Camp Edwards Mass. Aug 12 3 PM 1941

CAMP EDWARDS MASS.
AUG 12
3 PM
1941

Miss Florence Cauchon
21 Haskell St.
No. Cambridge
Mass.

UNITED STATES ARMY
CAMP EDWARDS, MASS.

 UNITED STATES ARMY

CAMP EDWARDS, MASS.

Monday

Dear Florence,

     Many thanks for your letter which I received last friday. I'm terribly sorry I couldn't see you over the week-end but maybe I will be able to see you on one of my furlough days. That's in september about the third week. I'm glad you explained your feelings, but regardless, I still love you and hope we can see each other as very close friends as we have been right along. Of course I'll be gone for quite a while, three months the least and possibly a lot more I'll be writing you as usual. It's always very soothing to receive news from one so dear and understanding as you. So keep writing as usual and it will make me feel as happy as humanly possible in this outfit.

     I went to see my sister Florence in Wane sunday and was tickled to see her again. We stayed only half an hour because that's as long as I was allowed in order to catch my train back to camp. Dolly came (bo) with us and Rose and Joe. When I got home saturday the kids surprised me greatly by letting me find out by myself that dad had bought a new GE radio with automatic phone. It's a grand piece of furniture, beautiful to see and beautiful to hear. It made me jealous. My records are grand when played on it.

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You must hear it when I see you again. The army is, as you say working us rather hard these days. Last week from thursday A.M. at four till I went home saturday, I only got about five hours sleep. I was certainly over tired. Those maneuvres sure kill us. Having gotten a nice rest saturday night, I'm right in the spirit of things again. Today being a nice warm day we went for a nice ten mile march with helmets and pack on our back. My feet are too tired so tonight the bed is the place for me. We're due for a long march once a week from now on. Did you have a nice time at Mary Livingstone camp? Have you seen Rose De Petro lately? I was greatly surprised to hear that you saw "Sa Huchinson" in the fair city. And didn't she even ask about me? I must be completely forgotten now. If I'm around when she's in town let me know and I'll go see her do her stuff. How's Juliette and Adolphe getting along are they OK again. Have you heard anything about his concert in Maine. Wether or not it was successful. I still haven't seen or heard from him since I've been drafted. This thing changes one's life and friends considerably. My folks have certainly shown me how close we are together. That's all that keeps my spirits half on the right road. Well my dear I'll be saying au-revoir for tonight. I'll be waiting for an answer now

Lovingly

Charlie

Lynn Mass. Aug 4 830 PM 1941

LYNN MASS.
AUG 4
830 PM
1941

Miss Florence Cauchon
21 Haskell St
No. Cambridge
Mass.

Pvt. Chas C Dupuis
Btry E 102 F.A
Camp Edwards

 102ND FIELD ARTILLERY

UNITED STATES ARMY

Saturday

Hello darling;

     Having not heard from you for two weeks I am writing again wondering wether or not you received my last letter sent to you at Wells. It's possible I may have misspelled the man's name or the town, but as yet the letter has not been returned to me as person unknown. I hope I'm not already listed among your forgotten list. Every day I've been waiting, each mail, expecting your letter but every day, the same reply -- nothing. Not seeing you for such a long time, my mind has been with you constantly. Or maybe there is someone more important. If so please tell me darling so I won't keep on thinking as I do. I'm hoping you say no to that. For me my sweet there is only one you and nobody can replace you or fill your shoes. So please write me again and let me know everything is still the same. I'll be looking forward to a reply early in the week, so dear please don't disappoint me. I'm coming home again next saturday. Is there a chance of us getting together. Either saturday or sunday or both. I myself prefer both. I can get you 

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saturday, you can meet me at the train or if that's not possible, whenever you see best fit. The first train comes in about two in the afternoon. I'll be looking for you with eagerness. This is my week-end in camp and boy, is it hot! At present, I'm writing again while on regimental guard near our trucks and guns. I'm sitting on a board using a big box for a writing desk. If my paper has too many folds well excuse me because I have to duck the letter when I'm on my way back to the guardhouse. I've got a guard again tonight and another tomorrow night. It's a busy week-end for me. I was home last week and had friends down from Manchester. All the family was over also. I'm expecting Thil and the gang here tomorrow afternoon. We leave for a three week maneuvre pretty soon now. In the meantime I only wish congress would pass that bill releasing us selectees over 28. Every day I look for good news in that respect. Now it look quite favorable. Last week I saw Bette Davis in the Great Lie and what a grand picture that was! It opened with the piano concerto by Czykouski (wrong spelling I guess) the one you and I both heard at our last date and it played nearly all thru the picture. Then toward the end it played Chopin Waltz in C sharp minor. It was such a grand film. I could have seen it right over again. Naturally, the minute I heard the 

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music right away you were by my side. Did you see it? Mary Astor played the role of the concert pianist. I never dreamed it would be such a fine film. Did you go to any other choice shows while you were on vacation? If you saw something extra-ordinary do tell me about it or again you can hold it till saturday if I see you. Tell me did you have a swell rest at Wells? Did Juliette enjoy herself too. We don't get our week's furlough until the middle of september, just before we leave for North Carolina. That damned place! Last thursday night I was on duty guarding our gun park from 2AM till four. My relief did not come out till six. I was here for four hours, it seemed like a month. I just got one hour of sleep that night, and I certainly felt lousy the next day. Last thursday and wednesday we were up near the Blue Hills outside Mattapan, there in the woods on maneuvres. I didn't sleep for two solid days. When we came back to camp on Wednesday night I looked like the wreck of the Hesperus. As soon as I ate and washed and shaved I went directly to bed and slept as if I were dead. Gee was I tired and everybody else too. And to make it more miserable it rained something fierce while we were out and we had to eat our meals in the rain. The food was cold and full of rain water by the time I downed it. What memoirs. I heard this morning that we are going out again monday for two days and thursday for two days. They keep it up and

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they'll kill me yet. So far I stand up pretty good regardless of my advanced age. Oh yes by the way, for my birthday, I was given a quart of gin, one whisky, one port wine and Marie and Freddy gave me "Finlandia" by Sibelius recorded by Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. It is a grand recording You must hear it next week-end. I have drinks for a while now, and everlastingly hauntingly beautiful music. Last sunday Ethel and Al took me up to RKO Boston theatre to see Mata Haré with Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro. It was swell altho rather old fashioned photography. We enjoyed it immensely. I read in the paper last sunday that Adolphe was giving a show as the Manoir Normandie with the assistance of his Concert Group. Was Juliette included in the show. Did you by any chance go to see it? I suppose he can hold much of an audience inside and still have sufficient room to dance. He may've had it outside on the grass, that would be easy on the feet. It also said he was opening a summer school. Do you believe that? It sounds like balony to me. Nobody would take lessons up there in the summer time anyway. Unless its some of the old gang there for a vacation and a little practice. I see Kassovska's coming to the Opera House this fall with the Ballet Russe. I'd like to see it but it looks rather slim at present. Well my sweet I must be saying au-revoir for today hoping to see you this coming week-end--please also don't forget to write. I'll look every day for your mail. Lovingly yours

Charlie

Regards to the

family

and Juliette

1-4-3

Transcriber's Note:

I believe the "Ballet Russe" Charles was referring to was The Russian Ballet.

Camp Edwards Mass. Jul 22 3 PM 1941

CAMP EDWARDS MASS.
JUL 22
3 PM
1941

Miss Florence Cauchon
c/o Mr. Fred Pelchot
P.O. Box #134
Webhannet
Maine

Pvt. Chas Dupuis
102 FA. Btry E
Camp Edwards Mass.

 102ND FIELD ARTILLERY

UNITED STATES ARMY

Monday

My dear Florence

     Thanks for the eagerly awaited letter which I received last friday. I am happy to see that you are having a nice vacation. I can only hope to be out of here when my year is up, that will constitute all the vacation for me. I was home sunday and again, missed you terribly. It seems years since I last saw you. I would love to see you again soon, but it looks as if it may be three weeks yet. I'm home this coming week-end, but you won't be, then the next I'm at camp so I won't see you, but the third week end, my hopes run very high in seeing my darling (you) again. Be sure and keep it open for me. Saturday and sunday. We must make up for lost time. Last sunday the 20th was my birthday. I was 31 years old. The kids were all over and they had a cake for me. They made a mistake and only put 30 candles on it. I guess they want to keep me young. Maybe now my years become younger instead of older. It must be my turning point. Ethel and Al gave me a qt. of ale and Mabel and Alcide a quart of whiskey. I still have plenty of it left for you and I my sweet. They got me that because that's all I have any use for now. Clothing etc. I can't appreciate because I cant wear them only sundays. So you see that's all they could possibly give me for gift. Then what's nice about Ethel, I can

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treat them for a few weeks to come. I had to leave for camp rather early. I took the eight oclock train back. It was rather nice in a way because I was here and in bed at 10:30 so I get a good nights rest. Speaking of rest I hope this week Juliette and yourself will get plenty. Remember me to Juliette and give her my best regards, and while you're at it, don't forget me. I still love you and you only dear with all my heart. Last week I went to Newburyport to see friends I had not seen for two years. A fellow who worked for me down at Stone's Express. His wife and the baby. It's a farm and I enjoyed my short stay with them. They want to see me again soon. They write to me quite regularly. Well darling have you taken any pictures on your holidays. Did you see any other good shows in N.Y., besides going to Radio City? When I go to N.Y. I always make sure to go there too; because it's part of the journey for me. Are you going bathing very much at Wells. My sore knee is completely healed now. Lately we've been going out quite a bit on overnight problems; and then they let us sleep for three hours the next morning. I don't mind it very much now, because I'm getting accustomed to it. We've been out twice in the last week and expect at least one trip overnight this week. They are breaking us in for our maneuvres down south, which we are due for supposedly sometime in september. It's to last for three months, possibly more. As far as I know we will be going to Fort Bragg where some 100,000 troops will be on practice. Our furlough originally set for the first week of August has been pushed back to September 15th. Maybe when that time comes it will be pushed back to December, then possibly indefinitely. They can keep the furlough providing they let me go home when my twelve months have

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elapsed. Anyway who in grass wants to go for a vacation in september when it starts to get cold. Excuse me. The summer time is vacation time for me. Talking about the phrase (excuse me) which I do say occasionally, some of the boys here get quite a kick out of it, and these last few days every time I go down stairs I barely get through the door when about ten ("Well excuse me!") comes thru for a greeting then they all laugh like H..-l. What a bunch. Even while I eat my meals, it's excuse me. I guess I've got something started unintentionally. So now I change my mode of expression to pardon me. I asked them what was so droll and they said it's the way I accentuate the word excuse. To me it's only natural, but to them it's comic. I'm glad to see I bring some birds happiness a little. Today we went out on the firing range for a little target practice on the automatic pistols and I'm still very vague when it comes to accuracy in shooting. I still can't hit the bulls eye even if they gave me a shovel full of peas to do it with. My score for the first five rounds was 18 out of 50. My second 17 out of 50 and the third 38 out of 100. So darling you never have to be afraid of me with a pistol in my hand, and Mr. Hitler in Germany need posses no fear for me either. He's perfectly safe

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wether I be a soldier or not. There still are plenty guys here who are away worse off than I am. some got 4 out of 100 and some don't even come anywhere near the eye. Possibly if we had some practice at least once a week or twice we may get so that we could hit a barn door at a distance of ten feet or so. That would be praise for me. It makes three weeks since we've been out shooting the big guns. They want to spare the shells for a better purpose maybe. Well we had some supper tonight! Frankfurt soup and mashed potatoes. Excuse me, but such a mess! I cooked Kilbacy and Kapoosta last night at home. The same food I cooked one night darling when you were over. Every body found it excellent. Mariel and Friday went to the White Mts over the week-end so I didn't see them when I went home. Our fair city made the Boston papers this week. A 19 year old girl was murdered and the body thrown in the woods on the outskirts. There was also a murder in Reading a fifteen year old girl. This is getting to be an awful place to live for girls. Never safe it seems. So darling please be very careful of yourself. I don't want anything to happen to my loved one, because maybe some day soon, when I am released from this concentration camp, you and I can become as one. I hope I will see my dreams come true, providing it be agreeable with you. It's about time we do, because we're no kids now! advancing in years - especially me. Well my dear, I must bid you au-revoir, sending you all my love and best wishes, bye darling, Lovingly yours

Charlie

Camp Edwards Mass. Jul 2 11 AM 1941

CAMP EDWARDS MASS.
JUL 8
11 AM 1941

Miss Florence Cauchon
21 Haskell St.
No Cambridge
Mass

C Dupuis

 102ND FIELD ARTILLERY

UNITED STATES ARMY

Monday

Hello Flo;

     Thanks / for your letter which I got on saturday. It broke the monotony of a very long stay in the camp here. I was very fortunate, on friday two cars of family came up. They got here about 3 in the afternoon, they remained here until about ten. I felt swell after seeing them. Then as soon as they left, I had to go out on a twenty four hour guard. I was certainly tired after that session, but thru that your letter arrived so that pleased me beyond expression. After that the rest of the week-end was quite pleasing. There were very few visitors in camp and few sight seers. There were no fireworks at all permissable on any of the camp area. So it was plenty dead here. Before I go any further, excuse the blob I made at the beginning of this letter. My pen isn't awfully good. Darling you'll excuse me I know. Glad to hear you had a nice time at Rockport. There was nothing exciting here over the fourth nor at home either. The family missed me plenty because I always raised plenty of H. .-l. over that day and I most certainly missed being home. All I yearn for is that I may be with them a year from now. With you my dear.

     I shall write you while you are at the big city and also while you are at Wells.

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I was to the show last night to see Andy Hardy's Private Secretary. It was very good. There was a vocalist who sang Strauss' Voices of Spring also the Mad Scene from Lucia. She alone was worth the price of admission. Did you see it?

     Today, clumsy as I am, I fell out of a truck and hurt my knee. It's quite sore right now and it has begun to swell. I hope it gets no worse. I put iodine etc on it a short while ago, maybe by tomorrow, it will be all gone. Furthermore tomorrow night we are going out on those lousy bivouac, for one night I hope, and no more. I hope it rains a plenty so we'll come back and sleep here at camp. Maybe I'll come back injured some more because they feel quite playful when we go out. I'm glad when it's all over.

     I'm sorry it's going to be such a long time before I see you again. I guess I'll get together with you about the first week of august or the last week of July. It's a very long time my sweet, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, altho it's plenty fond right now. Don't forget to send me your Wells address because I'll write you there and don't forget me while you are in the big city. Enjoy yourself dear to the utmost and write me soon, I'm still waiting and sending you all my love with best wishes for a pleasant journey I am as ever

Lovingly

Charlie

Camp Edwards Mass. Jul 2 9 AM 1941

CAMP EDWARDS MASS.
JUL 2
9 AM
1941

Miss Florence Cauchon
21 Haskell St.
No. Cambridge
Mass.

Pvt. Chas C. Dupuis
102 F.A Btry E
Camp Edwards, Mass

 102ND FIELD ARTILLERY

UNITED STATES ARMY

Tuesday

Hello darling;

     Sorry I could not see you last sunday. After all I did get my leave. I didn't find out until 11 oclock saturday morning, and as long as you wanted to go to Rockpart, I wouldn't butt in and interfere. I stayed in all day sunday. Mabel and Alcide were over so I passed the day quite favorably. Saturday evening I was to go to a shower with Pete as I had told you previously, but things were rather confused when I got home, so instead of going to the shower, I went with Rose and Joe to a weenie roast at the grove in Lynnfield where I had gone to the polish picnic on Memorial Day. There were about 20 of us there, mostly all young folks (about my age). There was beer (ice cold) a plenty also whiskey candy etc. The frankfurters were certainly excellent. I loaded and ate several, with beer as a chaser. Then there was dancing in the hall. One of the fellows has a public amplifier system and he played some excellent polish polkas also some Strauss Waltzs. They had a contest in the waltzing, and who should be picked as the best waltzer, but me. Well excuse me. For the prize, we got a nice big drink. Ok'd by me.

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We finally broke up, and I got home at 1:45 AM. very tired and feeling quite the quite. I forgot to mention, the mosquitoes there were terrific. I got no sting marks but got bit plenty. I'm so full of serum, I must have killed the insects when they stuck me. I got another injection last week. This time for lockjaw. We are to get two more within the next few weeks. The only way to keep clean of the mosquitos was to keep dancing and keep a going fast, which I could do quite ably. As for you dear did you have a good time at the Lodge in Rockpark? I hope you did. I missed you terribly sunday, regardless of having company. It looks as if I can't see you for quite a long spell. This is my week-end in and my next leave on the 11th you'll be gone to New York. It will be a long time dear very long and you can rest assured I'll be thinking of you constantly. Of course there may still be a chance of my seeing you before you go away. I hope so. Last week I said they were generous not making me wash dishes for a week, well they made a mistake, I washed from tuesday thru saturday but I am finally off now, thank God. I got the paper home, the issue that you wanted with my photo on the front page, so when I see you darling, I shall give it to you. Sweetheart I guess this will be all for today. Hoping to hear the Concert soon on our machine. I am as ever longing for you and sending you all my love with thousands of kisses, waiting a reply real soon because this is to be an awful long week end to stay in this darned place. so write before sunday if you will my sweet. Lovingly Charlie