Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-19
COMMANDS
HISCOMPA
Lieut.. Edmund P. Arpin, Son of Mr..
and Mrs E. P. Arpin in Temper
airy Command of His Company


and 13, received from Edmund Arpin
by his parents. He certainly has been
having considerable war experience
On the West Front Judging from his
own letters as follows:
''In spite of the fact that we are
long way from our base Of supply
[ was lucky enough to get about eight
letters from home-the first for many
weeks. And of course l was over
joyed for all the news was so good
and encouraging.
eve are right up in the main show
now, which means my first taste of
real war; for most of the other stuff
was rather soft in comparison | just
sent a letter to mother today which
was dated in two places the last on
August first. | didn't have a chance
to mail it, as we threw away all packs
| placed it in my gas mask where it
rested safely while We chased the
Boche for four days straight. 1t was
great stuff all right, but rather SAN
culinary for it was all against ma
chine gun nests etc. The first day
We went into action. Capt. Anderson
my old company commander in the
163rd who came to this outfit with
me was killed and of course a lot
Of others. We suffered considerable
from hunger too because our ration
carts; our artillery also had a hard
time keeping close enough to our rear
II guess they are going to give US
a little rest now, as we have carried
al cur objectives, the last one being
fismes. | am Temporarily in com
mand of the company owing to the
fact that the Captain and the other
are now in the hospital.
In fact our losses were rather heavy
from gas, machine guns and shells,
as we only have about half a COM
7any left fit for duty. | have much
20 be thankful for because | came
5hru without scratch and without
being affected by gas-especially af-
Ter being subjected to a ten hour
Commandment of gas and explosive
shells, being one Of two men left
mscathed out of my bunch of men.
This gas (mostly ''mustardO does
IT act Immediately but shows up
tJoJt sight to twenty-four hour, af-
5erward. Yes, we are a part of the
}2nd Division as you suspected"
On the 18th he wrote: 81 have been
so much 'on the go lately and where
letters are quite out of the question
hat | haven't written since August
5th However, | was so fortunate as
to get a dandy bunch of home mail
5he other day, the latest having been
sent July 20.
eve have been having real taste
# a regular old fashioned campaign
lately; for since July 23rd or so, we
have been in the field in this sector
and after little work in the reserve
We were showed up to help prosecute
5he drive. The Boches got their much
talked of war movement all right for
we moved them back about fifteen
miles in four days. OF course we lost
quite a bunch of men but not many
n proportion to the Boche losses or
N proportion to the immense gains we
made. Of course the greater part of
The front was taken care of by the
French but the Americans did their
part by pushing forward to all as
signed detectives. It was really big
sport, only we went without eating for
a few days. We threw all our packs
etc, away at the very start; so of
course, we had only the clothes on our
backs to keep US warm day and night
rain or shine. But we were quite too
busy to mind it much. We are not
st rest yet, but still in the bush ready
for another little push at them.
From all reports of statements
from prisoners, the Boches are very
much misled as to actual conditions.
Most of them think that Italy has
been licked and Paris taken They
leave their rear guards in ignorance
f the advance of the Allies or their
own retreat-in other words to their
own fate. It surely is a blessing that
crops and everything in general are
coming along so we'll at home for it
viii ease the strain of the food prob
lem considerably l guess. And for
tunately France is having a great
crop Of grain also. if they can get
It harvested. The weather here is
much like that at home in August
only perhaps q little cooler. It surely
s good news about the bumper cram
berry crop and l hope you get them
I'll in without losing any. | am now
the only officer present with the com
pany. Therefore I am the whole
cheese SO to speak and rather busy;
Cor there IS a lot of reorganization
and re-equipment going on. It vii
oe rather hard for me to write much
for little while but | will send q
letter off whenever l can. 1 am get.