Gunnison news-champion., 1919-02-21
FRANK ARCH WRITES ENTER
TAINGLl OF ARMY LIFE

SDIlcNntft IN rance,
November q, 1918.
Dear Mother and ALL
We pulled into the edge of this lit
tie town and are camped for the night.
have been lucky enough TO find writ
ing materials and n table TO write on,
| have just heard that some of the
censorship restrictions have been re-
moved and that sure helps.
Well, can let you know something
now, and can tell you much more
when ] get home.
We were in the last, and one OF the
biggest drives of the war-on the
Nerdun-Argonnc Forest. On the day
the armistice was signed, we were so
or 90 kilometers north and little
west of Nerdun, and some drive it was
too, and some mud and weather. 1t
is wonder how men and horses could
stand il, but thank the Lord, it
counted. Since the last shot was
fired, VIC have been moving south, and
with days rest now and then. We
were in Veriun five days. and | would
give a great deal for pictures of some
of the places ] have seen. Tonight,
we are so or 80 klometers south of
Verdun, and still have l20 kilometers
70 fldht tTu VI lIliS
trip, then l hope to board train for
some good, old seaport and catch one
of those good, old boats going toward
home. OF course, don't know how
soon that will be, but hope it will be
soon.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and
we march out of this town at a. m.
and will camp tomorrow night about
gA,th 81 kara I tt-O,,1A
rather spend the day that way, for
every step l take makes me feel that
l am getting nearer home and you all.
1t makes that old pack and rife feel
ten pounds lighter. We are still car
rying gas masks and steel helmets.
Bure les Templiers,
Cole de Or,
December IL.
II is raining pretty hard and play
ing a tune on the old tin shed roof, but
should worry. We are still camped
in this little town, Bure by name about
80 or 20 kilometers south of Chau-
mont. We are getting rested up pref
ty well, also some new clothes, as
some of US were badly in need Of
them. don't know how soon we will
move, but hope it win be soon and to-
ward home, but l think that if we
land in America by Feb. 18th, we will
be lucky. We are in the 9th Division
There is Y. NJ. c. A. in town, but
il has very small stock, neverthe-
less, we get along. am satisfied with
cigar and piece of candy now and
then.
The 3iSth band is progressing fine,
They have Just gotten their instru-
ments again, for while we were on
the front, we did not have much Of q
chance to listen to music. The in
struments were in storage In a Ger
man dugout on the Hindenburg line
A lad from Ouray by the name Of
Faussone, is a high-rated sergeant
/ He used to go to school to Laurau
and is fine musician.
l will now tell you where we have
been since coming to France. W.
came over in the America She was
one Of the captured German ships. VIZ
landed at Brest May 18th, and wers
, there nearly a week, then went Il
J Gierres, a town where the U. S. built
. their immediate supply depot, prob
!. ably the largest supply depot Of it,
. kind in the world. We did whole
lot of the work, and were there from
Nav. 2Sth to about August LIST.
We went from there to Briscon By
train. then overland from Briscon Il
Gerartlmer and on the Lorraine front
|, That u sure . mountainous c0untFl
as1 r q great deal lke TIE Rockies
~ reGi1emt was It CeFnTdmer unkf
| IT, I'D ef Oete6ef, 1T I leM fAa1(
I Oeonr foeA. q ooGne detneeAo9 -.
1 W. - veat % Te0l thea ~ u