16 Oct October 16, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
England
Oct. 16, 1944
Mon. 6:15 p.m.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

It’s raining like hell outside, and am I glad I’m not in any old tent tonite.
Besides it raining all day off and on, it is cold and very, very miserable.
Boy the Limies can sure take this country and stick it up there - Well they can
have it anyway.  The Germans didn’t capture this country for one reason only.
They found out what it was like and decided it was not worth taking.

Received another package today but no letters.  I would rather have had a
letter or two.  This package was the one containing the Lux soap.  For which I
thank you very much.  However, so far have been able to

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buy enough soap.  No doubt when I move on though, that situation will change so
I can always use it.  Of course we don’t get Lux Soap.  It’s usually some make
I have never heard of before or Life Boy.

Got put on a detailed job today that is right in line with my civilian work.
As a result of my previous experience[,] [I] was put in charge.  Have a detail
of five men and we are laying a concrete floor in the basement of the local Red
Cross.  Since everything has to be done by hand the job should take at least a
week.  And unless things happen around here they say we will be on the job to
the end which will suit me because, besides having bankers’ hours and not
working too hard, we get away from Army routine a little and that’s a blessing
any time.  However, I am not too optimistic about

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finishing the job, as you may be getting a change of address from me most any
time for which I am going to be very unhappy.

Have I told you about our finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
There was no gold in it but I did find the end of the rainbow.  I know that
sounds nuts but it’s the truth and I have plenty of ’I’s in here to back up my
statement.  Sat. P.M., while out in the field close to camp in the rain the sun
suddenly came out and lo and behold there was the most beautiful rainbow I have
ever seen.  Through some freak of nature one end of it was not a 100 yards from
where we sat.  There was a pretty good sized hill a short distance away and the
end of the rainbow was distinctly between us and the hill.  Believe it or not,
it was a beautiful sight and one I don’t suppose one

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sees very often during a lifetime.  This is a crazy country, just another thing
to make it even more so.

Not much more to write about tonight.  There is plenty I would like to tell you
but suppose it would just be wasting paper because they would just cut it out.
By the way, let me know just how cut up my letters are.  Perhaps I am saying
too much or not enough already.  I think it’s pretty darn hard sometimes to
know just how far to go and where to stop.  Some of the boys get their letters
sent back to be rewritten.  That hasn’t happened to me yet anyhow.

Well my dears, enough for this time.  Certainly hope to get some up-to-date
letters from you soon.  Until then I love you both very much and sure wish I
were there instead of here.

Daddy