The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-09-19
Letters From the Soldier Boys

Here is a letter from Mr.. j. B. Ivey
(our own Jimmie) addressed to his
father. Mr.. w. Il. Ivey, a farmer resi-
dent Of the Benton community. As the
reader is aware, the young man Is
volunteer of long standing. and has for
months been in France. though now
only about nineteen years of age. He
says:
Somewhere in France.
AUGUST J., 1918.
Mn Dear Dad: 1t has been Il long
time since l wrote to any Of you, so
will try and finish this one.
We are just back from the front.
where we spent about three months.
On July 18th this division, besides
many others. attacked the Germans.
Our barage started at 40. The Ger
mans must have seen us coming. for
they also started to shell. We drove
them over six miles. captured over 100
machine guns and about thirty batter
les of artillery. and many prisoners.
Our division did this on Il small sector.
so you can judge what several divis-
ions would do on sixty-mile front.
Our losses were pretty heavy, and l
don't see how | managed to get out
alive--but did.
Give my love to all. -SON.
Here is another letter from him. adj
dressed to Mrs. Ivey. and in which he
gives brief. description of Il charge
at German and only broke his leg,
but later captured four others:
Somewhere in France
4ngusf IL. 1918.
Nh Dear Mother: | wrote Dad some
time ago. but did not have much time
to write long letter. When l wrote
last we had been back from the front
for several days and every one thought
| we were back for rest. We are now
| at the front again.
At the last front we sure did make
the Germans move out. We We're tOlt
we were going ever the top the evening
before we went over. Every one seem
ed to he glad, but whether we were
glad or not l don't know. As soon a.
| learned we were to go over sure dit
start to dream about my sweet OLE
home and the dear cnes left there.
| We started over at 4.21 the mOrnin:
of the 18th of July. 1t seemed tina
every gun in the world was behind us
Going was good for the first kilonlete
CT so. and we had lost only a few men
But when our artillery and machin
gun barrage lifted we found it hard t
make the Germans leave their machin
guns. Some of them died at thei
guns. | don't know whether l kille
a man or not. but know l broke one
leg He was very close to me when
shot. l shot at his body and hit hiI
in the leg. also shot over 300 round
more after them. | captured four pris
cners of my own. and they offered IL
resistance at all. l either went nuts
or crazy, because when we started
forgot everything except the Germans
Out of our company of go men tina
| CdlIIC ONSl Will Us VIC udtC oAiS SlAN
of the old men still in the company.
J Send me some pictures of home an
!. yourselves.
4 Love to all. Son.
, The last letter frcm Jimmie is Il,
dressed to the writer. He again refer
to the charge in which he participate
I,,I1 n,,1 tn I, Z
of captures some bread, hot cofft
and canned meat" Here is the lette
q in full:
Somewhere in Franc
4ugHsf a. 1918.
Dear Cousin Ibney: I received Sc
eral copies of the Banner two days az
was very glad to get them. | res
everything in thenl-eyen the adye
tiSementS. 1t is almost as coed as &c
= ting Il letter from home to get the de;
cid Banner.
Things have been going pretty ha1
Il with us since May. The first part
June we halted the Germans when tn
e tried to make it to Paris. and on Il
y 18th CT July we went over the t,
i close to -- and drove the Germa
! over six miles, besides capturing maj
Is machine guns. artillery. and prisoner
!. We started over at daybreak. L
!! Germans were cooking breakfast VIII
le they saw us coming. and some of the
~ beat it," l got some German hrea
III hot coffee and canned meat
= We are now at what some call Il II
e camp-drill Il little, eat and sleep
- what | don't like is that we have i
IL been paid off for five months.
ai Give my love to all.
IL. JIM IvEY.