The most surprising aspect to the writer about being in France is how sparsely the countryside is populated. He expresses his initial belief that France would be densely populated, but describes the area around his new camp as being raw and unimproved, with few structures and vast stretches of land, contrasting sharply with his expectations.
Letter from Charles Stanley Lamb
Dear Mother:
Just got your letter of June 14 in which you had received my voyage letter. That seems a long time ago now but I’m glad you got that one. It is the longest I have written.
I’ve finally got ink and that leads to the story. We’ve moved to another camp; where would not interest you as did, no doubt, Mehun no doubt you have located on the family atlas. Our happy days there are over for our present location is raw unimproved wood and field in part of which we pitched our little tents “Pioneering” is right. I had an indefinite impression that France was inhabited fairly densely, but for miles around this place “Sleepy Holly” is as a mad, busy city. About every 10 miles there is a grand chateau of some duke or no-ah-count. A few caretakers huts and barns (combined for the saving of land or warmth or something) add to the sum total impression of rusticallity not so much by visual evidence as by odoriferous testimony.
Your letter is very precious to me. I can appreciate your feelings at knowing I was “over.” As for me, well, we have learned not to think too much of home. It hurts with a deep lasting sting. Daily we are seared by the lash of army life and its requirements the seeming injustices which like God’s Providence must be “right” if we knew the All but in the heat of the day’s sun they hurt. The ones that put on a “hard boiled” veneer get by the best.
. . .
Don’t forget I studied French as well as German & get along fairly well for the simple things I need. German will help more in the larger cities but I’m not giving it much attention. Two German prisoners are on the farm near here & I may run into them. Of course my German is far better than my French What Reg. is Carl Thompson with? I don’t need money just now but run out completely a week before pay day perhaps a buck now and then may get me new blades or soap or something. Don’t worry about that tho. Every line of this letter written finished in the dusk propped up on my knee high abode & finished as taps sounds thru the woods is underlined with Love.
Charles S. Lamb
Pvt 1st CL Co B 318 Engers
From Letters Home: World War I Letters of Charles Stanley Lamb, Edited by Betty Boyd and George Lamb, via the Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
What is most surprising to the writer about being in France?
(1 point)
Responses
how many German prisoners are nearby
how many German prisoners are nearby
how soldiers cope with being homesick
how soldiers cope with being homesick
how he will get to practice his French
how he will get to practice his French
how sparsely the countryside is populated
how sparsely the countryside is populated
Remaining Attempts : 3
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1 answer