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  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in oa_core_visibility_data() (line 607 of /app/profiles/viu/modules/contrib/oa_core/includes/oa_core.access.inc).
Date: June 7th 1915
To
Family
From
Perry Sanderson
Letter

Monday, Channel, June 7, 1915  Dear Folks, Well, the journey is well nigh over. It has been a pretty quiet trip once we left the St. Lawrence it ceased to be anyway eventful except for slight seasickness on my part. Well the seasickness made me feel pretty rotten but with exception of half a day I don't figure I was real bad. There was very little seasickness- Gos not being affected at all. We had absolutely no rough weather, only the swell on the ocean which rocked the boat very little. With the exception of one day, the weather was warm- at times pretty near hot. Got along very nicely without my sacrificed underwear. At present we are hiking right along in a pretty fair fog. It is hard to realize we are the danger zone-the old boat seems to be so solid and the water is quiet and peaceful looking. Last night there was a small touch of apprehension abroad caused by the fact that all the lifeboats, or at least all that could be, were swung out and we had to sleep on deck. Also, we had seen or heard nothing of an escort. This feeling soon wore off and we made shape to sleep as best we could. Sergeant Tabar gave us a call at eleven to get up and see the phosphorous on the water. It was really a fine sight as the ship was slipping along with absolutely no lights. Well, turned in again but fellows were climbing over me every now and again. Besides it got pretty cold so about three began to look around and discovered that we had a torpedo boat destroyer on each side of us. They are certainly a slick looking rig, being fairly high in front and going right down low behind. Carry two or three fair sized looking guns and seem to have four torpedo tubes and evidently speed to burn. About noon, straight ahead and a little to the right of us appeared a very good- looking substitute for a periscope. It stood two or three feet out of the water and seemed to be coming towards us. One of the boats sprinted right up and charged right over the suspicious object, which I guess, was a log or something equally as harmless. Saw quite a few boats in the distance; don't know their breed though. One was a sailing boat in full sail-it looked fine. Can't see very much now. They had the Batt. Machine guns rigged up behind and several nights had practice. Well, must post this as soon as we pull in which will be about 10 p.m. With love to all, Perry Well, just past the Eddystone lighthouse. Also noted many ships in the distance. One or two came near us of the British navy. There seems to be lots of them, the only thing is that it is dark and impossible to locate the ships. The Germans may be submarineing a few ships but judging from the ones that are knocking around here there are lots that are escaping. One noticeable thing on our boat is the number of boys, both in the dining rooms and on deck. Tuesday morning Arrived in harbour last night, Plymouth. I guess we are anchored here, will move sometime today. It certainly looks nice on the shore, high hills just around here, nice patches of green on them, and here and there a cannon in view. Well, goodbye this time, Love to all, Perry