The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1918-11-21
FROM HARVEY DORIS
American Expeditionary Forces
Oct. 10, 1918.


never felt better in my life. had
a letter from you few days age
and sure was glad to hear from home
again
Well, we have moved again since
I wrote my last letter I received
my first baptism of fire the other
night. Here is some of my exper-
incnce:
had been up to the front lire
trenches: our battalion had just talk
en over sector of the front lire
trenches, and was with our com
Ipauy officers up at headquarters, and
we had just about gotten settled for
the night when the Captain called
| for runner to take message
around To our cook shack and OF
course it fell 70 my lot to take it.
! Our cook shack was about 200 yds.
NJ the road from orr headquarters; ;
so ! starred out with the message
and had just got about half way
] ''ti''s ilst 4Nt!A ''Ntil l''ls. .NAl bt'Il''
it seemed to me as ii hell itsc,f had
turned loose and it lasted for about
two hours: but il seemed to mo like
it was twice as long. Well. the
first thing ] did after the shock was
10 hit the grass on my stomach and
believe me | did not waste any time
in doing So Gee. when was lying
there on my stomach as close to the
ground as possible | could hear the
big shells screaming over my head.
dealing death and destruction to
everything III range. and You talk
about shrapnel: it bursted all around
me, and the best part of it. came out
without Il scratch. but I was pretty
badly shaken up. There is nothing
to worry about. for if your name is
on one of the shells it is going to
get you. it does not matter where
you are. And if your name is not
on shell you are alright; that
may sound funny, but it is fact
l have been up to the front line
trenches and had peep at NO-Man's
Land the other night and never
will forget how it looked. saw
bunch of Boches that the boys caught
in the wire out in front of our
trenches. Well, they brought them
in next morning and believe me. they
sure were shot to pieces l don't
know whether this will pass the CEN
sor or not. but here is hoping that
it will.
= Well. have just gotten back from
supper and believe me, it sure was
some feed. Here is what we had:
French fried potatoes. rice, prunes
and good hot coffee. OF course. we
had bread That is not so bad is
it? Gee, you should see me go for
the prunes and rice. Really like
them both What do you think of
that? oh, yes After my eXper
ience on the road the other night.
l had just gotten back TO our head
quarters and thought that | would
grab Il little sleep, and had Just
dozed off when our Lieutenant call
ed for one of us fellows to go out on
guard. So so one answered, and
| spoke up and said that I felt al.
right; and he says: Alright Doris.
So | got my gun and down 20 the
post I went. Talk about lone
some place: it was the most lone
some place that / ever saw. And
say, Dad; you talk about nerve, a
fellow sure does have to have it. l
was scared, that much I will admit,
but I put up bold front. I have
Just gotten back from the field hos
pital. Now don't get excited over
it, for I am back with the company.
Well. here is how 1t happened: l
had been up four or five days and
nights without any sleep and very
little rest. So | was about all in,
and | went down to the Infirmary to
fore | knew what was going on they
put tag on me that said hospital
or something. did not want to
go and raised Old Ned, but it did
not do any good. So they put me
in an ambulance and the way l went
TO the hospital / just stayed one
night; so you see how it was. They
sure do some funny things in the
army.
Dad, have you paid my Club dues
up yet? Ii not, please do So This
letter is for all.
How is business at the store this
Saturday night; and gee, how long
to be back in the shoe department.
! was over to see Albert Stantill the
other day but they left him behind
in a hospital somewhere. | think he
is pretty sick. His company is right