The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-01-18

Mennouveaux. France,
November 2Sth,


That sure was some letter you sent
me and will try to send you one Just
Nas interesting. We are now allowed
q tell where we are and at which
lonts we were. Well, to start with
last July when joined this company
they we're at Epieds and from there
we moved 10 woods between Chateau
Thierry and ville-en-Tardenois. IL
was my first time under shell nre
and YOU can imagine the feeling.
was there only long enough to get
few coolies and still have them.
From there we went back for rest
which lasted little over two weeks
and then went 10 Rupt We hung
around in the woods near the town
waiting for the lam" TO come off. The
day came at last--Sept. 18th, 1918 We
were ordered to roll packs and hiked
four or five kilometers to what was
the st. Mlhiel front. There we built a
road across mo Mans Land" probab-
liz you read about IL in the paper. 1t
was some Job cutting barb wire and
filling up trenches, so the artillery
could 20 across. We did 1t In about
Ten hours and everyone thought 1t
was wonderful that we did 1t In such
short time. We stayed around there
doing road work until the Boche dis
covered we were there and started TO
she'll our home 1t was our move
then.
From there we hiked to Verdun
and stayed in that city long enough to
look Il over 1t is known as the I'm
foreground City"-that's just the right
name for It. You most likely heard OF
that place. The Boche gave us a
great reception the first night, with
gas the second night. and kept 1t up
all the while we were there. We lost
a few men from our reg .ment.
Fort Deumont was our next stop
and we lived here In dugouts. The
Boche sure did shell that place. They
would shell the roads and we would
repair them. Beaumont, town with
only the name left. was our next des-
tlnation and we were there after the
armistice was signed. And, oh boy,
wasn't that some day. And 10 think
j that we could have fire at night af-
ter that
This is just a rough sketch of life
a. the three fronts l was at. With the
aid of a map you can follow the course
we took II would take a long time
! to tell you about all the towns have
been in
After hiking nine days we landed
IN this. little town with about one
hundred people in H. II boasts
1 of three cafes | was lucky enough
TO get a room the first day and mag
inc us sleeping in a real feather bed
after sleeping in harms and on the
ground Once ! got into that bed
didn't like to get up.
Well. Sis. this Is Thanksgiving day
and when get back home I'll tell you
what we had for dinner. Must not
forget TO tell you about the two nice
girls we have here at this house
good lockers, too. The little French
know comes in mighty handy just
now. We have lot Of fun with the
girls, and we will miss them when W,
leave
We have the chance 10 get all the
souvenirs we want | carried a he'll
met around with the intention OF
sending II home, but il got too heavy
so dropped It. II have enough
cash I will bring you something from
over here, Have bayonet for Dad
and know he will like It, 1t is tn,
best have seen, and l have had a
lot Of chances to sell It.
See by the papers that so many are
dying from Spanish Influenza. SO fan
we havn't had that epidemic here. Sc
far we have had no snow. but have
had plenty OF rain