Milford chronicle., 1918-12-20
LETTERS FROM OVERSEE
Somewhere iu France.
Nov. /, 1918.

MY dear Father and Mother.
Well. this finds me alive. well and
happy and with a whole skin. We are
now away back from the lines at
rest camp and don't think we will
ever see any more fighting. but don't
forget that we have been ia il and
have accomplished and succeeded 10
The greatest drive and one of the hard
est battles the world has ever known.
In one way am sorry TO say that
did not get 20 90 over the top with
the boys as / did not get back from
the ]. NJ. detail In time, but went to
the reserve line 10 join them and spent
about a week With them in what is
known ass Death Valley, and don't
let anyone Kid you when they speak
of that great valley by that name. for
the one who gave it a name gave il
an appropriate one and he didn't have
to study long for there was sure some
heavy artillery there. The shells came
over in all sizes and descriptions and
lhe boys nicknamod the different kinds
and sizes of shells, as Rolling kitch-
ems" "G J. Cans. "Whiz- bangs etc.
The rolling kitchens were told by the
sound. They were extremely large,
long range shells with high explosive
and shrapnel. A fellow could hear
them coming and have some time TO
duck. They sure were no joke. The
c. J. Cans were about the same only
smaller and not so long range gener-
ally, but when exploding sound like
hundreds of tin cans falling from a
runaway wagon on a stone pavement.
The Whiz-bangs were smaller shells
used on the front lines and were eX-
tremely speedy and used at short
range.
Well. ! could tell you lots but it is
too much trouble 10 tell it all now, but
hope to be home to tell YOU all some
time soon.
/ was rather amused a few days ago
when / received a letter from Alice
r., and she thought ! was kidding her
when ] said I had been in the trenches.
She did not believe it and when / re
ceived her letter l told one OF my
friends sitting beside me. l had to
shout at the top Of my voice to make
him hear as the artillery was making
so much noise and imagine if sac had
been there she would not have thought
that l was kidding her very much.
We have been over here now four
months and have been on two fronts,
but don't think that we will ever see
another. The last one had the most
action and believe me. our Division
did great work and was cited for BRAY
cry. Our brigade was the best in the
Division and our battalion was said to
be the best in the Division and our
company did wonderful work and some
individuals got the D. S. c.. so we are
considered the best company In the
battalian, which are all proud to own
No doubt you have already read in the
papers of the great work we did, but
YOU did not know it was our Division.
But we are all we'll known all over the
allied countries and on our way out
of the lines the artillery men. also
other outfits, gave US great cheers as
we passed along the roads. Our DIV
sion drove the BOche out OF very
hllly part Of the country and got them
started on a level plain. They say It
js almost level to the German Line. It
sure was not an easy task to get them
out for it was very hilly and when we
we're at the top of the hills 1t was all
right but was different going up. /
will tell YOU more some time when /
get home which ! don't think Will be
very long now as Austria has already
given up. ! mailed you little
Christmas card so YOU may send me
anvfuiug YOU please. l hardly know
what ] need but if you have not al
ready mailed il 10 ME you can sehQ
t.e wrist watch and some candy ana
a Da.r of gloves, but / think we are
m get gloves issued TO us in a few
jocs but if YOU have already mailed
.sa box IL will be all o. X don {
ueed much equipment as it is too much
trouble 10 carry around. We only
want inst what we need We can al
v.avs make use of candy and some
iitrle things to wear. Nora is going TO
send NE a sweater so that IS all neeu
but ANYTHING you please to sehd me
,.1l be appreciated. l have received
tbrae letters from you since l wrote
last and expect to get some more TO-DAY
l received a letter from AVN yesteI
dav. He sure does write me nice iel-
ters. Every one has a real American
dollar in il but he never mentions II
Re seems to be getting along nicely
I took out an allotment some time age
and am having fifteen dollars pei
month sent home to you. 1t was sup
nosed to start October /, 1918. Please
LEI me know if you receive IT, put
imagine il will be some time before you
ger n This cuts my spending money
Down some but it seems that IS tnt
only way that can save II. ulo
nave over a hundred francs saved u, ul
when we came out OF the lines. Inc
hovs were all broke and have not beer
naid as yet. They lost all OF theil
equipment so ! did little charity !.
work among my friends. Now It Is
about all gone but have two months
nav due now. I got pass two day
400 for one of the big cities only hV'
kilos from here. so when ] got DacF
from there, after spending yerS
nleasant day. I was financially emDar
f.5 as 7 had to finance four OF my