Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-12
B0CHES TREATED
RUSSIANS BADLY
Great Falls Boy in Germany
Says They Fared Worse of
All Prisoners.

Il. Sundquist, 1912 Second arcna
north, has received letter from his son
Elmer L. Sundquist, Go. c. Eighth fj@I
battalion A. f. H., in which he dcscriD i
the effect upon prisoners released by thr
Germans of starvation conditions in Hun
he stated he expected to spend Christ
mas III Germany and was feeling fine and
glad the war was over, as it had been
one fight after another for him since he
went into action at Chateau Thierry last
July. The letter follows:
Deidenhofen. Lorraine Nov IS, 1918.
Dear Father: This is Thanksgiving
morning and the day is ours. November
"A was assigned as Fathers day We
were supposed to write home on this day
so the letters would reach home for
Christmas. However. l was unable to
write that day as we were on march into
Germany. We had four straight days
marching with full pack. We covered 80
miles and | feel anything but good NV
feet were pretty sore, it was one of the
hardest marches we have had. Well
Dad, the war is over. and all ! am look
L
can go home. We are now in Lorraine
seven miles from the Luxembourg border
doing guard duty. We expect to get Or
ders any day to move further on. We
are all wondering how long it will be be
fore we will sail for home. Nearly ev
eryone here speaks German. Some Of
the population can speak French, but
everyone was strictly forbidden to speak
French. However, most of the people
are French descent and still loyal to
France, all glad TO get away from Ger
many. and we are all we'll treated. They
all give America credit for giving them
their liberty. They say, Had it not
been for America Germany would have
won the war This is beautiful coun
try, and very rich country. Great iron
mines, and we saw some great smelters.
However. before the Germans left they
destroyed everything they could and TOOK
everything they could get their hands on
in the line of foodstuffs, etc The con
ditiol.s in Germany are very bad, they
have hardly any foodstuffs. | was talk
ing to some English prisoners who had
been in Germany for two years. and they
save some pretty good information about
the condition They said that Well-to-do
PEOPLE would come out and beg for some
thing to eat. and from all appearance
they must of had hard time. | have
seen thousands of prisoners coming back
and the Russian prisoners sure show the
effects Of starvation. They Jared worse
than the others There is Its that could
be said bur will save it until get home
However. | am So glad it Is over. it has
been hell for four months. We went into
action on July Is at Chateau Ihierry
and from that date on it was one fight
after another We were also at st. MI
hie and from there we went to Serdun
and our last battle was in Argonnc for
Id northeast of Nardun, and there Is
where We made the Germans beg for
sure. | have passed over tho biggest
part of the ground where the big battle
of Verdun was fought in 1914 and 1919
Now | hope you all have nice Thanks
giving dinner / think | am going TO
miss eating turkey today, but doesnt !
matter slum or beans will be our disn
today. Ard | wish You all merry
Christmas and happy New Year. Will
be home some time next year and will
make up for all good eats | have missed
Expect to spend my Christmas in Ger
many. am feeling fine outside of hav-
ing sore feet. but will soon get over that
A Merry, Merry Christmas t. all Love
to all. ELMER.
Signal BIN. L. S. A, care Chief Signal
Officer, \. E. L.