Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-03-05
HIS POCKET MIRROR SAVED HIS LIFE

Gllo EO1EAEA b4ihEOk SAY ED HIS LIFE
iBy Private Thos. NJ Young, Base Hospital,
somewhere in France. November 2l.I
Dear roiks at hcme: | feel like | was as
Old as the hills. Guess / will leave here if
dent get any better. | feel a heap better
than when l came to the hospital. / sure
receive good care. l don't see how we could
get along without cur Red Cross nurses.
have 10 priase the Red Cross for il is all that
saved me. l have had quite a few close calls,
and my pocket mirror is all that saved me
once. My coat was split about FIVE inches. 1t
was a size shot at 4 could write more
about it, but will ait till / get home. | am
Just able TO be on my feet. In the morning
am very lame. l think what caused the rheu-
matism was being in the wet trenches. The
sun still shines here and the nights are cool.
As | said l have had few close calls, but
said l would live TO come home, so / will.
Don't suppose / will get any more mail as /
am away from my company again. / have
been clear across France and then over the
country and in several different towns and
even Paris and Toni is not ciassed with our
little town the kickapOo river. / don't
think will be able to stand work for g W hile.
Guess | viii be home to spend a few cold
nights in the house. In one of the battles
Twas in one Of my comrades was killed be-
side me. I have also been over the top
erai times and been patrol duty in no mans
land Over here We get paid in French mon
ey. 1t looks like coupons from tobacco. / am
sending you 20 cent bill, but l don't want
many souvenirs for 1 feel If | get home l will
DADS CHRISTMAS LETTER
by Private Thos. NJ. Young, November "a,
To Mr.. John X. Young: Well dad / am
much better, and hope you ell fine. Today
is Sunday and we allowed to write"D Dad
four times. When left Camp Merritt ali our
letters were censored Nov have a chance
to tell our experience. left Camp Merritt
for HOboken and entered small tug for New
York. There We were loaded a big Ger
man boat, the second biggest in the world. 1t
was fine trip. We saw plenty of water but
not very good TO drink; we had some time too.
did not get sea sick. 1t took US days The
worst was the unloading, for the ship had
about 1000 machine guns, 200 aeroplanes,
know how many cook wagons. l guess about
1000 or more. The ship was about l20 feet
high 100 wide and 200 long. It looked just
like hill after it was unloaded. After
eight days we landed IN Brest harb0r. There
It took three days and nights to unload.
Then we went to shore. got a nights sleep and
it was in pup tents. The next day we were
to leave. We were put in box cars, AZ men
in a car land we rode two days and two
nights. Guess like sardnes in a can.
After we landed hiked % miles. full pack.
and We got lost as our guide was good.
Then we hiked again another eight miles.
At last came to ROuerie's, where we had
two days rest, after we had been without
feed for three days. Then got some corn
beef and hard tack. After that experience
weeks at Rouverie's. 1t wasn't bad there
After left Rouveries we took box cars
again for two days and one night II
rs to 81 nine in car with mules. We land
ed miles from Toul. We then hiked for six
hours to Frenchville, about 80 miles from
hell hreI From there went to these towns
and slept in barnssand dugouts; Andilly, Man
Oncourt, Minerville, Martincourt, Nancy. The
town of Nancy lays fat to the ground from
heavy artillery FIRE. We then passed Nancy
were marched by single file. The day came
and we were in the front line and all we
could hear the big guns, and the G. l..
cans bursting. There rife FIRE.
We were in the forest Bois-le-pretre. on the
Metz front. Then held the front line for
ten days. l went patrol duty twice. We
didn't lose n man these ten days. Then we
with anything. We were all mud and wet
clear through. l felt bad but did my duty
by staying. The tenth day we got release
and got six days of drill Aeroplanes came
at will, but cared for
soldiers. After six days went TO the front
again and were in dugouts for two days.
Then at four o'clock got word to roll out
of cartridges, and six grenades and bayonets
fixed.
We knew il meant fight. At $3.50 we went
and in about twenty minutes had
real rabbit chase. The fiat heads ran,
fun. and began to shoot ard all | can say,
we did splendid. l can say when l get
home. I came out lame and tired out. We
mask and kept right on. / can say my trench
mirror my life saver. 1t glanced q shot
from my chest. Our boys who were taken
prisoners have returned and they look like
skeletons. Some have died from cold and
hunger. The prisoners took. l helped to
feed them good. / thankful l not
prisoner.
| wish you all Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year