American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-07-19
LETTERS FROM POWER
COUNTY SOLDIERS.

4. 4 4 4 i i + + + + = + = = = = = =
France, May &c, 1918. Dear Moth
er and Family-Your letter of April
y reached me a few days ago but l
have been so occupied that it was i'm
possible for me to write you.
l am expecting to hear from you
again soon. l had written you a card
a few days ago but didn't get to mail
it. The wagons just came in so l may
get a letter from you.
Oh, saw Jay Taylor today. Our
battalions are quite near each other
just now and he came over and ate
dinner. | sure was glad to see him,
the first time for nearly three months.
| had a letter from T. E. St.John.
/ think most of the soldiers in
France have changed their views re-
garding beauty spots. Speaking for
our own regiment and company, / am
sure. There are many noted spots in
France and this place is one. II is
wonderful and not in the least like
what we first saw in France. The
people seem to be quite wealthy-large,
fine houses, acres of lawn OF yard with
shade trees galore. Their fields are
fine and prospects are for good crop
Their stock is all purebred and very
fine. / can't go into detail and tell
you now about it but even at this l
should take the U. IS. any time in pre-
! ference.
They say we are permitted TO tell
you we have been to the trenches and
/ so we have. We have had that one
experience of hearing a shrapnel and
/ high explosive shells whistle over our
heads. We have heard them, so 1t
seemed, coming directly toward US
and ducked into the dugout TO escape
flying pieces of shrapnel.
We have looked over on the German
front lines. We have seen shell shat
tered villages held by them, aeroplane
battles and just to say in one mouth
full we have bumped up against a little
of the real.
We stood one day and watched them
shatter the few remaining walls in
two little villages at the time the
shells, in order to reach one village
passed directly over our heads.
You may say we were little ner-
vous at first. but like all other things
humping shoulders continually. you
get used to it and you can tell one
kind of shell from another and about
where it will do its damage. lt'
quite an experience and one | should
have hated to miss but now such eX
periences may come quite regularly
: Jay says they didn't get so yer!
close this time but there is plenty o
time left for him to have all the eX
periences that are healthy for him.
The shells make a very peculia
n0sd If you happen 10 be clos'
enough to the German guns you hea
! faint. dull thud. then a sort o
coarse whistle growing louder as J
f comes nearer and as it begins to de
scend. it changes to a weird whistlini
, screech and following the sound yo
e. may see the explosion from the shel
l before the shell reaches its destina
3 ton and then the sound of the expo
sion and naturally at times sign
| disturbance of soil within radlu
e Of a few miles. 1t is all quite an *
t perience as long as they don't com
r your way and even to slide down tn
steps into a dugout in order 10 chea
: the boche is fun 1t makes you fee
4 good to think you can make him vast
ammunition.
We-are all well and being fed rea
T good and sleep in the hay. l mus
close now as it's almost bed time.
l am always glad to hear from yo
2 and generally get a letter wheneye
l expect one l am hearing quite res
q ularly. Love to all.
n PVT. FRED HOWARD.
Co. F.. End L. S. Engineers Amer
S can Expeditionary Forces. via Ne
, York.
T De A. b Altree has engaged ID