The daily banner., 1918-11-05

| IStidltle- iIUtl luSlI SUI, NIL Al
mold j. TschantTe, who is now over
seas:
Somewhere in France,
October IL, 1918.
My dear Parents:
I'm sure you have beer looking for
some mail from lue for sometime, and
wondering why 1 do not write. In
September We started out on the big
drive, which l am sure you have read
all about. 1t was then we made our
first trip over the top" 1t was some
experience Tor all of us, it being our
first time to make a charge.
| On Sept. 18th l wrote you a long
letter and carried it in my sack for
two weeks, and having no chance 10
get it censored. decided to destroy it,
as the news was stale after five days
and nights of steady driving. They
were days and nights 1 Will never
| forget. You can Sc ethat since Sept.
18th / have had no time to write, and
| furthermore, our busy officers have
had so much on their hands there
was no time for censoring mail
We have driven the Huns back
like flock Of sheep, but at the same
time we knew they were there, from
the looks of the battlefield | am
still with the Intelligence Section,
and at the present time we are sta
toned on Il high cliff where we can
see fourteen towns in the distance; ;all
fiat on the ground like every town We
have passed through. In most of
the towns there is not Il single house
standing. except the walls.
We have been on the go from the
very start, sometimes we sleep in
the same place two or three times (if
you could call it sleep.) We occupy
German dugouts and they are built
like iron vaults. Paul Lake is in
the same outfit with me- | don't see
the other boys very often. l am glad
to say that l am in the best of health
and hope | can continue that way all
winter.
There seem TO be lots of peace ru-
mors, but we don't get any definite
news here. Today, for the first time
IN about two weeks, we got a news
paper, and it looks very encouraging.
[ hope there will be something done
before the cold winter comes. They
call this sunny francy. but all | have
seen is rain and mud. The heavy
traffic destroys The roads in a few
days.
When you read about the 18th Di-
vision, you can believe all the papers
say and then some. The boys will
have something to talk about when
they return home. At present they
are telling us that we are on sec
tor with the 31Sth ana 316th Infan-
tries. The big guns, from the Huns,
never stop their roaring, but we
have become so used to them that
one of their shells has to stop pretty
close to us before we become alarmed
throwing up their ha.ivzsA s4l1 Y st as1s
"Comrade." We took them, one q
doctor, and sent them to the prison
camp. This war game is quite diff
ferent from what you all think The
boys will surprise everyone when
they tell their stories. From what l
can see, it looks like the French
have decided to take a rest, and let
US fellows win the war for them. No
wonder the war has lasted over four
years, the way they fight.
1 had a letter from Harold Rook
about a month ago, but have not had
chance to answer it yet. l don't
think I'll ever consider buying ano-
ther car, for when I want to go to
Baltimore or Philadelphia. I'll walk,
just for exercise.
Tell Leon 1 received his first letter
and viii answer it as soon as posi-
Bile. l have also gotten one from
Fred. Mamma. the last one l had
from you was the one in which you
SpohC VI OuI ' 1911 " ,dlu
the trip in Icons Hudson. 1t is re-
ported that Company \ has some
mail, and maybe when | see some of
the boys l will get a few letters.
The last mail 1 received was five let
| ters, and 1 wassso full of joy l could
| hardly read them. Tell everyone to
| write now and then, but not to ex-
pect too many from me.
Hope you are all we'll, and that
papa is making out o. X. with his
business. I'll be glad when l can
| get back to the old stand once
more. l have had all the war l
want.
Write soon and often, and with
love t oall, L am,
Your loving son, ARNOLD.