Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1918-11-21
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OUR SOLDIER BOYS m Fa
CAMP AND FIELD. ~
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Is Win IHe lOtlH iHldHliy III HiahNN
to his father, Lewis A. Dunn, says
We got back from this drive and just
got our bilets when several truck
loads Of mail came In for our regi-
ment. Lord, you can imagine how
happy II made the boys to get mall
and everybody sure got lot. My
share was "a letters, not half bad,
eli? Probably you are reading tins
very minute of the part the 35th
Division and the old 18Th helped In.
l only wish could have let
you know | was all safe and sound
and did not get "A scratch and took
part IN everything that the regiment
participated in. On the evening OF
the 25th we left the woods Of our
reserve position marched all night
and in the morning followed the ad-
vance battalion of our regiment and
our battalion cleaned up the Germans
that the advance had overlooked.
Our artillery put over siX hour bar
rage. Dad that sounded like the
heavens were falling After the bar
rage, the Americans went "over the
top" and the big drive started. Lord,
1t was sure great. Each battalion
had a certain number Of tanks"
which went ahead of the first line Of
skirmishes As | said we were the
last to go over and we had time to
examine their dugouts. All i can
say, they were marvellous. Some
were two and three stories deep, were
completely furnished, even down to
water and steam heat Evidently,
the Dutch had things fixed up for
the winter, but am real sorry they
will never occupy those dugouts
again. On that one mountain we
captured over hundred prisoners
Sure great to toss a grenade In big
dugout and then see them roll out and
shout that sickening word, "kame-
rad" Well the next day we took
the advance and kept 1t until we
were relieved on the morning of the
End. During those SIX days we went
through hell OF course, they had
the advantage because we had to do
the attacking and were always in
the open. They gave us with
their machine guns and artillery.
You see their infantry would retreat
but they would leave behind Their
machine guns, with orders TO fight
until they were dead or captured Re
lieve me, very few Dutch machine
gunners were taken prisoners 1t is
favorite stunt Of theirs to fire and
kill as many as they could until they
saw they were going to be captured,
then they would jump up. no Il m,
their hands and again that "kame-
rad" stuff. 1t got old after awhile
and zip, a bullet or a aynnet did
the work But DAD, listen. there
isn't Dutehman living that the
smallest American soldier is scared
of and we can whip them any time
and place We proved it in our drive.
Our Division advanced during the
six days over ten kilos and we had |
the toughest part of the whole line
to force back. High commanders
said we did what was expected of
us and that is their praise We saw
air fights, tank fights and experien-
ced all modern ways OF fighting but
they can leave me out on their next
drive, yes, with pleasure Yes, we
lost quite few, killed and wounded,
together, also Dad, Freddy was re-
ported as one who gave his all God
bless the boy, he was made ser
geant just before we went up and
was sure making good, but Dad, a
soldiers life Is his country's. SO we
must always be prepared to go at
any time. l am now a sergeant
major, was made about the middle
of last month. l am as You might
say, private secretary for the MAJOR
and have charge of all clerical work
OF the four companies, battalion,
take care of their reports, forward
ing them up or down channels. In
fact, instead Of being clerk for one
company, / have four to look after
In all l sure have plenty to do and c
never run out of something to do. b
At present we are now in a little c
town not far from the lines for a I
couple Of days, on our back to a C
rest camp. We are ragged, dirty and
lousy" but soon hope to get good
water, a hot bath and clean clothes \
and some more hot meals. p,
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