The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-08-31
FROM @OUR B0Ys.-
France, July 81. 1918

Dear Father and All:
I've been going to write for over
week, but things were going some and
/ didn't get chance. l think that
last letter wrote left on the eve OF
the 14th and the starting OF the big
drive which you are all very interest
ed in. i wish / could tell you all
about what we went through. / hope
they will let us write all about 1t
when we get back OF the lines.
received some mail from you the
18th OF this month and today ! got
some more. I'll have TO tell you about
letter you wrote tn 2Sth OF March.
II went all over France and l received
It today. / never got the cigarettes or
the box that ma and you sent
l see where you received letter
in which l told you about getting mail.
I'm awfully glad you know I'm receiy-
ing mail. I'm putting the address OF
the boys you sent me In book and
I'll write them when I get more time
or rather when we get where its lit
tie quieter than 1t is here. I'll have
to finish this in the morning because
it's getting too dark and we can't have
any lights here. So. good night.
July %, 1918.
Well. I'm going to write some more
this morning, but this letter won't go
until we get 10 our new place. We
are going to move again tonight.
We're sure getting our share OF
this moving since I've been over
here But it has to be expected.
From the latest reports our troops
are still going on, and 1t looks as
though things have reached a real
turning point. ! saw by yesterdays
paper that the people in the states
were wild over the good news It's
great when you think of the good
work our men are doing in such {
short time. I'm going to finish this
just as soon as we get to where can
send 1t out. II you don't hear from
me like this time you will know
am on the move or where can't write.
I'll have all kinds of news that may
be able to write after we leave this
section.
July %.
Well, we're In a small town resting
up and this afternoon we go on a
little ways and board train for a
change. We experienced something
last night that we never did before.
A big bunch of bombing planes came
over to bomb a city which / can't
name and they must have seen us go
ing along the road. The first thing
we knew they started to drop bombs
all around us. can say that II was
hell. II was just as bright as day, a
new moon and not a cloud in the sky.
We went through some awful bar
RACES, but this was something new
and no way TO protect ourselves.
I'll have to keep this letter and
write a little each day until / get to
where / can mail II.
July "a.
Well, / guess I'll get to mail this
here, so I'll finish 1t up. Well only
be here for a day or so and then we
will be off again. From what / hear
We'll be on the go like this all the
time. We're what they call Shock
troops and don't stay in one place
very long. I'm going TO take a swim
in the Marine this afternoon.
l guess this will be all for now and
I'll write as soon as l can again. I'm
going to get this off right away II
can. Hope you are all in the best
OF health when this reaches you. I'm
feeling fine and getting along o. k
With love and kisses to you all,
Your Son,
PIE. BERTRAND s. FLOOD.