The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-10-17
Virgil L. Smith, of Salem,
Has Seen Enough Ger
man Trinkets on the
Firing Line.
RELATES NARROW ESCAPE
Kenosha County Boy Now In Service
In France Writes of Some of His
Experiences on the Battle
Front Over There.

81 don t want any Boch souvenirs
lying around my home when I get
back, y says Virgil L. Smith, Of Com
pany B 8th Field Signal Battalion, son
of Mr.. and Mrs. F. F. Smith, of Sa-
lem, in letter to his sister, Mrs. Al
vim Marsh. His letter follows:
Somewhere in France"
Aug 81, 1918.
My dear sister Mae
Everything is quiet to what it has
been. We are at rest, and have time
to get caught up with writing and the
like.
Il is some relief to be in a quiet
place, and to have the boche off one s
mind, and the gas mask and helmet
lying at ease unused. You have read
the first letter T wrote to mother;
since then have been in much warmer
climate, and know something of what
this war has done for France and for
ourselves.
could write lot, but it is better
that do not bring unnecessary worry
or thought. on this Goth century in
humanity of man. Some days ago we
passed through q section of country
literally dotted with crosses marking
the spot of fallen aviators.
Old graves, most of them, and they
are right on the spot where the ma
chimes came down many months ago.
AS one looks out across field of
grain or patch of small trees and
brush, and see these little crosses ev-
eryWhere, even along side a railroad
track or building; with the French
aviators sign at the foot, one won
ders where France got all her aviators.
| guess they do not bring them down
SO easy any more. Ihave seen scores
of battles but have never been on the
job when a boche was brought down,
though have heard that they do get
them at times. [ want to see one fall
and be convinced that they do come
down. That they are in the air in
most uncomfortable numbers, all Of us
can testify.
/ shall never forget the night I was
on gas guard when a boche flew over
and kicked off a bomb, when he seem
ed to be directly overhead. 1t landed
in field close by but did not ex-
plode, otherwise might not be here
to write this. Then I experienced my
first weakness in the knees caused by
boche planes overhead.
One of these big bombing planes will
fly at leisure over French territory at
night, and drop bombs whenever he
finds the place to unload them that
looks good to him. Moonlight and
searchlights or fire bombs from the
plane help him to get the desired
range.
The only thing that can be done
when one Of them comes flying over
at night is to hope that he will drop
his Easter eggs in some other field.
If have white hair when I get home
you will know it was caused by Boche
Plane Bombing Suspense.
A man can live most uncomfort-
able five minutes with one of them
d things overhead.
I can give you details when I get
back, and chances are that T will
knows lots more about them by that
time than I do now.
During the past month you have
read Of the gains of the Americans.
We were in it and had hard time to
keep caught up to the boehe, they were
pushing him back so fast.
We paid the price in American lives.
I helped do the last thing that could
be done for sixteen of our boys - in
a little corner of a church yard
Somewhere in France.''
A mere drop in the bucket which
we must I'LL. It don It care about my
self or the Others; it is the heart aches
back home that count most with us.
Fact is we can tell each other of
our experiences, and have a good laugh;
when the situation was anything but
laughable.
For instance, last night friend of
mine was telling me how he beat
his company to garbage hole for
safety, when a boche came flying over
with a load of bombs serious but
still to be laughed att
Such is war. It seems joke, and
is treated as such in real action, but
its sting is bitter. There will be much
to do with those that come back home
when this is all over, but the silenw
witness, lying IN a little clump Of
brush marked only by little cross of
sticks, has paid the price; - his life.
a h Of finish for perfectly
good American or French citizen who
believe in having rights and respecting
the rights of others.
Am trying to find suitable souvenirs