Somewhere in England - Postmarked Bullswater Camp - Woking (Southwest of London)
Dear Folks:
Clark and I just purchased this stationary for nine Pence so you can readily see that I am in the land of my ancestors and it may be that it will be possible for me to see the home where Grandfather Hayes was born and where no doubt we have several relatives. I hope so and I should like to see the little town and where he lived.
The part of England that we have seen is very beautiful. I haven't see a frame house - all of red brick and very artistic and apparently very prosperous people live in them. One sees absolutely no waste ground. I have seen but one garden that compares with these acres upon acres of them and that is old man Walter's garden. Tomatoes etc. are just now ripe - in fact garden stuff of all sorts seems abundant.
One sees but few houses standing alone. They are built mostly in long rows and right together - with no front yard but the back yard is either full of flowers and gardens or gardens alone. The flowers are almost as abundant and pretty as those of California - a great many of them I have never seen before.
The weather has been ideal today - partly cloudy and not too warm. It was rather sharp this morning for a little while. Imagine it is warmer at home though now than it is here.
We are having no difficulty in the money system but I miss Luce's and Dey Middlesworth's to stop in for cigars. Smoke a cob pipe now and enjoy it to the uttermost.
The roads are all paved over here and even the smallest hamlet or town has its paved streets. I was very much surprised at England and was utterly unprepared for it as I saw it. It looks as peaceful as our own America. The papers of course are full of war news.
Was a little tired when I got in last night, but expected that because we have covered several thousand miles since I left Camp (censored). Had a good sleep and feel just as new as ever this afternoon.
Had all the ocean that I wanted too and I think we were all glad to get off the boat. The last two or three days we had a fine misty rain that we didn't particularly enjoy.
You should have the card telling you of my safe arrival by tomorrow I think.
Don't know how long it takes for a letter to reach you but hope we have some mail tomorrow or next day as I should have had some about the time I left Camp (censored).
Don is probably around here somewhere but of course it is next to impossible to locate him and then again I have forgotten his Regiment and Company.
Am writing this with a little pencil about an inch long, and it doesn't go so very good.
Our mail goes free now and all the postage it needs is my name and address if in the left hand corner of the envelope.
It is two-twenty here now and your time at home is about six hours earlier or eight o'clock. We were eating dinner about the time you were thinking about getting up.
The trains here are very peculiar but very efficient. The engines are small but I understand they can go 82 miles an hour. The road bed is fine and the train men polite. It is a splendid system. The train is divided into compartments, each compartment seating eight men very comfortably. I enjoyed the ride yesterday to get from the sea just to this camp but will tell you all about it when I get home.
We get the (censored) papers every day and of course the latest war news, which is very good now and we hope that it will so continue.
Continue to address me in the same was as I have it below and don't worry a moment as I feel fine and am getting along equally as well.
Love, Grant
351st Inf. Band
H.D. Co.
American Ex. Forces
Via New York
