[Jan 15 1918] Mid January, Monty is suffering from “no mail.” He’s even been over to the main post office to go through the list of undelivered mail looking for his name. “Found my name on the list but was disappointed to find that they were only a couple of wedding invitations…which had been addressed to me as Lt. Carl Montgomery” and that  was not how he was “entered on the army list.” The annoyance is clear in his statement that “I happened to get them ahead of other letters which I know are somewhere in France and properly addressed.”

His social life is picking up and so is his culinary delight.

Have met some very nice Americans recently who have an apartment here and at dinner there the other night had some real chocolate cake which surely did go good. The lady of the house said she had trouble in getting sugar and white flour so the next day I went to the Commissary Store and got some which was duly donated to the cause of another cake. May say in explanation that officers and men of the American army can purchase small amounts through our Commissary Store.

He hopes “you all are well and that Kenly is getting along well with aviation.”

Transcribed Letter:

France, January 15^th, 1917[sic]

Dear Mother:-

Still no mail from home so nothing much to write about except the weather which has been more decent of late. Sunday in particular was a fine day, very much like winter weather at home.

Yesterday I was over at the main post office here and took a look at the list of mail undelivered because of no known address. Found my name on the list but was disappointed to find that they were only a couple of wedding invitations from some of my friends in Spartanburg which had been addressed to me as Lt. Carl Montgomery and I, of course, am not entered on the Army List in that way. At that I happened to get them ahead of the other letters which I know are somewhere in France and properly addressed. I can’t understand getting no letters because of the fact that I got those three packages from you and Bell and Kate all right.

Have met some very nice Americans recently who have an apartment here and at dinner there the other night had some real chocolate cake which surely did go good. The lady of the house said she had trouble in getting sugar and white flour so the next day I went by the Commissary Store and got some which was duly donated to the cause of another cake. May say in explanation that officers and men of the American army can purchase small amounts through our Commissary Stores.

Am no longer attached to Headquarters Lines of Communication but am in the same place. My address is, therefore, unless you receive a cable about it before this letter, Army Post Office 702, AEF.

Hope you are all well and that Kenly is getting along well with aviation.

Love to all,

Carl

Thomas C. Montgomery,

2^nd Lt. Inf. U.S.R.