Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-11-29
LETTER FROM FRANCE.

The following letter was received
this week by Mrs. w. NJ. Roger from
her son, Lieut.. Tom Jeff Roger, who
is a meber of the Rainbow Division.
1t is known that this division took
part in the first battle fought by the
American army, and it seems, from
this letter that it was in at the last.
The letter is as follows:
Valley of the Meuse,
October 21st, 1918
Ny Dear Mother-This stationery
is altogether out of keeping with the
surroundings here, but l just hap
pened to have it in my pocket
Well, the G. and H. Co.'S "hopped
over" for 166th Inf, in conjunction
with first army here last week-a
week ago today to be exact. After
we had hoped from shell hole to
hole for a kilo and half we quit
hopping, the main reason being the
fact that the way was blocked with
innumerable machine guns and boche
and second was, that after leaving
out with 230 men and thre officers
we found it was rather hard to cover
500 yards of ground with 60 men and
two officers. Nevertheless we had
advanced farther than any one else
in army corps. 1t was awful First
place we all went in unwillingly, as
all we had heard was peace, peace,
peace, and believe me it was hard to
go over. 1t all seemed to us to be
so useless. Lieut.. Mcbride, who had
just joined us, got broken leg 100
yards out. l would have given him
latera thousand dollars for it. One
minute later my stretcher bearers
were blown to atoms; next my run
ners got it, then a shell knocked my
helmet off and me down. / looked
around, trying and hoping to find a
"blighty" but no such luck.
How we few got through that Boch
barrage and that rain Of machine gun
bullets, is a marvel to me. The Hun
is great fighter with machine guns
until he runs out of bullets-then
it's "Kamerad." He tried that on
US, shooting us down until he was
out of ammunition, and then the
bloody beggar comes running out
with uplifted hands shouting 'Kame-
rad" All can say is that we saved
just enough Of them for the Intelli-
gence department to question for in
formation. Besides we hadn't enough
to eat ourselves. Don't believe any,
thing about the Boche starving, etc. |
They have better fare than we have
and are better equipped,two to one.
Well, thank goodness, we got re-
lieved right after the attack by the
third battalion and we are now three |
or four kilos back of front line. 1t |
has been raining nealy every day, and |
it's mud, mud, mud. You should see |
Lieut.. Steele and l. We hive hole |
in the ground covered by three Boche
doors, and some shelter halfs. Boche |
had number of barracks around |
here, so we got little stove and are
as comfortable as can be under the
conditions. We are ais about
as dirty as they make them. Steele |
hasn't had his socks off in five weeks
now and we can't remember when we
have had our clothes off, except for
a few minutes at a time when they
become unbearable. We just sit here
and laugh about it, and wonder what
our people would say if they knew
it. Thewar news is glorious these
days. The boche is giving away
every where but here, and he can't
afford to give in here. There is
difference of opinion, but the general
belief is that if we make this turn
in the trenches here, (that is, make
our stay) a fellow will make the war.
I wish they would give the Rain
bow a rest. It is a sad fact, but it
is not the old "42." The infantry is
nearly all drafted men now and we
will go out and fill up gain for the
next killing. Lieut.. Silbert is in hos
pital and that leaves only Steele and
with the company. There is going
to be another attack in day or two,
first battalion makes it, and I hope
tehy will succeed. If they don't we
will have to go back in. All we can
do, though, is to laugh and bear it,
for it is the RAINBOW Forever"
Love to all. Atty,
T. J. KOGER.