On March 13, 1918 he writes his mother that he didn’t get around to a letter “Sunday as was busy all morning—my usual time for writing.”

He reports on “several things of interest in the last week, chiefly the two Bosche air raids, one Friday and one Monday night, the latter coming on Secretary [of War, Newton] Baker’s first night in Paris, perhaps to show him what they could do.” The air raids occurred about 9:00 pm in contrast to the recent midnight raids. Monty “had just settled down with a cigar and a book in an old sweater, when the alert was sounded.”

I room on the fifth floor and that isn’t considered very healthy in such times—the cellar being preferred—so…I sauntered down to the cellar after a while there with all the other occupants of the hotel. I decided it wasn’t much place to stay so got my book again and came over here to the Y.M.C.A. Officer’s hotel across the street where I read in more or less peace until eleven o’clock when I went on to bed being very sleepy, though the anti-aircraft barrage was still going and an occasional bomb coming down.

“Friday night one bomb hit about 400 yards down from my hotel and it was some bomb. I was down there about half an hour afterwards and there was a taxi down in the bottom of it (the hole), having run in shortly after the hole was made. Both times the raid ran on until a little after midnight which interferes a bit with one’s time of going to bed.”

“it was quite a surprise to find Mr. Baker was over here but am glad he came as there’s nothing like seeing the situation over here in order to really understand it.”

He describes a newsy letter from Kate postmarked January 27, received within the past week, and a note from Annie Covington who sent him a muffler and there was his mother’s letter of January 16. “Am looking for a letter any day addressed direct to me” since everything up to this point has been forwarded from elsewhere. “[L]etters so addressed should reach me in a shorter time….”

Monty then addresses the increasingly spring like weather noting “tonight the air had the first real softness of spring” and he thinks Paris will be “even more worth seeing than usual in a month or six weeks when all of the trees are in leaf. At that I’d swap it any time to see South Carolina again about this time.”

Transcription:

 

March 13, 1918

A.P.O. 702

Dear Mother –

Didn’t get to write my usual letter Sunday as was busy all morning in my office – my usual time for writing – and the afternoon was so fine that I spent it in the open – Sunday afternoon being the only one when I have any chance to get around for some exercise.

We’ve had several things of interest in the last week, chiefly the two Bosche air raids, one Friday [March 8] and one Monday night [March 11] the latter coming on Secretary [of War Newton D.] Baker‘s first night in Paris, perhaps to show him what they could do. Both times they came early, about 9 o’clock, as against 12 [o’clock] Jan. 30^th. Monday they interfered seriously with my intention of spending a quiet evening in my room. Had just settled down with a cigar and a book in an old sweater, when the alert was sounded. I room on the fifth floor and that isn’t considered very healthy in such times – the cellar being preferred – so I put on my blouse and sauntered down to the cellar. After a while there with all the other occupants of the hotel I decided it wasn’t much place to stay so got my book again and came over here to the YMCA Officer’s hotel across the street where I read in more or less peace until 11 o’clock when I went on to bed being very sleepy, though the anti-aircraft barrage was still going and occasional bombs coming down. By the time I write you’ve probably read an account of both in the papers at home so there’s nothing to add to these reports about the small damage done. Friday night one bomb hit about 400 yards down from my hotel and it was some bomb. I was down there about half an hour afterwards and there was a taxi down in the bottom of it (the hole) having run in shortly after the hole was made. Both times the raid ran on until a little after midnight which interferes a bit with one’s time of going to bed.

It was quite a surprise to find Mr. Baker was over here but am glad he came as there’s nothing like seeing the situation over here in order to really understand it.

Last week I had a very newsy letter from Kate of Jan. 27^th and also one from you about Jan. 16^th enclosing a note from Annie Covington. My regards again to Annie for both the muffler and the note. Am looking for a letter any day addressed direct to me at A.P.O. 702 and any letters so addressed should reach me in a shorter time than heretofore.

The weather has been great the past week, fine every day though an overcast continues to feel good in my migrations around in a machine. Have seen bits of green showing on the trees in the several places and, as I came it up from the office tonight the air had the first real softness of spring. Imagine this Paris is going to be more worth seeing than usual in a month or six weeks when all the trees are in leaf. At that I’d swap it any time to see South Carolina again about this time.

Hope you are all continuing well and that Kenley is progressing with his work. Wish you’d send me his letters or a copy of them.

 

Love to all,

Carl

 

O.K.

Thomas C. Montgomery

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