Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-12-20
THE 147th INFANTRY

IN BELGIUM
The following letter from Ser
geant Verne Mohr will be of es-
pec-al interest to his Fulton County
friends on account of being written
in the midst of an offensive drive
and On the soil of Belgium.
Belgium, November 9, 1918
Dear Uncle George and All
I only have a few minutes time
this morning but have not written to
you since arriving overseas so will
make the best of the opportunity
and send a line or two. I am feel
ing fine and am working hard for
you will imagine it is hard work to
keep up with the Dutch at this time.
We have them on the move and in
tend to keep them in that condition.
The l47th Infantry goes in again
this morning having been resting
for about three days. We have al
ways been very successful in all our
drives and at the time | am writing
this we re in town recently evacu-
ated by the Germans and the civil
ians are coming back. 1t. sure is a
pitifu3 sight to see some of them
come to their homes and to find them
all in ruins You have heard consid-
cradle about the way things were in
Belgium end the way the Huns have
treated the people but I have seen
enough Of it with my own eyes.
Saw five little chi dren the other day
(the Oldest about fifteen) without a
nome Or parent in the world. Their
father was killed at the beginning #
the war and their mother was dead
so they were left to the mercy of
the wor'd d. The home in which they
we're staying at the time I saw them
did not know what to do with them.
You will never know the horrors of
war until you once see these things
with your own eyes. In one of our
recent drives we followed the Infan-
try with cur supply train and we
we're forced to remove a score of
dead Germans bodies before we
could pass with our train. Some
with their heads comp etely blown
off and others without arms or legs.
! I used to hate to see dead people
but l pass many of them on the road
now and do not think a thing about
| it. I never tell mother anything
about such things as that and you
must not tell her I told you I fear it
wou' worry her. By the looks of
things now the early end Of the
struggle is very near at hand.
hear this morning that the Germans
have signed the armistice. l am
hoping it is true but we are going
out after them again today anyway
and when we go we usually get a
few. I imagine you are still in the
same business. The prices are very
high though, are they not?
You should see them grind feed
ETC., here. They use those large
windn1ills and it sure is sight
This country is practically the same
as Holland. The women do as much
work as the men or more at the
time most of the men having gone
to war. They wear the big wooder
shoes and raise lots of turnips ano
potatoes. I have seen lot of things
since arriving abroad. Went tc
southern France first and now an
in Belgium. Have been to the NORTH
Sea coast and It made me long II
step my feet on board one of the
big ships and sail fer America, ha.
We are having fine weather and hops
t continues this way for it takes
good weather for war as well as fol
anything else.
We'll, must go about my work nov
hoping this reaches you all o. K
and to hear from you soon. GIVE
my regards to all and tell mother
wrote to you for it always please:
her so much when write to any o.
the folks. Let me hear from you al
soon as possible.
With best wishes to all
Sergt. Verne C. Mohr
Regt. Sup. Sergt.
147th Infantry, Am. E. F.
P q 763