The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1918-11-28
Waltmire Boys Heard From

getting letters from all three OF
their sons, who are still in France,
where they have been rendering
valiant service for their country.
Jacks letter was written in an old
German dug-out ON Oct. 9th. 1t
is very cheerful and is devoted
chiefly to talk about his parents,
his sister and three brothers. (His
third and youngest brother, Jer-
ONE, is at the Florida university
undergoing military training.)
Jack relates some very inter-
esting stories about the Boche s
opinion of French soldiers as COM
pared with Americans, the latter
of whom they greatly fear. He
says that when the Americans see
their comrades falling around
them, it makes them so mad that
they charge furiously ahead and
nothing can stop them.
The members of a negro regi-
ment, he relates, were told that, if
captured, their ears would be cut
off by the Germans, and the whole
regiment event over the top"
armed with razors, and "the cut
ting was on~the other side"
Jack says that the soldiers let
tiers which were published in The
Punta Gorda Herald, which he
says he gets regularly, contain
statements which he is surprised
to see passed the censor, as no sol
der in his regiment would dare
write such information. He him.
self makes the surprising state
ment that the drafted men seem
to be given a better chance than
the~-yolunteers.
Aldred and Nevin both wrote
on Oct. 21st. Both were in a
base hospital, Nevin still suffering
from his wounded hand and Al
dred from shell shock. When AL
dred was sent to the hospitaB he
had no idea that Nevin was there,
and it was several days before the
two brothers knew of the pres
ence of each other. The meeting
was joyful surprise to both.
Nevin was just recovering from
an operation to- remove two pieces
Of infected bone, one from his
first and the other from his third
finger. These two fingers will re-
main practically useless, but he
will have the use of his thumb and
two fingers. At the time of writ
ing, he was in fine health and
spirits and well cared for. In
fact, all three of the boys say they
have plenty of excellent food and
are given the best of care.
Nevin's knee, which was pene-
trated by bullet, had healed up
nicely and only little scar re-
manned to show where the wound
was. He expects to be home by
Christmas. Aldred says that New
in has been one of Pershing's very
best soldiers, and his many friends
here know that to be true.
"The people back home, "
writes Aldfed, "will never know
what hell one of these great bat
ties is, because it is absolutely in
describable. A man is just lucky
if he comes out with his life. I
was extremely lucky. The Boche
was putting over a barrage early
on the morning Of the 5th. I was
lying down behind a large tree
with another officer. Suddenly, |
found myself blown up in the air
and then | lost consciousness.
When | came to, they were carry
ing me away. The other officer
was killed. just such things are
happening all the time. 1t is
nothing. Death has no horrors
for soldiers"
Before Aldred knew of Nevin Is
presence, he had applied for and
been given permission to visit
Nice, for which city he intended
starting n Oct. 9th.
"This is great life back
here, F" Aldred writes. eve have
fine beds to sleep in and the best
of eats-movies, officers club
rooms and all sorts of comforts.
It's the first time I've been off
duty since | came over here. and