The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-12-31
CHRISTMAS LETTER
FRED A. PROCHNOW WRITES HIS
PARENTS FROM FRANCE.

an entertaining letter from their son,
Fred A, overseas which will be read
with interest by their friends, as fol-
lows:
Monon Court France, Nov. 23.-
My Dear Father and Mother: Well,
here is your boy again still alive and
feeling fine. Thank God for that.
Peace, sweet peace. come again, and
some day, don't know when / will
come back. Anyone who has been
over here, has gone through lot and
endured lots, of things which you
will never know, but don't forget
did it all with a smile and l am bet
ter for it,
Tomorrow is the day, for all SOL
dier boys over here to write to their
fathers. This letter is for you, but
you can include mother and all in it.
Our letters will not be censored so
close and we can tell you a lot of
things, where we are and where we
have been, since we arrived in
France. So get out your map of
France and maybe you can follow
part of my journey and you can find
where | am now.
l left Camp Dodge on my birthday
July 81. and arrived at Camp Upton,
N. Y, on August g. We left New
York for over here August 9 and
landed at Southampton, England, on
Friday, August IT. We left South
| hampton Saturday night, August Is,
and arrived at Havre, France, Sunday
morning, August 10, from there on
we have been on the go. From there
we went to Semur, in the central part
of France. Most of my first letters
came from near there. We were
camped about five miles from Semur
in a small town called Villiane,
think it is north of Semur. You new
er do know directions over here. If
you can't find Villiane perhaps you
can find Viszerng. We were there
for about three or four weeks. There
we went towards the front and final
| landed at Belfort, near the Swiss
border. We stayed at Perouse, a
short way from Belfort and trained
for about 10 or IL days. From there
we went to Rope, then to Tacco-
longe and from there to the trenches.
We went into the trenches Basch-
weller in Alsace. so you see / have
been in what was Germany We
stayed there about 10 days and that
is where we were in action. That's
where the shrapnel and machine gun
bullets went flying by and also some
gas, but / got out all right. / have
a piece Of shrapnel that came very
near me, but / was lucky. These
trenches are pretty bad places.
Those towns'a are sure shot to pieces
and when / get home / will tell you
more about them. From there we
were sent north through Nancy and
Toul. We are now near Metz, near
the place where the big drive started
in the summer, so you see we were
up where things were awful warm.
We didn't get into any action there,
in reserve. Oh, it's surely God IS
blessing not to hear those guns boom
ing night and day. Everything and ev-
erybody is moving back from the
front.
This country is sure shot up and
the woods around here have lots OF
graves in them and all kinds of war
material. I'm not going to bring
much back, that is souvenirs. I want
to forget this war, it's too hellish
All want is to come back myself
and live my life again. You can
never imagine how the prisoners look
that came back from Germany.
have seen lots of them, all kinds and
descriptions. You can tell the people
at home that the German people are
welcoming the American troops when
they come into Germany. can't
tell you much more tonight, but
think we will soon be moved from
here. I don't know where we will
go, but it will be towards the south
Clayton's division has to stay little
longer. They go to Germany for a
while. I'm not sure, but think part
of his division went through our
town last night. don't expect to see
him here as you may be near him and
can't get together, but we will meet
at home.
l got Alda's letter with the gum
in it and was sure glad to get it, be.
lieve me.
Thursday is Thanksgiving. I hope
you eat lots. sure will be glad tt
put my feet under the home table
again. 1t will be different from sit
ting on the frozen ground here eat
ing your beans, but don't worr!
about me, am well and feeling fine
This is your Christmas letter. Yo,
} will get it about that time. hop'
you have fine time and celebrat
for me. Say hello to all the friend
at home for me From yOur bOy