Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-03-06
FRANK ToMANEK WRITES
Prum, Eifel, Germany,
January 26th, 1919.
Dear Brother:

Dear Brother
This is one dickens of night
showing in the wilds of Germany, and
Sunday night at that; so just thought
I'd write and get some of the blues
off my mind For the situation of the
boys in the Army of Occupation Is
not as good as that of those who are
kept around the large cities of France
But one of the worse things sticking
in my craw is all the boost that 35th
Division has been getting in the Kan
sas newspapers. Do you know that
3tmy'' division=the 89thEis c1assed
among the four best divisions of the
whole army? And yet what do you
read of US except for cablegrams
which the Colonel or Commanding
General may send back to papers now
and then? Our regiment in partic-
ular was in the trenches and the
front three months and five days ex-
cepting the nine days we were the
move but still under shell fire. We
went over the top two times and made
wonderful advances, catching all the
while great numbers of Huns, and we
were yet on the job the day the Arm
istic went into effect@November IL
and finished up strong by capturing
the town of Stenay on the east bank
of the Meuse river just five minutes
before the order to stop was passed
out. The 35th was only in one drive,
and how long did they last? Six days
in all and on the fourth day of these
six, they retreated almost two kilo-
meters and had to be releaved. Yet
that division gets all the newspaper
space, whilst our grand 89th Div
ision, which REALLY DID SOME
THING creator which we're in
the Army of Oecupation-seIdom is
mentioned
And now that's off my mind, let
me unload a thing or two about the
Y. M C. A-the 1tY'' which I at one
time thought one of the biggest
things in this wari AS far as any
benefits men at the front may
have gotten from the "Y' it might
just as well have been in the Phil1i-
pine islands, (Here follow details too
long for the space at our command)
Your letter of December 23rd came to
me last week and I surely was glad
to hear from you again, and particul-
arly to read that everyone was well
at home. That flu business has made
all the boys worry a lot about the
folks at home One was almost
| afraid to open a letter for fear it
would contain bad news. 1t has not
hit US as yet over here and am feel
ing fine.
The news about the rain and snow
sounded good to me-that is in far
as the wheat was concerned. We've
had quite a deal of snow here, but
it hasn't lasted long at any one time
as it would warm up every three OF
four days and melt what snow fell
1t surely looks pretty in these fir
covered hills around here, when every
thing is white with snow. This isn't
such a bad burg either-about 5000
| nhabitants, but Co1lyer Quinte1
would look like New Y ork City to me
| if I could see it nowl
There are lots of runnors as to
when we're to go home, but that's
the trouble, they are only rumors
Suppose they will surprise US some
of these days and give US our orders
to pack up and beat it for Gods
country. About o'clock now, anc
feel like chasing up to where some
of the boys are billeted here in town
and get something to eat. Only go
two meals today-one at $50 this
morning and the other at 2:30 thi:
afternoon, so we made arrangement:
for little lunch tonight.
Keep well and happy, and before
you know it I'll be chasing back tt
"home and mother Give my love tt
everyone, and tell Evelyn that her big
brother, Frank, still thinks heaps OF
her and talks about her most every
day. Tell the rest of the family IT
| write them all soon. Don't forget tt
write me as letters help to keep w
spirits. Best of luck and good wishes
| from
| Your loving brother,
| Frank
P. S. Just a word or two about the
General Order No. 2, Hqr. seth Div
ision, given on January 7th, 1919 a
General Order is the thighest,' ordel
in which anyone can be cited, and fo
that reason be proud of your broth
er for having his name in this list O.
D. s. C's. Please keep this order TO
me.