The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-10
LETTER FROM THE FRONT.
Lieut.. David Lcring Writes From
Somewhere in Belgium Where He
is Now Serving.
Somewhere in Belgium,
July Is, 1918.

Somewhere in Belgium,
July Is, 1918.
My Dear Old Daddy:
Writing is rather hard PROPOSE
ton over here these days. We are on
the move most of the time. At pres
ent we are in biouvac camp
sleeping in our dog tents" Loring
knows what they are. Have had some
rain lately. Looks like every time
we have to move it is in the rain.
Sometime ago I was up in the front
line for four or five days. Did not
see any one get hurt, but saw one man
after he got killed by piece Of
snra pnel Wished for you, Viola and
Loring to see some Of the fighting.
One night while up there the Allies
sent out raiding party to take pris-
oners at given hour (called zero
hour. We put a heavy barrage.
Then is when wished for you
three. 1t certainly was beautiful,
but 1 guess it was hell for the enc
my. Hope it was, for the afternoon
before he shelled the position where
I was and made it pretty hot too. He
dropped big shells all around our
dugout II one of those eight inch
piercing shells had hit directly over
us it would have been all off for u.s.
One of them dug a hole big enough
to bury a pair of mules just to one
side of our dugout. 1t shook us up
pretty we'll too. While standing out
in front a shell burst about forty
yards away and threw all sorts OF
things all over us. and small pieces OF
corrugated sheet iron missed a guard
that was standing behind me, by his
stepping up along side Of me. An
other whole piece fell about IL feet
away. We had time that afternoon.
I was glad to see the straffing we gave
them that night. 1t surely was beau
tiful. We were where we could see
good. probably half mile from the
place the barrage fell. Our artillery
guns were firing over our heads, ana
our NJ G.'s were popping away so
YOU couldn't hear man yell in your
ear. This was when I went up to the
front line by myself for few days
observation, and you might say the
guest of the company already there
u shot M. c. those few nights prob
ably a thousand times. Of course IT
was indirect fire, also at night and
could not see what results was get
ting. On the way up there from our
camp, when got close to the front
line, shells were dropping all along
the road every now and then. One
dropped as near as fifty yards IN the
road exactly opposite from where my
party was walking along. We could
hear the shrill whistle through the
air, and you should have seen US
duck" 1 believe this hunting
over here for big game is more fun
than hunting deer in Santee swamp
at home. Wish you could be here
with me and have a good stand
Had a nice letter from Anna and
Ruth sometime ago telling me about
the records, and how much they like
and play them and wish Viola and 1
could be there together TO hear them
too. Hope I can be there by next
summer. You remember all the things
| was ordered to supply myself with
before sailing? Well that was all
bosh, for we are cut down to only 90
pounds baggage. OF course we can
carry anything else we want 10 on
our backs. Did away with my trunk
hat. cap, short overcoat and good
many lesser things. They are all sup
nosed to be kept for us at some base,
and returned to us when we start
home, or sent home if anything hap
pens to US over here (hope not). Also
had a nice long letter from COZ Hal
lie sometime back. Received one
from Auntie last week that I much en-
loved too. She told me lot OF the
local news about Sumter. Just wrote
COZ Halle today. Am sitting on
box in front Of my dog tent waiting
for supper. Am rather hungry too Tor
T did not eat much dinner today, hao
eaten candy just before.
Every now and then we are aple u
get some of the famous wives 70
cook some eggs and potatoes and nave
milk. etc. One meal we had want
YOU TO see what we had. The major
was the host, and paid the bill. Wlsh
could sit down right now TO the
same kind of supper. Received a lei
ter some time ago addressed to Llent.
David Loring. Jr When 1 opened II
found it was not for me. 1t was
from David Loring. Sr, to his son.
Then I noticed on the envelope that
the original address was the heaa-
quarters Co. 23rd regiment, which
was scratched out, and my address
added. 1 wrote the Jr. letter tel
ling him who 1 was, etc The sr
address was Terminal City, Van
Couver, B. c. wonder who they
are. I told the young man | thoush1
maybe you would write his Dad Dao
the flying machines are as common
rs Ford cars at home. Can hardly
find a time during the day when yoo
can't see from one to fifteen at tlme
Several of us rode over to hansai
a couple of Sundays ago to see tneh
rise and light Saw a squadron o'
nine leave at the same time. "hei
they light. they just turn the ma
chine any way they want to ana rui