The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-09-05
LETTERS FROM BOYS IN THE
ARMY AND NAVY

The following are excerpts from let
ters written by DR.. G.. A. Rensvold to
friends in the city and are very in
teresting news of what is going on
behind the front:
1t is almost two weeks since l last
wrote YOU, but it isn't my fault this
time. Have been so busy chasing
Fritz through the woods that there
has been no time for anything else.
We made things so hot for Fritz that
he started to move toward Berlin and
we followed, so he wouldn't change
his mind. Am back from the front
now as we were relieved after a 60
day period of fighting. Am in a
small town now expecting to move
farther back to a rest camp.
The last two weeks have been of
the kind one doesn't easily forget.
Fritz isn't a desirable entertainer and
left behind some snipers and machine
guns in the tops of trees and also
plenty of artillery for our special ben
eft. The result was that our depart
ments had a lot of business, as we
follow the men wherever they go.
We put up dressing stations in the
real so close that wounded car be
carried in. Here we dress them and
then they are taken back by an am
bulance, if an ambulance al reach
us; if not the wounded have to be
carried back On a stretcher to anoth-
er aid station to which the ambu-
lance company has access. SO far |
have been in the station closest to
the line where first aid is given.
There is no rule which can be strictly
followed, but we get u wounded
away from the scene of battle as best
we can. AS far as safety is con-
cerned there is very little choice.
Under ordinary conditions we prefer
being close to the line rather than
in reserve. We all figure that if a
shell doesn't have ones name and ad-
dress on it we are safe-if it has, it
doesn't make any difference where
you are.
dressed a wounded German who
had been lying on the field two days
with a compound fracture. | asked
a lot of questions and l learned that
their soldiers are anxious to quit.
Maybe | never told you before that
we take care of wounded Germans.
We wear a Red Cross on the left arm
and some German soldiers respect it,
others do not. Our men have been
fired on and at other times have not
been.
Right where the Germans planned
the last drive of the war-the peace
drive they called it because we were
supposed to give up when they came
through, but it happened that their
drive was stopped very rudely and
then we did the driving. Haven't
seer any paper or learned how the
kaiser takes it. l found a German
paper in a dug-out that a German Of
icer had occupied. 1t said that the
American army never had won a vic
tory in this war and that their SOL
diers need not fear us. Now l think
they have changed their minds.
Suppose Hanson is over here m
where now. You say he belongs to
the 91st division. If you tell me what
regiment and battery / may find him
or at least write to him There isn't
much ctanee Of seeing anyone though,
as there is so much secrecy regard
ing their whereabouts. Some time
ago l was sleeping in the same dug
out with a fellow out of a signal pla-
toon that | later found out was from
Bruce. his name is Waite.
Tell M friends and relatives | am
still safe and sane" Just got a let
ter from Robinson in Texas.
George.