July 1, 1918 to Mother. Monty reports a number of “home letters” and clippings received recently.  He hopes brother Kenly will “write more about what the Liberty motor[1]is doing as I haven’t been able to get much definite dope on that over here, and we are all naturally very much interested in the progress made on it.”

Promotions seem to be on his mind as friends and acquaintances are getting theirs: “Horton has got his Captaincy and also Hertz Brown.” He comments that “Promotions seem to be much more easy at home than with the A.E.F.” Nevertheless, “if things continue to break well for the next month or two, I am told by my chief there may be something doing.”

The weather has improved. “Along with the warm weather and moonlight nights we’ve also had the Gothas with us again.  They came down three nights last week and the alert was sounded again last night but they didn’t get to town that time.”

Had an interesting and pleasant experience yesterday afternoon.  Was having tea at this Country Club to which I go when possible with some French friends when we were joined by the British Ambassador, Lord Derby, whom they know well and I came back with him and them in his car.  He was most pleasant and I enjoyed the experience of riding with such a big bug—have found all the English I’ve met on this side an awfully good sort anyhow and want to see more of England some time if possible.

“Hope everything is going well with you at home….”

[1]Considered an important technological contribution to the war effort, it was a lightweight, mass produced engine that powered the DH4. More.

Letter verbatim:

A.P.O. 702, A.E.F.

July 1, 1918

Dear Mother: –

Had several home letters last week, yours of May 31^stand one from Frank of June 4^thtogether with two or three others of yours the dates of which I don’t know as I haven’t them with me at the moment. Enjoyed the enclosed letters of Judge Woods, John and Lee as well as the clippings. Suppose from Kenly‘s letter that he is probably at home by this time on the leave he was expecting to get. Wish he would write me more about what the Liberty motor is doing as I haven’t been able to get much definite dope on that over here, and we are all naturally very much interested in the progress made with it.

Was pleasantly surprised Saturday afternoon when Bert France called me up. He is in town for two or three days on his way back to the States as an instructor and perhaps he’ll see some of you if he gets any leave in South Carolina. If so he can give you a better idea I suppose of how things are going over here then any letters I might write. He is still in town and expect to see him again tonight. He told me something I didn’t know – that Horton has got his Captaincy and also Hertz Brown. He also said that he had had a letter from Spartanburg saying that I had the same thing but no such good luck as yet; his correspondent was quite mistaken about it though, if things continue to break well for the next month or two, I am told by my chief there may be something doing. However, I shan’t believe anything of that kind until I see it. Promotions seem to be much more easy at home then with the A.E.F.

Along that line noticed from one of your clippings that both Monroe and Dick Johnson had gone up a grade. Didn’t know it before though Dick told me at Xmas that that would probably occur in the next few months.

Am glad to say the weather has gone back to summertime within the past week and it is now reasonably warm again. Along with the warm weather and moonlight nights we’ve also had the Gothas with us again. They came down three nights last week and the alert was sounded again last night but they didn’t get to town that time.

Had an interesting and pleasant experience yesterday afternoon. Was having tea at this Country Club to which I go when possible with some French friends when we were joined by the British ambassador, Lord Derby, whom they know well and I came back with them and him in his car. He was most pleasant and I enjoyed the experience of meeting and riding with such a big bug – have found all the English I’ve met on this side an awfully good sort anyhow and want to see more of England sometime if possible.

Hope everything is going well with you at home,

Love to all, Carl

Thomas C. Montgomery

2^ndLt. Inf. R.C.