mais de la cité thermale qui servit d'hôpital (voir le casino en rôle d'hôpital Fougerolles n°172bis dans les liens plus loin) et de lieu de villégiature pour les soldats alliés.A titre d'illustration, voici deux lettres datées des lendemains de l'armistice et extraites de http://www.aspenbreeze.com/holden/Holden/LettersFromMartin.htm :
November 14, 1918
Challes-les-Eaux, France
Dear Folks,
Well here I am again and feeling fine and I never had so much time since I came to the Army as I have now as I am on rest leave or furlough "way down south" where we can play baseball or go ski jumping or spend all day climbing mountains that connect with the clouds and on a misty day it is hard to tell which is which.
These leaves are granted to organizations upon a certain length of service overseas and I believe for splendid service at the front.
This change was so sudden it was almost too good to be true. It seems so funny not to hear any screaming shrapnel going by and the particular difference is that the autos and trucks go on here at night with their headlights on. Funny, isn't it?
I have already made an arrangement with my landlord to have my luncheon ready early for next Sunday, when I am going up to take a whiff of the clouds.
Everything is considerably Americanized here now and according to the papers we get here, the Germans are considerably now too. Well of what I have seen these last few days there is not a happier lot that the French people are now. The old gray stone buildings have been given a different color very recently - that of the Allied flags. And through all the places I have traveled, I could always see Old Glory either on top or in the center. And all this went along loud cheering and singing. Wherever they would scout our bunch they would shout "Vive La Amerique".
Well, I assume you think I will meet some of the boys here, but I don't think so as this country is not as small as it seems to be.
Well, so long till next time. With best regards to all.
Sincerely,
Martin I Holden
Co B 307th Eng
American E. F.
APO #742
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November 18, 1918
Challes-les-Eaux, France
Dear Sister (envelope is addressed to Miss Alma Holden)
I expect to get a letter or two from you when i report back for duty so on the thought of that i'll drop you a line or two.
I am enjoying good health but that is not all. Am also enjoying some grand scenes here, some of nature's masterpieces. Anyway the sights are a whole lot more pleasant to gaze upon than what i am used to lately. You have i assume studied about the Alps. Well there is where i am, almost only 15 miles from Italy.
By the way i am having a vacation now, which i am spending at Challes-les-Eaux, near Chambery to the east of Lyons.
This used to be a summer resort and gambling place when the crowned sports of Europe used to come and spend fortunes. But these dens are used for YMCA buildings now. The one here at Challes is called the "Casino" and the one at Aix-les-Bains "The Grand Circle", the largest gambling den in the world. It sure makes an ideal YMCA.
Here at Aix-les-Bains we get hot sulphur baths in the same place that the Romans used to take their baths in. This place dates back 1 Century BC. The water has a peculiar odor that of sulphur. When we get in to the room where the water comes in at, it is as if though a dozen boxes of sulphur matches were on fire. The water itself tastes as if it was burned. Can you scorch water?
Oh yes i was up on top of Mount St. Mitchell this afternoon. It took me just two hours to get to the top. Here a picked a few flowers growing, although it was about an inch of snow around them. It was not a very good day as it was quite cloudy and i was right in the clouds while on top. Quite cool too.
You see we are permitted to mention the places we are in while on "rest leave" but as soon as i report back for duty, the curtain drops again, where it'll stay till this job is finished for good. But i have had a very good time since i landed here. It's a whole lot of diff. from ducking shrapnel and machine gun bullets i tell you.
You see all organizations are all granted a vacation or rest leave after a certain length of service overseas and i believe for splendid services at the front.
Well i not going to take up much more of your time just now.
Please find enclosed a photo i had taken here. It's rather tame looking, eh?
With best wishes and a Merry Xmas to you i remain.
As ever yours,
Pvt. Martin I. Holden
Co. B 307th Eng.
A.P.O. #742
American E. F.
A voir "Challes-les-Eaux dans la Grande Guerre"http://www.voyeaud.org/Travaux/Livres/Challes/14-18/Challes%20les%20eaux%20dans%20la%20grande%20guerre.htm
