Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-10-24
GERMAN SHELLS
WHISTLE ABOVE
HUGO FALES HEAD
MAIL SENT HIM FROM BELDING
ARRIVES IN FRANCE IN
TWENTY DAYS
September 20, 1917.

september ~, 1917.
Dear Father and Mother:
Just received your letter tonight,
written September l, that is pretty
good time, isn't it? / sure am get
ting a lot of experience and it is the
kind that it would be impossible to
get in any other way. We live good
and have not had very much work so
far. We had steady work for twen-
ty-four hours the other day but we
have been off for three days now and
it gets awful tiresome laying around
camp. / haven't been with the regu-
lar section very much as they send
me out alone on odd jobs and | like
bother you. / have been carrying
ammunition mostly.
| have. everything l need so far
When we want anything extra to eat
we have a store and can buy lots of
things there. We can go to town ev-
cry night if we want to. | was down
last night and had ham and eggs and
sure did fill up. The only thing
miss is American tobacco and cigars.
We can't buy it here and the French
give US tobacco, but it is not fit to
smoke.
You spoke about the American
army taking this corps over. They
will be here to examine us tomorrow
and think | shall join it, but am go
ing to try and get transfer to the
ambulance. 1t doesn't make much
difference but you are your own boss
on an ambulance and can do just as
you please.
The more work | get over here the
better ! SIN satisfied.
When we were down town last
night we met some regulars of the
us. army. They were officers from
West Point and were going to the
trenches to inspect them. They treat
ed US very nice and we had a long
talk with them. They don't see how
the war can last any length of time.
We were out the other night and
drove around by the light of the Ger
man star shells and it was very ex-
citing. We see the big shells break
very often and hear them whistle
over our heads, but it don't bother
me in the least, that is, it hasn't so
far.
They had a big air battle over our
heads this noon and we all hiked for
the dugouts /and wore our tin hass,
but it was Sall over in a short time.
The Germans shelled a town the
other day that ! happened to be near
and could hear the big shells coming.
and hear them strike. They sent one
along about every seven minutes and
started at eleven a. m. and quit at
one p. M. We just set and watched
the whole thing through. These guns
are the largest ones the Germans
have and are called No. 255 and they
are about two-inch gun.
We heards the other day that the
LA Toussine," that is the name of
the boat that | came over on had gone
to the bottom.
was talking to some German pris-
oners and they told me that London
was all blown to pieces by the Ger
man zepplins. That is what their
government tells them to give them
courage.
| had a letter from Palmer telling
in. / am i'm another section very near
him, and | meet their section often on
the road. | wrote him and will look
him up as soon as | can.
| have Joined the u. S. army in the
quartermaster's department and we
will probably be left right here where
we are. This service was taken over
and most of the boys joined it, at
least all of them that could get in.
There is lot of them who were re-
jected and will be sent back to the
states. The u. S. will furnish US all
our clothing and we will be able to
buy American tobacco.
/ will have the same address until
you hear from me to the contrary. l.
am having good time, feeling fine,
and everything is sailing lovely at
the front.
From your affectionate SON.
Hugo.
T. M. 397 Pelaten 4 Par B. C. NJ,
Paris. France,