The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-01
Dads Christmas Letter.
England, Nov. "a, 1918


Ny Dear Father:
I will now take the advantage of
today (Father's Day. and write you
a few lines. We can say most any
thing in our letters to you. I am very
anxious to hear from YOU I have had
no mail since way in September.
will tell you a bit Of my expert
ences up the line. I first went to BEL
GUM in the Flanders or Ypres sec
tor and from there to KENNEL Hill
or Mt. KENNEL And from there we
came down to France and took over
the. line on the Somme, near ST. Quen-
tin and had a bit of hard hghtlng
there. Then we went TO the line up
at Cambria. I know you have seen ali
those names in the papers. NO douot
you have been very anxious to know.
lust where / have been doing my
fighting. You can remember those,
places and you will know where; 1
was. was near st. Quentin When i
was wounded. I would love to tell
you more, but hardly know how. to
begin. I can tell you how I was
hit a lot better when I see you. aio
going to say had very hard hgnt
for life. ] know there is not another
one fhere who had such a narrow IS
cape. There were two bullets passed
through my face and nose, shatterlng
nv cheek bone, coming out just about
IA of an inch below my temple: so
YOU know how near that was.
am getting on fine now and nope
to be home or in the U. S. A. now IN
few more weeks. I went before the
board a few days ago and will be go
ing home before long. I will have to
have another operation after l get
to the States, and then I will be al
right. My eye is giving me a bit OF
trouble-the one on the left side
where I was hit.
How is everything in the States? l
am anxiously waiting to be back with
YOU all agaiJ:. I know the time is
short now before can be back in the
States.
We sure did put up good fight and
YOU see it did not take US long to
end the grea- war. I was in the light
that first crossed the Hindenburg line.
T don't know whether you ever read
anything about our division (30th) or
not. but we were right there at all
times when there was any fighting
to be done. I will tell you all about
NV trips out on ''No Mans Land" at
night between our lines and his when
7 get home. L had some fine fun,
and too, had some narrow es-.
capes. And, too, will tell you. we
had lost all of our officers and I was.
in command Of platoon the morn
ing when I was hit and / don't know
how it went on then. I was hit out IN
an open field. and thought OF course
I would die then. But in few MIN
utes said, 'tNo, won't die here. 1
must go home" So I, with the ald OF
two German prisoners, went back to
the aid station about two miles and
was dressed. And from there l went
on about ten miles to the train IN an
ambulance, and from there about 10O
miles to a base hospital and was op-
Grated on and began to do better, and
have. been improving all the time
since. You mast write me real soon
even though I am expecting to be
home soon
MY address is U. S. A. Base Hos
pital, 204 Hursley, near Winchester,
England am crazy to hear from
you. and all the folks. I have been
here in a lonesome hospital for two
months, and not letter from any
one. Well I will close. With heart
full of love to you all, am,
Your own true son.
Corp Claude K. Wingate.