Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1919-01-30
LETTER FROM
NESTOR Smith
Christmas in Saarburg, Germany
Dec. 25. 1918.

btdI HI4IIe.-- HIS sure was Tie IOHg
est and most lonesome Christmas
ever spent. Went to church at $50
o'clock this morning. Received Com
muion during Mass. The church i
much larger than ours at home. Ever!
pew was filled and people were stand
ing in the aisles and in back Of church
They have a large choir and all tht
people sing. With the pipe orgar
playing and so many people singing
It seemed as tho they would raise the
roof off the church. They sang the
same hymns we sing at home, only
they sang them in German.
At 8:15 we lined up and went to the
Y, NJ C. A. Each man got boz
containing about one-haf pound Of
chocolate, packages Of cigarettes
md a cigar. AS | don't smoke
raded cigarettes for chocolate. Sure
was a treat as candy and all sweet
things are as scarce as hens teeth
here in Germany,
The rest of the day there was moth
;ng doing.
The people where l am billeted at
insisted on my eating dinner with
hem so | did. Had roast pork, mash
ID potatoes, good old brown gravy, a
BOWL Of the best vegetable soup I ever
ate, picked beans, and two glasses Of
good apple cider This good dinner
and the Christmas services at the
church seemed more like Christmas
md helped cheer me up. Sure was
disappointed in not being able to be
home for Christmas.
How did you spend Christmas?
Iope you had good time.
l don't believe I ever wrote you a
>out my trip over here and where l
was during the war AS I have a Let
# time, here goes.
On June 4th, we sailed from New
York harbor on an English boat, the
'Adriatic'. This sure was a fine
arge boat but the English are very
ooor cooks. They nearly starved US
half Of the stuff they served was
not fit to eat.
The sea was calm and nothing hap
naned on the way over Landed in
Liverpool on June 10Th. Took train
Liverpool to Camp Romsey. After
bout 8 days training there we hiked
SOUTHAMPTON. We took boats there
nd crossed the English Channel.
anded at lie Havre, France. From
here we took trains to Grand, France
We spent weeks training at Grand.
| They have a fine large church in that
| own. It is 400 years old and is built
# stone. The front steps have large
2oIes worn in them from the people
,limbing them for SO long time.
On August 4th we left Grand and
-ent to the front for the first time,
Vas in the Toul sector near an old
own named Beaumont. | mean what
vas left of this town as all the build
ngs were shot to pieces. Our sector
vas in a woods called Jerry Woods
bout mile from Montsec a strong
iermar sector We went IN the trench
s for the first time on the night OF
tugust 9Th There was nothing do
ng cn that night but the. neEt night
vas a night | will never forget as
long as live. About 10:30 on the nj 4
f August 7th. the Germans startGd
helIing US. They put over one of the
| 'argest gas shell bombardments OF
he war. This was the first time We
Heard shells flying over our heads anr
,urstirg all around US. Had on m5
ras mask that night for eight hours
Should have kept it on longer as
rot a good dose of gas 1t affect:
your eyes and lungs. I could hardl!
see for 5 or days and nearly coughet
ny head off for about two weeks. Wa
rot over the effects of same for thre
~eeIls. | should have gone to tn
hospital but stuck it out and was 0. K
n three weeks.
We had 247 men in our comp2n
when We went into the trencls but tn
morning after the gas attack we onl
e 1ad 108 left. There were 139 me
,ent 10 the hospitals for 2 to 4 month
n Some of them are still in the hospital
: This first experience with gas SUI
saugEt US a good lesson, we kne7
enough to put on our gas masks an
'-er5 them on as long IS there We
I my danger. Was in many gas a
acl-s since this first one, but nevt
rot caught without My gas mask
-ound. On September y we took pa,
n the St. Nihiel drive. Our seett
l vas included in this drive. We1
y over the top for the first time at da,
/ light on the morning Of Septemb
e 18th. Sure was exciting to SO ov
II after the Huns for the first time. Y
10 only had two men killed in our com
n any and several wounded. One Of t,
7r men wounded was my best frier
; He was from Wausau and we h
no been together ever since we le
Il