Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-02-07
YANK WRITES OF
HIS EXPERIENCES
Nephew of Arvid Holm Tells
of Front Line Work in
France During Last
Months of War.

Below is published letter recently
received by Arvid Holm from his
nephew, Corp. d. W. Spoerke, Co. B,
10th Ammunition Train, A. F. E.,
France, Spoerke has been in France
over year, and saw active service
for over six months with the artillery.
Villeroy, France.
January I, 1919
Dear Uncle Received your letter
yesterday SO will try and answer it to-
day before | begin to put it off. /
haven't written very often lately be-
cause wewere moving so much. We
get just about settled and it is move
again, and then when / did get time
put it off till the first thing-I knew
got letter from you again.
Some. of our fellows were decorated
with the D. S. G. today, so guess
our regiment isn't so far behind the
rest of them in our division at that.
Our whole division is going to be dec
GRATED with the French Braid. We
received four citatations from the
French when we were at the front
with them. We we're at five different
| fronts and on all of them during
some big drive that was being pulled
off. We didn't lose very many men,
but we certainly had some narrow es-
capes. [ was in few of them my
self. Now that the war is over it
seems miracle that a whole lot
more Of us were not bumped. But /
guess that the boches never had our
names written on their shells. |
know one thing for certain, that
their gas was not as strong as they
wanted it to be. Some of their shells
toward the last were no good, probab-
I ly because some Allied sympathizer
was working in one of their munition
factories. | know of few times
when if the shell had been a good
one, less men would have come home
to tell about it. There were some
French troops with us one night, and
some of them slept with US. A shell
landed in one of their beds right be-
tween two fellows, but 1t never explo-
ded. That's what they call a ''dud.
Most Of the heavy Smelling was a
little back OF the infantry just where
the ammunition trains worked. Once
in awhile we would get in touch with
no lacs
his machine gun on us; but he would
get an avalanche of bullets back, and
with interest, too. By day they
sheIled US and by night they bombed
US, and SO between times we were
pretty safe. I suppose because we
were so lucky they thought it would
not pay to give us {. rest, so they kept
us at the front for six months with
out rest. All the fellows were anx-
ious to get it over SO they didn't
mind it at all. On the Verdun front
and ArgoDne Forest front we had a
hard time. Sometimes the fellows
were out for three days at time
without anything to eat except what
they could borrow, beg or steal and
that was pretty close to nothing.
The only thing they stole was little
sleep, and, as before, mighty little OF
that.
Well, / don't know of much more to
write unless I may tell you we are
getting enough to eat, and a good
place to sleep. We hear many
rumors concerning the time our men
leaves for home All the fellows that
were over a year are anxious to get
back. We have two service stripes
now, so I'm satisfied to go any time
they say the word. With our red ar
row insignia on our left shoulders and
two service stripes on our left fore
arms ard the French Braid tied on US
we surely will have some decorations;
then my two stripes on my right arm
you certainly will have to look
twice before you recognize me. But
give me my discharge papers and I'll
leave right now anu they can keep
all their decorations.
must close now; it's getting late
and we have reveille at 6 a. M. It's
about 9:15 here, so suppose you are
just eating supper.
With love from your nephew,
| n