Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-05-08
DEBORAH SOYS
WRITE FROM FRANCE
Lawrence Riggs and Henry Blaess
Send Two More Interesting Let
tiers From Somewhere i'm
France.
RIGGS TELLS ABOUT
TRENCHES AND OUTPOSTS.
Both Boys are in Best of Health
and are on the Job to Whip
the Hun to a Standstill.
Somewhere in France
April IA, 1918.

Dear Friend:
Well this is Sunday and fine
day and we are all feeling fine.
We just got back from the front
and believe me she sure was some
trip. The weather was cold and
the trenches all water, but at that
We stayed right by it until we came
out. The weather can't stop us and
we were right there to put up a
good fight with the Boches, but they
didn't come over this time, for l be-
lieve they know when Co. E. is in
the trenches and never try it on
us. They all say We have good
company. We have been up two
times and never lost man. Say
that is going some, we sure are
lucky. Believe me its great life.
In the daytime when they can see
you they sure try to pick man off,
and No, Mans Land is full of snip
ers. Assniper is a Boche who gets
out at night and stays there until
daylight, then he starts sniping
when he can see. He will stay there
all day, and at night go back to
his trench. Believe me. a sniper IS
not a good thing to have in front
of you in the day time, as he is
ALWAYS trying to pick man off
when he gets a chance, but when
they have snipers believe me we
get some out too and we have got
as good sniping men as they have.
Their sniping is not much good. for
if they had good. snipers they
could have picked come OF us off.
We didn't mind them much. When
ever we would like we would look
over the top and sometimes we
would get out and walk. We sure
have a time when We are up there.
They all think its fun and at night
is when the fun comes in, lights
going up all the time, it looks like
Fourth of July night. Well am
going to try to tell you OF my trip
this time. The trenches are all
the same and we were not in the
same place this time. We were a
little to the left. This time we did
not have enough men and we just
had three outposts. Believe me
that was not much. All was fine
the first night and all the next day.
At night we and the Boches have
patrols out in No Mans Land. Pa
trolls are for the purpose of find
ing out information and familiar
izing themselves in No Mans Land
Say that's where the fun comes in
on outpost You are in one and
know that a U. S. patrol is going
out. They get out alright and
come by our outpost, and then We
have a time telling if it is U. S
patrol or a Boche patrol. Believe
me it's hard to tell, and when they
come by you can hear them in the
wire, but not knowing we do not
Iopen up When an outpost opens
lup there is something doing. the
last night we were in the trenche:
Il knew there was Boche patro
in front of my outpost, but we We're
mot sure and we could not open vi
on them, as we had patrol ou
too, and that is all that saved them
las they did not know we were there
land we could have got in goot
one before they could get ready
1t sure is hard to hold back and
man on an outpost sure must be II
the game. / will never forget one
might when a U. S. patrol run into
a Boche patrol. Believe ME there
was something doing right then ant
they sure did have a fight and oul
patrol came back all o. X. Say pa
trolling at night in No Mans Land Il
sure a great game, as it is all bari
wire and so many trenches that 1
is hard to get by, but at that, where
we are No Mans Land belongs t(
us for we are patroling it all thu
time. Say in your last letter yo'
! asked if l got that big box sure
did and today l received the las
box you sent me, that tin box o
candy. believe / got all you sen
me o. X.
With best wishes
LAWRENCE RIGGS