December 25, 1944 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

December 25, 1944

Dearest Mother:

After a very nice meal of Roast Turkey, Sage Dressing, Marble cake, hard candy. Fresh carrot strips, raisin bread and butter with coffee to drink.  The turkey was much better than usual since it was a little more moist and juicy.  In all we are quite full.

Kupfer and myself have been sitting here this afternoon discussing old times at Dodd Field etc.  It does me good to return here every once in a while but not for too long at a time.

Received a very nice box from Mrs. Kinsfather last evening as quite a surprise.

Well this is about all for now. Have wondered what you were doing today several times.  Did you have a tree this year? All for now.

All my love,

Stanley

10 November 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

10 November 1944

Dearest Mother:

Have before me her on the table you three letters of the 11, 14 and 17 of October which I received upon my arrival at headquarters where I am at present, and am quite pleased to be here for a short time since the weather was none too good where we were in the field.

I saw the first snowfall of the season the other day and indeed it made a beautiful change in the country.  Everything was all white and the falling flakes were quite large, about the size of a quarter.

Was quite surprised to hear in your V-mail of the 11^th that my mail has not been going thru. I am going to send this regular mail and see if there is any change in the delivery of this.

The reason for us being in Headquarters is that our hospital has finished in our last location and until assigned another we will be here in the warm building for a change.  We had quite a time of it the other evening with our tents.  About four in the morning a strong gale came up and I mean a strong one, of several miles an hour.  It blew our tent down and did we have a mess.  It was raining so the water came in and soaked several of the others beds etc.  The tent blew down on me so therefore saved me and things from the water. Anyway we got up and fixed it and returned to bed for the balance of our sleep.

Enjoyed very much your enclosures of jokes and stories in your letter of the 14 Oct.  I really enjoyed them and always look forward to them.

Very sorry to hear of Dad not being able to go hunting.  Hope he had better luck on second trip.

Regarding the films.  I can get them developed here but for better service I will send the negatives home to you for prints.  I have some here now which I will soon send to you.  Rolls of undeveloped films would not go thru at all.  I am allowed to take pictures almost any time when I have my camera, which I quite often leave at home, and then is of course when I want it the most.  Pictures of war damage will not pass the censor at all and they are not fond of you taking them and will prevent it if possible.  I have therefore taken none, and besides they do not interest me to any great extent.

Received a letter from Dorothy Kinsfather telling me of her college etc. She is taking Spanish and Chinese, can you imagine such a combination?  Also a letter from Mrs. Matson. I understand Dorothy is very interested in marriage, so I can not quite connect her pursuing languages and wanting to get married at the same time.  Quite a person.  Mrs. Matsons’ letter was quite interesting as always and she tells me they have sent a couple packages.  I wish you would discourage so much attention my way from so many people.  I feel obligated to them.

I am quite pleased to hear of the popcorn etc being on the way.  I surely appreciate it.  You can charge my request things to me.  You can forget the powdered milk since the chocolate can be made with water.  The tea I am quite sure will be satisfactory.  I am able to get all the necessary sugar.

Jay Elmont[1] in his letter received yesterday tells of being out to dinner so I guess he now owes you a dinner again.  That is getting to be a vicious circle, isn’t it?

In regards to your questions about our teams. We have had quite a set back recently. Col MacIntyre is having to return to Headquarters and we are going to get another surgeon.  We are all quite disappointed at the Colonel having to go.  Otherwise our team was a big success.  We done a lot of surgery and the Colonel has done some beautiful work.

We were not at Calais since that was practically British.  Some of our teams are at all the prominent places along the front.

Thanks a lot for the second copy of the poem.  I have the other copy here and will take your advice and carry this one in my wallet.

Anita Ringley mentioned Yvonne’s noninterest in “North Eastham House”.  Do not blame her.  Have you ever heard of Grandfather Matthews will as yet?

Well all for now, and I will start writing more often and different ways.  The envelope is German.

All my Love,

Stanley

NOTE from the transcriber:

ARMY NINEH = probably Army Ninth…  That is where he was in actuality so that fits.

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[1] Found a passport picture f Jay Elmont on Ancestry.com and the 1930 US census lists his occupation as “Artist - Music and Radio Field”; and the directories have him listed as an act director, living at 421 W 8^th Street, Los Angeles in 1917- as a decorator,  h2139 Branden in 1918 – Manager Gillette Safety Razor Co, r815 O’Farrell in 1920 and 1921 h2139 Branden

The California Death Index shows he died on 12 Dec 1946, in Los Angeles.(he was b 1 Jan 1883 in Ohio).Passport lists a David Elmont as his father (b NY)

10 August 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

10 August 1944

Dear Mother:

I have before me here your letters of 27 July and 1 August, the latter received today.

I have started on a new method of writing now.  I have decided to write at least one letter a day, and in that way, will I hope avoid to have an accumulation of owed letters.

Received letters from Cousin Gertrude, Frances Whelchel, Dorothy Kinsfathers and yourself today, which made a nice receipt of letters.  I always look forward to the mail each day and always appreciate letters.

Today was our pay-day and we all received our money in English currency, which by now is quite easy for me. At first the change was a bit of confusion.

Gertrude tells me that Edmond Hess is over here and gave me his address, but that will not do me much good as it is merely an APO, so perhaps I may have the occasion of meeting him some day.  He may be too great a distance from me for us to see each other, because of a time limit.

Your grape crop should be a much larger and better (one) next season.  It seems just a very short time ago that I put the plant in there, and then never thought that t would do much.  Have the large leaved Caladiums in the orchid garden done very much this year?  They are the ones I transplanted while home on furlough. Have the cymbidiums shown much in the way of growth this season?  Dad’s small vegetable garden certainly sounds good.  He should have had something like that all along to spend his odd moments with.

I was out cycling the other evening and rode all the way to the small village near here.  I am certainly going to get myself one if we ever become more settled.  You have heard me mention Major Skinner.  Well he has a lot of fun with his and several other officers have nice ones.  They are the only thing for this country.  We have to walk up or down a hill once in a while but that is not much trouble.

Took a short trip a little distance away today to return some equipment and saw some very nice homes, some of which are very old.  This country is full of them.  Those that I have seen are most of them old barns, but quite a few of them are still lived in and quite nicely kept.  I brought back a little bouquet of lavender, which I bought and it is certainly fragrant and will be nice for my stationary box.  You can very likely see where I am beginning to enjoy myself over here, can’t you?

You can look forward to the balance of the short story which was not completed prior to my departure.  You well very likely get in a couple more installments.

I heard from Catherine Hunter, Esther’s sister.  She tells me that their business is very poor now.  What can they expect.

Well enough for now and more later when I have a better pen hand.

All my Love,

Stanley