Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-30
OUR BOYS
OUR CQuN1RY'S SERVICE
Somewhere in France.

received your letter some time
ago but could not write at the time
so will try to make up for lost time
and answer now.
You were right in thinking l would
be glad to get a letter from you If
only a few lines. The night | re-
Ceived it | was at the front, and
after | had read it | felt as though |
could charge Fritzie's positions and
drive him back about four miles
single handed. ] guess if | had tried
it | wouldn't be writing this letter to
you tonight, for while believe
E'ritzie has deep respect for the
Sammies' fighting ability, | don't be-
lieve a little runt like me would
brighten a great number of them
very much.
| suppose Ma is doing great deal
of unnecessary worrying about me.
OF course / understand this to be
quite natural, but all the same it
makes me feel bad to think So She
probably has a mental picture of
yours truly surrounded by a dozen
husky Germans with three or four
strung on his bayonet. 1t almost
, makes me laugh to think how differ
ent trench warfare really IS. OF
course the trenches is no place for
nervous man, and one can't roam
around great deal in no mans land
| in the daytime without getting into
trouble, but if a man is careful and
obeys orders from his officers his
chances of coming out alive when
his company is relieved are very
much in his favor.
There isn't much that can tell Of
. interest about the country that has
| Leen fought over that you haven't
read in the papers, and they tell you
so much better than | can write it
that it would be foolish for me to
try. But | will say this much; the
| things you have read about ruined
villages, churches and fruit orchards
[ know to be true for | have seen
lot of the country that was invaded
in 1914
| received four letters today, two
from mother. one from Lottie, and
enc from Ellie. | am glad Ma got
one of my letters after awhile and
there are more she should get right
away. They tell me in the letters
they hear l have been promoted to the
rank of sergeant but this is the first
l have heard of it. Isn't it queer, the
rumors about my getting wounded
son at a time like this? BY the way
if YOU should happen to hear any
rumors about my getting wounded
or worse pay no attention to them
unless they are official.
| am sorry Charlie is no better. or
rather was no better, at the time Of
writing. l hope he is better now.
Tell Edward | received his love and
two big kisses in unchanged condi-
tior and return them with interest
Duchess is getting to be such a
smart dog that 1 am expecting to get
some kind of written message from
her most any time.
There is something else ! wanted
to say but | can't remember what it
1t. and as it is nearly midnight I
shall have to close this letter. Give
my love to everyone, take as good
care Of yourself as you can, and don't
get sick and some day you will see
me marching home again.
With love and best wishes from
your affectionate son,
FRED.
From Fred J. Hinckley, Company
c, 1O3d U. S. Infantry. in France,
to George G. Hunt, Clinton street,
Gardiner.
Miss Mildred L. Chase of 10s Swan
street, Augusta, received letter
from Priv. Ivan E. Bicknell of Co.
NJ. 1881 l. 5. Inf, France, recently:
Field Hosp. No. 1O1. France,
June 10, 1918.
My Dear Mildred:
| guess it is time I wrote you a
letter. | don't remember when / got
YOUR last one, about three weeks ago
[ think. For the last week or more
1 could not write for l was in the
line and l could not write to any
body. A few nights ago F'ritze got
little fresh and sent over a few
shells some of which were gas. got
little gas, not very bad, but gas is
bad stuff. There are few more
boys from Co. NJ but not anv of them
are very bad. We are all in the
same ward which makes it nice. We
have got nice nurse and ward
master. so take it all around we fare
pretty well. | suppose you and your
mother got the letter 1 wrote you
when was on the other front. I
suppose you have got it long before
row. Well, l must close and go to
bed. don't worry for shall be all
right soon.
PRIV. IVAN E. BICKNELL.
There are ls2 varieties Of Arctic
flowers, which have but two colors.