Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-03-27
FROM VANCE D. KIRBY

FROM VANCE D. KIRBY
Mr.. and Mrs. E. M. Wagner re-
ceived a letter from their son=in-lAw,
Vance d. Kirby. which viii be of in-
terest to the friends of Mr. and Mrs
Kirby
Sommedieue, France.
December 8, 1915
Dearest Mother and Father:
Myl have finally got around to
write you few lines This finds me
feeling fine in health but am anxious
to get home again. We have been
pretty lucky of disease but have had
lots of other things to contend with,
as it has been terrible muddy, but
since the battles have ceased, it has
not been nearsso rainy and it is easier
to get around. The days are short and
it gets dark about five o1cock. It is
pretty chilly of mornings.
am working in the officers mess
now. The first battalion and it con-
sists of twelve officers. Have plenty
to eat, which by the way I'm looking
out for and the Lord knows we've
starved long enough. don't have to
drill at all, nor stand any guard, so it
is easy but do want to get home.
OH how those grand old u. S. A.
shores will look to me, as well as the
rest Then better yet-sHome."
They reduced me to buck private,
but I get extra pay here, so why
should care, when war is over and
we are so near to come home. My!
leaving and sailing and they are NOV
ing some out.
Well / will tell you of few places
where we have been since landing
But excuse mispe11ed words for they
are tongue-twisteEs. We landed ia
Liverpool, England, the 3oth of May,
went to Rums1ey or Camp WoodsIey
where we marched to South Hampton
to Cross the English channel but
something went wrong and we had to
go three miles to camp, making an
eighteen mile trip, full pack. Talk
about hungry and tired. There we
stayed two days then we went to
LaHarve, France. Stayed there two
days and had our pictures taken for
the moving picture film, that was to
be shown at Topeka for home folks.
The. camp was on top of a hill and
that was an awful trip, just getting
off that ship or cargo, all damned in
and s'dirty" oh myl Then, we took
the train to Anger, where we were
for some time in the surrounding vii
lagos and were equipped with the 1856
meter guns, or six inch, and some
horses. 1t was there, I went to the
hospital for nine days and got loose
the day we took the train for Quake
don, to the school of fire We rode in
box cars, just enough room for six
teen men or six horses. Can you pic
ture us? We were there until Aug
ust 5th.
-
mer, way east in the Voges noun
tains, where we took position. 1t was
a quiet place and bad place to start
a fuss. They exchanged fire and little
things like that until September 1st,
when our seventeen day hikes started,
but our days were nights as we had
to keep out of sight of air planes and
IN the day time we camped in the
woods. 1t rained most all the time so
we had to travel two nights and sleep
one, until our seven nights were up
then we were sent to ST. Mihiel for
reserve, near Nancy. We camped in
Nancy one day, then we went to New
Wiley where we took position again,
this time in the Argonne Sector and
on the 25th of September we put on
a barrage from two until eight in the
MORNING, as the battles were fought
mostly at night. The first objective
was a hill number AZ which was COW
cred with timber. Well when we got
through, there wasn't thing left on
it. Just all plowed up and at day
break, with the help or aid of star
shells and sky rockets the infantry
made their attact and took it. It was
so smoky we couldn't see nowhere
just like a real heavy fog Then they
took Varrens, with the support of our
artillery, where we took position
again and were there, well altogether
seven days of battle, but our infantry
was relieved by the first army or first
division we certainly received some
good compliments for our two DAYS
ire and bravery. There was large
| casualty among the infantry and also
the engineers, Myt Everything was