The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-10-10
ABOUT BIG
AMERICAN DRIVE
CLAIRE WEST FIGHTS ON THREE
FRONTS WITH RENOWNED
ARTILLERY UNIT
ELMER kEMMARD THINKS WAR IS HELL.
Other Boys In Camps At Home And
Across The Water Tell OF Train
ing And OF Hard Work To Win

2 ~ WV
Through the courtesy Of Mrs. Fran
ces r. West of Minneapolis, we are
privileged to give the following ex-
cerpts from letters received by her
from her son, Claire, a BroOkings born
boy, who is with the Minnesota Artil-
lery. They have made a name for
themselves and Claire was wounded
last year. Citations for bravery have
been given the regiment by French
and British generals and by General
Pershing:
August 20, 1918. Tin France)-It's
been a long time since I've had a
chance to write you a letter, but it's
because we've been too busy chasing
BOches. Just so you didn't worry
too much. A lot has happened to me
since my last letter to you and our
much so, that I'm afraid any attempt
to write my experiences would be a
failure. From the papers we've re-
ceived you undoubtedly know more
about the var and our movements
than | could ever write in a letter.
I'll try and give you a little account
OF them.
We went into position at --on
July 4th, and believe me we sure did
work. Night and day 1t was nothing
but fatigue to consolidate our posi-
ton and obtain as much protection
as possible. Pm glad we did too as
It served us in good faith. Nothing
much happened for about ten days and
we began to think the war a fake. At
midnight July 14th. the fireworks
started. From an almost absolute 81
lence. barring a few stray shells, it
suddenly seemed as though the bot
tom of hell had broke. One great big
roar filled the air as hundreds Of guns
started firing. We all Immediately
took refuge in a trench back of the
guns. There we stood all night long
and just waited. The air around us
just seemed alive with spare parts
and the night was continuously lit up
by bursting shells and red flares. /
tell you, when those big shells start
bursting around you, you sure do think
to do with all my might. 1t sure
would have looked pretty good to me.
The next morning WI started in on
our work and from the reports we re-
ceived, our regiment sure wrought
some havoc. Our time for the next
four days was pretty well taken up.
was glad, though, that l had a
chance to take a slap at the Boche.
After leaving that front we started
for another one just as interesting.
From the time we landed until we left
we did nothing but chase them until
sometimes thought I'd cav in from
WEAKNESS. II was here that I saw
sights that / never want to see again
and it sure hands you a jolt; but it's
a grim business we're in and such
things have to be expected, sc you just
grit your teeth and 60 on You don't
know how glad l I'm that at the time
Of writing this letter we are back for
a rest-for how long l don't know.
I've lost all my excess weight and am
about down to what I was when l en-
listed, so I'll have to get busy and
fatten up.
I've been receiving lots of letters
from you all. They've come pretty
regular and you don't know how good
they were. / haven't heard from Dill
for quite awhile. I owe him a letter,
orubnu, Mot 1Ou1 o0n mat q how
friend of mine who belongs to Dill's
unit. He was on detached service at
the time. I was sure glad to see him
as he gave me lots of news about Dill.
Gee, but I would like to see him. l
know where he is, but Gosh, It's a
long way from here. I received a
long letter from Mrs. Skinner in the
last batch Of mail, and it was a dandy.
I received also the white handker-
chief sister sent. l haven't used the
thing yet and it's black already.
When we came up to this last front
(you undoubtedly know where by it's
notoriety), we started in right over
a hard.fought battlefield. You've read
about the devastation wrought by a
~retreating army and that's exactly
what we struck. The roads we're lit
orally lined with equipment thrown
away in the hurry-trees broken and
haggled by shell fire and towns in
one mass OF ruins. 1t sure was an
awful sight. I won't try to picture
the other sights as they're better for
gotten. I've often read about the
smell of a battlefield but you can have
no conception Of 1t until you strife
the reality. I'd like to have . 'sfres
pencil" to write you just As / thought
and a I saw. ] could write reams, I