New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-03


February up to September 26 I've
been taken good care Of by our
Father up overhead and | can tell you
that [ laid for two hours or more in
a shell hole with those big shells
, bounding and killing around me. Dur
ing that entire time I kept saying my
rosary over and over and [ firmly be-
lleVe that's what saved and pulled me
thrOuHN '"mmy, anybody that says
there is no God is crazy and tell him
[ said so. SO you see Tom while He
is up there taking care of me through
all the dangers Of battle, you can rest
assured that I'll be kept safe for YOU
all and will be home with the rest
when We're done. Lovingly,
GERRY
October %, 1918,
Dear Sis
I don't know whether [ last wrote
to you OR received your letter but
do know that it is so long since eth
er happened that I'm pretty sure Rip
Van Wrinkle would have had plenty
of time to take a good nap between
them. I suppose you will be sore but
I am not a bit sorry for not writing
and this is the reason why.
You must have known that there
was something wrong with me when
did not write. I have been in the
hospital since September 25 with gas.
At present I'm feeling somewhat like
[ used to but the first week was as
bad as anything Sherman ever went
through. My eyes were closed so
tightly that 1 couldn't get a glimpse
of daylight. That was only for few
days. My nose and the passages
therein were scorched and my throat
and lungs were sore muchly and l
felt juset like anything that is sick.
I have slight disarrangement of my
internal organs at the present time
due to the good gas attack | got. I'm
in the base hospital No. Z, the men,
bers whose unit are from Boston.
That doesn't mean that Conn ecticut
also can't be represented among it's
mem bers, for the first or second day
here a young doctor came to my bed
and asked if. I knew him. I didn't
and he made himself known as
"Pinky' Reynolds of Summer street
Really, ! was almost shocked and
believe me we have had some mighty
good talks since. The Spanish influ-
enza is surely going the rounds over
here as we'll as, in America. There are
a lot of people sick from it but the
army of the Yanks doesn't seem to
be slowing up any on account Of it..
I'd like to see the war ended but any
way it has got to be in our favor or
we will end it and make it in our
favor. Germany and her spokesman
haven't lost that knack of scientifi-
cally spreading the Dull" but they
have got to show us the real stuff be-
fore we will come across. We ran that
io1,+ I'd L. L.
three times already and Wen do it
again.
That army was the pride of Ger
many. 7 may be a little late in that
date Imade with you. but I'll bet
won't be very late in the long run.
evidently meaning the day the war
will end). I must close now with the
great hope that I will get some mail
soon. Love to all,
GERRY.
Tells of German Retreat
October 20, 1918.
Dearest Sis:
Mail service between here and the
L. S. must be stopped because 1t is
two months minus a few days ince T
last heard from home. However I've
been in the hospital since Sept. rs and
mail for me come to my company
since I went away it takes quite a
while for that same mail to find me
where l am. [ am still in hospital
No. 7 and am feeling pretty we'll these
days. I saw brother Jack here as I
have already written home When
we come out Of quarantine for
measles Lieut.. Reynolds is going to
see if he can get me a pass to go and
see him where he is located about two
hours ride from here. [ hope he will
make i go.
l haven't written very much OF late
because when 7 was at the lines last
the war was moving SO far into Ger
man territory that our post office was
unable to take care Of our mail and
you know a fellow can't carry a bun
die of letters all over France. At
every opportunity [ dropped a line
to mother or Claire she being nearer