The true northerner., 1919-01-03
Whole Number 1850

Co. ID. 147th, Regiment, u. s. In
fantry, American Expeditionary
Force, A. p. o. No 1853, postmarked
HOlste, Belgium, written to his
parents, and dated December End.
My Dear Dad and All.
Yours truly received a few days
ago, and | sure was very glad to hear
from you all. Well how's everybody
and everything coming along back in
the "Old Home Town?
Things are coming along first rate
"Over here, it is drill again as the
war is Finish" as most AL French
say. / received letter from Elva
the other day, she spoke of how
Detroit took the news of the finish of
the war. From what she wrote every
one was as nearly in panic as "Over
here" 1t was far different, there
were no whistles blown, as most all
of the factories were partly destroy
ed by the Germans, or were damaged
some way or other by the shell fire
of both sides. But every town, city or
village has at least one church, so we
had plenty of noise by the ringing of
bells everywhere. Now of course
this is of the section we were in, for
! it was through here that "Fritz" had
made his home for the past four years
or longer. peace, we'll that was a
funny thing to pull off when a fellow
was up and waiting to spring a good
surprise on "Fritze Boy" the same
morning. Well that was where Co.
d. was the morning Of November IL.
All day the 10th, we advanced against
heavy machine gun and artillery fire,
and as dusk came on we dug ourselves
in for the night, onlyto start on early
next morning, knowing the war was
won by "pen and ink" instead of gun
and sword. Which of course has and
always will be the only way. But we
wanted to give Fritz a taste of the
same medicine he had dshed out to
us the day before, but we were too
late. This drive was the second we
were in since we landed on Belgium
soil, the sector was the West Flan-
der's front which no doubt you have
read a great deal about. On Sep.
tember 26th, we went "Over the Top
the first time, that was on the Ver-
don Front and the Argonne sector.
| know you have read of the Argonne
Drive. Well, we were one of the
Divisions that started first on the
drive, we We're on this drive five long
days, or until the 31st, when the
32nd, relieved us. Our next time
cover the Top" was the morning of
October 31st, and was relieved on the
5th, of November, the last Drive we
were on was from the 10th, of Novem
Der until the morning of the 11th,
when the Armistice went into effect
and put an end to our last drive. l
speak of "Drive" as it is when you
are an the move after "Them" and
not just holding a front. We were
on the move a great deal during our
stay in France. We landed at Brest
on the 5th, of July and on the 28th,
of July we took our first lesson Of
holding a front at Montigny on the
Lorraine Sector, the next time on the
lines was at Mignvile, on the same
sector. The next time we went up
we help start "Em" going back on the
Argonne, when we were relieved from
that drive, we were sent up Z" ; i
the Metz Front on the st. Michel
sector. 1t was when we were relieved
here, that we soon headed for Bel
gium and took part on these two
drives on the Flanders Front. That
was "all", we took part in, now do
you think it was easy?
/ guess you'll agree l did very we'll
in writing as much and as often as
did, don't you, Dad? Many time
I've wanted to write but could not,
so | let it go and did lot Of think
ing.
: If you have a map Of France and
Belgium you may find a few places
! was in and was near. Brest, Nancy
Toul, Tours, Baccarat, Ramberviller's
in France. In Belgium-Thielt, Dey-
ME, and Courtrai.
We are near Hulste, and that is
about eight kilometers or five miles
from Courtrai. Now you can figure
about where we were when this let
ter was written.
Well Dad, there are enough things
to write and tell you about that would
: make a small book, so l guess | will
:, ring off and tell you some Of them
: when we comeback to Gods Country.
| received letter from Effie some
:. time ago. Everything was o. n
down in Od' Tennessee. Well III