The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-26

James M. Dominey, son of MT. and Mrs, T. J. Dominey of Jemison, who is in Company I, 166th infantry ForSN-secon 7, division, has written the following Christ mas letter to his father:
 In France, November 25, 1918.
 Dearest Papa: Perhaps you know it, but today is the day for us soldiers to write to our fathers and we can write anything we want to- So when you read this probably it will do you some good"
 Well, l am in the town called ''Toul, have been here for about five days, though will leave in a few days for Ger many There is where my division is now
 I have been in the hospital for the past month. I was sent to the hospital from the front lines on the 18th of October with trench feet. That is dis@aSe so0ae- thing similar to sprained ankle, and is caused from standing in mud and water too long without pulling off your shoes. Perhaps you know why l had to do that. We were on the front lines, so we had to dig in to keep from being picked off and in the hole I was in water would rise in the bottom and would rain in the top so it was Is days and nights that didn't sleep wink or pull off my clothes. We sure did have a tough. hard
 fight up there. We went in the lines with 200 and came out with 75. That was just my company, so you can see how many were lost. Of course that many were not killed, but killed and wounded. That was the last battle I was in. I have been in four battles since I've been over here, have been lover the top three times. Haven't had to retreat an inch yet am with the Forty-second or Rainbow division. Perhaps you have been reading about them in the papers. The name of the fronts that I fought on were Cham pagne, Chateau Thierry, Verdun and the Foul The first battle I was in was on the Champagne front and believe me it was hot" one, too. The Germans came over the top on us, but they didn't make any success. There were waves, one right after the other and the four teenth wave was the only one that got in our front line of trenches and they didn't stay 10 minutes. don't know how many we lost.
 The next front I was on was up at Chateau Thierry on the Marne sector dhat is a river). We went over the top and drove the enemy about five miles. The next front I was on was the Toul (where l am now). We went over the top there The big guns started to bomb ing the enemy at l o'clock on the night of the 1lth of September, and we went over the top at 3 o'clock the same night The first day we drove the enemy IS kilometers. which is about F miles We rested that night and started again next morning and drove the enemy five kilo- meters, which made B kilometers in all So we reached our objective and stopped cn the second day. You see what great success we made. We didn't lose very many men in this drive. The next front l was on was the Verdun. The one which had to go to the hospital from. We didn't drive the enemy so far there We met heavy resistance. The Germans had so many machine guns until we couldn't do much with them and they used lots of gas on us, too. My captain and three lieutenants were gassed at this time We drove the enemy eight kilometers and did well to do that.
 l have told you all my 'upsr and downs" I will tell you something that sounds spod to one. First, the best of all, we have won the great struggle for victory and freedom and we will all be home soon. Don't know just when but it won't be long I have made it through safe and without even scratch Another thing that makes you and me and all feel good for I can tell you I have been b zcme very, very close places
 Don't know hag ttss t is but read in the papsgs whsfa Blr division was gong 10 pa aes A FMs ington when we arrive over v &9 sure want some or you 10 ffe gtt# Another good thing, my d sissoa Eli {, among the first to get back h0lrIa
 tell you 's beee ing almost ever since haNe heea lff, 1t Is cold as blizzards nsw fbes yas it snows from one to two 5ufia ring the winter over here s-nmeS @sat like Alabama. The prtncip rops Ae vheat oats, bar ley and clo' es. 4he fta are plums and apY,laQ No Esrf9s Vv1,ics ff>,1tf,f