble by this time.

Well enough for now and I will try not wait so long the next time.

All my love,

Stanley

 

Separate sheet:

You are perhaps very right about o many of the relatives being so close to us there.  Perhaps we can move again to another place.  Of course Florence can well take care of her father for a while. Ha! Ha!

I am writing a letter to Muriel on the afore mentioned subject and let us hope it does some good.

PS: also mailed the perfume to you

Note from the transcriber:

coded word: BREST

These last few letters are not in chronological order but in the order they were received by Grace Safford, Stanley's mother.

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[1] "Bellodgia"  Perfume by Caron in Paris, France, was introduced in 1927 .