Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-01-31
RALPH MILLER WRITES
HOME FROM GERMANY
Wabeno Boy With First American
Troops 10 Go Across Writes of
Lis Work Over There.
HAS SEEN HEAVY FIGHTING

with the first American troops, gives
an interesting account of his work over
there. Ralph was one of the very first
from here to volunteer and has been in
the thick of the fight.
Moyendorf Germany,
Dec. II, 1918.
| Dearest Mother and all,
Just few lines to let you know | am
| well and healthy yet. | am going to
give you an account of all | did while
in France, and if you want to you can
give il to Mr. Himley to publish in the
paper.
We set sail for France from New
York on January 14th, 1917, and were
on the sea ID days. On the 14th day
we sighted st. Nazaire France. We
got off the boat the afternoon of June
2Sth being the first American troops to
land in France.
The End Battalion of the 18th Infan-
try proceeded to Paris by special train
and there paraded that great day, the
4th of July 1917.
From St. Nazaire France we proceed
ed by train to Goudricourt in the inter
ior of France, 35 miles from the city of
Toul
There the division went into Inten-
sive training with the Blue Devils of
France, or otherwise called the Alpine
Chaussas, as Instructive.
The training lasted about or
months and then we went to the front
for period of 10 da,s, one Battalion
az "A Nme. The front was in the region
of EIneville or Nancy.
After rest of month the division
opened up the sector northwest OF
roule, AMI there March the 1st, the
Germans attempted raid on the 3rd
Bn. 18th Infantry which you read So
much about. The division stayed in
line there from January 18th to March
5th. We were relieved by the Goth
American Division.
After resting for three weeks We
were sent up on the Somme front to
help stop the Germans who had start
ed their great spring offensive of
March 2lst.
The Division went into line April Is
relieving the famous 1st Division of
Morrocians or otherwise the Louign
Legion.
There we made an attack on the
village of Cantigrey. That was the
place where poor Raymond Pichotta
fell
1t was the first attack the American
troops made. We gained three kilO-
meters on a two and one half kilometer
front, and captured 256 prisoners and
four guns and much more material.
We stayed in line for "a days includ-
ing the 4th of July each gun on the
American sector fired fifty rounds of
gas shells into the German lines by
way of celebrating the day.
Well we were relieved July 9Th by
some French troops and went to a
little town called Anchy wher we rest
ed seven days.
We left Anchy the % of July for
Soissons where we entered into the
great counter attack launched by
Marshal Foche.
We attacked six days going over the
top every day, and we gained Is kilo-
meters of ground and took $500 prison
ers and rs cannon and much material.
We were relieved by some Scottish
troops, and then we proceeded by train
going through the city of Paris on our
way TO Toule. In Toule we were
CHARTERED in big French Military Bar
racks.
There great many of our men were
decorated with the French Cross of
the Cross of the Legion of honor. A
| friend of mine was also decorated with
the Cross of War at the same time.
! We stayed at Toule four days and
then went up to quiet sector at Toule
again.
We stayed there Is days and then
were relieved by the Goth American
Division
! Then we went to a place called Max
ey, our, Vaise. We rested there seven
days and then went up on the Toule
front and took part in the all Ameri-
can attack of the Argonne woods.
There We went into lire Sept. 80, and
attacked October 3rd 1918. We gained
nine kilometers including the famous
Hill 240 where the French lost so many
men in 1917.
/ We were relieved from the attack
October 14th and went back to a place
called Signulles IL kilometers from the
city of Barl-ley-duk. We rested there
n