The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-02-14

FROM THE LAND OF THE HUNS

!
from Durward Smith received by his
parents Mr.. and Mrs. c. w. Smith oil
! this place. This solder enlisted in
the regular army at the time of the
declaration of war with Germany and
was assigned to the 5th Field Artii.
| lery, Battery A, 1st Division. The
regiment was one of the first to sail
for France. Young Smith saw active
| service from Montdider to Luneville
from July, 1917, to November, 1918
excepting for four weeks spent in the
hospital, where he was sent to re-
cover from gas and shell shock, par
ticipating in every battle in which
the 1st Division was engaged, and
they were many. He sends home a
copy of the Literary Digest of Sep
tember I, 1918 containing a map OF
the battle front upon which is marked
the more important places that he has
been at with his battery Among
those places are Montdidier. Noyon
scissors, Chateau Thierry, Gonder-
court, Toul. Luneville Nancy, ST.
Mihiel, Verdun, Clermont, ApremOnt,
Sedan, l.angry, where he attended the
gas school and where President Will
son reviewed the division, Eschs, Gre
|venmacher and Luxembourg, most of
the places being familiar to all read
ers. Under date of November "a he
says:
To-day is fathers day and | must
write you letter. You may wonder
ten. Well ! am going to tell you at
least the state | am in. don't be-
lieve it is military secret. We are
are in Luxembourg. This state was
not at war with the allies. ]. is a
most wonderful country. | have not
written in nearly month, and it may
be that long again before write but
YOU need not worry, as | hope to be
home before the robin sings again,
and may he soon sing. We are faring
fine. The weather is cold but no
snow, and it is necessary to sleep
out no longer as we have been doing
for fourteen months. This Letter will
tell itself that | am in good health.
and that is all that is necessary We
were near GOndrecourt from Apri. tst
to the 9Th, in 1918, and then vent TO
Montdidier and Breteuil."
December IA he says: I'VE cross
ed the pontoon bridge that you will
see in the picture | am enclosing
There were movies taken of us as we
crossed the Rhine. | was ON the right
of the first piece was nearest the
gun and we were the first of the
regiment to cross the Rhine. We
were in barracks at Coblenz for
day. We are seeing some country
and scenery. | have seen most of the
places shown on the sixty odd cards
which | am enclosing to you"
Writing from Hunsdorf. Germany
under date of December %, Durward
says: Eve are located in this town
for the winter. This morning some
CT the men went to moto" school. as
We are be;ng motorized. and we are
all very glad, as il will relieve us
from caring for our horses. | hope
that you will receive the cards that
nave sent to you. You may wonder
at the rough look of the cOuntain side,
but that is caused by the terracing
for vineyards. There are vineyards
the full length of the Moseli, river.
as we'll as along the RHINE The
Rhine valley is just covered with
towns and villages. The ndlne of this
town in English would be Dogtown
hunds meaning dog and dorf mean
ing town. | have kept dairy of all
my travels Time seems to drag, bnt
We are kept drilling five days week.
Saturdays we have general inspe tion,
anc Sunday is Off Even il there is
something to do it is terribly monot-
onous after being used to excitement
aud change all the time. Well. |
hope that / will be able t. come home
before another year rolls around but
there will be troops here for an
'Jher eighteen months. We gave the
children here some chocolate candy,
land when it came dinner ti:ne for lis
the lady who's house we are in
brought us a big pan of fried spuds
and three loves of Dutch bread.
which went fine on top of our army
meal"
Under date Of January 1st h- says ::
Il received my Xmas package today
and the pen I appreciate very much
but the candy went in about two min
utes. | received a letter from Paul
Christie. who used to work for Zoe
Helm. in Oroville, and he says he is
expecting to get furlough very soon
to visit his people in Greece, and tha,
he will try and come and sec me
He also stated that he wished me tC
go to Greece with him, which I. wish
| might do,
I'VE are sixteen kilometers east oil
Coblenz. or about twelve miles. You
will not need worry as to my being
home soon, for ! will still be here tt
receive an answer to this letter, sc
you see that the 1st Division is las
in all excepting battles. We will be
doing well if we are not the last home
, the draft stuff comes first, then tn,
| militia, then comes the soldiers. bu
we can only take what comes to IL.
I and like it. 1t has been strongl,
hinted that as soon as we are motor
lied that we will have to go to Rus
sia but | hope not as I have seei
enough of war. | read in the !Ieralt
that President Wilson was to review
"a company of each of our lighting
units in Langry. pronounced as LAM
by the French. This is the tow