The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-17
Lieut.. Thurber West
 Tells of Big Fight

Lieut.. Thurber West. from a base
 hospital in France, has written the
 following to his sister, Mrs F. D. Gamble;
 You are, no doubt, in great suspense
 and worry over me as 1 haven't had a chance to write you in such a long time.
 have been at my usual task, chasing
 the Huns. When l came back this time
 found IS letters waiting for me, and you
 know that enjoyed them immensely. 1 nave been through some very narrow
 piaces, but God Is good, and he has an-
 swered our prayers to spare me for you, has allowed death to come near enough
 to show and prove to me that he was with
 me. have been buried absolutely with
 earth from shell explosions, my clothes
 and equipment have been clipped and
 pierced with machine gun bullets, anu
 this time up l came closer than ever. We went over the top with the usual reception or maybe little hotter if possible, for We were against the choicest troups Of the Germans. and they were like beasts at bay. The shrapnels were bursting ex- anywhere, and still we advanced then the singing hail of lead. We were in woods and as we topped the hill a
 shell burst in three feet of me- l fell
 unconscious When I came to my senses l raised up, took slant at myself to see where l was hit. l found my blanket rolled on my back, was in shreds, and a piece Of steel about two inches long and one inch thick had penetrated my
 gas mask, completely demolishing it. All suffered was considerable bruises and an inconvenience in breathing. l got up, picked up my gun with prayer of thank fitness to my Preserver and continued my chase. I had some close calls after that from shells but came out of the
 scrap without severe wound. I feel sure now that l shall return to you.
 The allies are doing wonderful work We have the Huns on the run and as far as know will keep them so. We have fought on the most difficult battlefields in Europe. It was a stretch of fresh countryside, all little hills and valleys In the summer of 1914 it was beautifully | carpeted with green, field after field with well husbanded farms, with here and
 there golden wheat crop, embroidered with scarlet poppies, and here and there
 village of stone houses with tiled roofs painted red. Now it looks as though the hand of some gigantic leper had reached out of the east and touched it. It is
 dead, there are no houses, no life, no verdure. Here and there are crumbed stones where a house stood, blackened stumps of blasted trees. Bleak country side, pitted with shell holes. Often our big guns would fall in these holes as we advanced in the night. This engagement lasted six days, and when mist, like a sheet would cover us, and we were ready to advance. The boys would come from | under this sheet like multitude of tawny bees from giant hives, out and over the top. I wish that I could tell you all,
 but it will take years.
 Now that I have told you so much, you will know that am not bad off 1 did not want to tell you that I was in hospital but here it is. I have received so many shocks, and suffering intense | ly with my back and limbs. I would | not give up, kept on till I could go no hauston and will soon be all right, l | hope. But don't know how long I will l be here, but hope soon to be back with | my company, so please don't worry. Many | of my outfit is here, as you see from the l papers. I surely hope that they have enough, for we have given them some l terribly blows lately. I can hardly believe | that the end is so near, and that I will | be home It seems forever since l left | you. I have been through some terrible 1 times, but have come out victorious. l I begin tc consider myself veteran for have been in the biggest and hard | est fights. My deepest love to each of | the little sweeties, and tell them to be
 prepared for grizzly old Hun-hunter to l grab them up and squeeze them hard. and for you, my dear, you know that you I have all of my love. I am thinking of you when in the lines, or in the camp. Keep
 the home fire burning just little while
 longer and I'll soon be back, and bring such an amount of fuel that it will never | go out. Keep on writing."