The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-12-19

On Active Service with the
American Expeditionary Force.
Nov. 90, 1918.
Dear Mother and Father:
It's two months since have
received any mail at all and person
naturally loses all desire to write.
But am taking it for granted that
you are writing very often. At least
/ expect Beaucoup" mail when l
get back to my company.
Well I really don't know what to
write about, unless it's about war
and that's over with. remember
you asking me different times through
letters whether landed in England
or France, ard many other questions.
l ALWAYS refused to answer 'em. I'll
just state few points Of this army
life. Perhaps it will interest you all.
Landed in England. and marched
out to a so-called Rest Camp. Re-
manned there for a few days, then
crossed the channel to France, where
we were transported to northwestern
France by railway There we COM
pleted our training and we drilled
tremendously bard every day, to get
in better condition to meet our enemy.
One day while out on target prac-
tice an order came to Co. P. G. which
read: Be ready to move up and take
over quiet sector. Have three ser
geants to 60 as advanced parties at
once was fortunate enough to
be one. Immediately packed my
exit bag, " strapped it on my ehoul-
ders, and the three of US set off to-
gether We marched, marched, and
marched-fnally' an auto overlook U.s.
We speared ride for two kilometers.
then marched some more.
1t grew dusk when we reached our
objective. Here we stopped to rest
a few minutes, then went out to 10
cate gun positions. On my way out
the Germans threw over few shelie.
said to myself "Hello! Thought
this was supposed to be quiet sec
tor" The Co. joined US the following
day. We mounted machine guns and
took full possession of the sector, and
were proud to be in the game.
But it wasn't many days until an
other order came-to prepare for a
big drive, which started at 2 a. m.
Sept. 18th. At dusk we packed our
equipment and advanced out into No
Mans Land near ruined town
which was held by the enemy at that
time. Here we dug machine gun en-
placements, mounted guns and sight
ed 'em on our objective. At mid
night all guns were set. with gunner
flying behind the gun, finger on trjg.
ger, waiting for that command
"Fire!"
At 2 a. m. all guns opened fire on
q 77-mile front. You could hear bull
let's whiz past your head, hand gren.
ades explode, and see the landscape
lighted up by countless shells, ano
see the hillside afire like the furnace
rooms of hill. l dare say "the A.
merican soldier fears nothing even il
death locks him squarely in the face.
He keeps cool headed, and self con,
trolled." But there is one thins
that gets his nerve; it's when he see,
his buddy next to him get bumped
off, which is many times the case.
On the whole front the A. +. F
kept stepping on the enemy's heels
When night would Come we'd stop Il
camp. Dig hole in the ground large
enough for two, and with one blanke
and sIicker we'd put up for the nigh
regardless of the weather conditions
and take it from me we experience,
some very disagreeable weather. Blu
we gained victory every minute
, Many prisoners were taken, and man
French women and children, who wer