Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-05-01
TAKES PART IN
THE BIG BATTLES
ON FRENCH SOIL
PINK SIMMS ALSO VISITS MANY
FRENCH CITIES WHILE ON
LEAVE OF ABSENCE

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Through the courtesy of Miss Paul
inc Hessler we are permitted to pub
lish another letter from that most
in ntere ing correspondent, Pink
Simms, of Co. d., 18th u. S. Engs.,
says the Rockford Register. Mr..
Simms' other letters have won him a
place in the hearts of the people
around here that seems to bring him
nearly as close as the boys who went
from here. Miss Hessler is the only
rest of the folks think they know him.
This letter is dated March is and is
as follows:
81 just returned from ten-days'
furlough to southern France and
found that nearly everyone in the
United States had written to me while
l was gone. / had pile of letters
and newspapers and also several
packages, among them were yours
and some were from people did not
know. l will do the best can to-
ward answering them. saw many
interesting sights while away
visited Paris, Lyons, Dijon, Mignon,
Marseilles, London, Nice, and Monte
Carlo. / spent seven days in Nice
and Monte Carlo and visited the 9TH
ers while travelling.
Nice is very beautiful and is differ
ent from anything | have ever seen
for it has an oriental coloring and ev-
cry nation under the sun can be seen
on the Riviera. After being there a
short time an uneasiness came over
me that could not shake off. knew
that a great offensive of the Germans
was about to start and when it did /
knew every man would be needed for
the railroad engineers must furnish
certain quota of men for the first
line when called upon and we were
short of men, so unable to enjoy my
self any longer / left for the front
when still had three days TO spare.
Comparatively speaking | exchanged
heaven for hell but when / saw the
ambulances, the guns, the infantry
and other things that all. go with war
go flying by in a feverish furry as
they always do / felt better and no
longer am / uneasy.
| go to the front tomorrow morn
ing and l am glad and not afraid for
/ am sure / will be back although /
may get wound but have had them
before and / know we have some very
fine doctors. On the 18th day of
February we were six months in the
"zone advance" which entities us to
little gold bar on our left sleeve.
We are very proud of it for we are
the first of Uncle Sans boys to get
foreign active service bar"
| am going up in the observers seat
of an aeroplane in a few days and |
mother made. / had been wanting
ona all xxrsntar \ xxraa,-ino fho
socks your grandmother sent and /
find them much better than the gov
ermental issue. will drop Miss
Sears a card, the candy was eaten by
myself and a few friends. We all
were unanimous in declaring it real
treat. / don't suppose you ever saw
me in your 4ife that / did not have a
cigar in my teeth, but never have had
any over here, so / was real selfish
about the cigars and smoked them all
for don't really enjoy a cigarette.
| am afraid you and your friends
are placing me under an everlasting
obligation to you all. | have had
more kindness shown me in the last
two months than 1 have known all my
life and / hope / live through to be
able to thank you all in person for
what you have done for me. / think
there will be larger percentage of
us killed in the next two months than
there will be later on. / cannot-state
my reasons for this but they are well
founded. There are only few of the
originals left out of the contingents
of English and Canadian troops and
six out of the old Foreign Legion"
so we think, most of us, that If we
can live through the next two months
we stand a good chance of finishing
the war and it is a question that is
often discussed but worries no one.
l am sending you photo of myself
in Nice also some snapshots which
you give to the doners of the pack
ages. / will send Miss Sears one to-
night. There is not much else / can
write at present but when | return
will drop you card Immediately. The
enevlope in which this letter will be
inclosed is from hotel that is now a
pile of crushed rock and bricks it will
be good souvenir for you with best
wishes to you and your friends"
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