The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-01-24

had been killed, German and French.
rms had been a very quiet sector
Tor about two years, but as soon as the
americans relieved the French there
things started to be more lively. We
neid these lines until the goth of
september when an attack was made
mostly by Americans along a forty
, mile 'front.'. This sector had been assign
ca 10 the Americans and was claimed
70 De the most difficult along the en-
TIRE front, and 1t was 1t was bear
100. The night of the 25th we pa
raued INTO trench extending into
no mans Land and waited there I'M
III dawn the next morning when the
attack hogan. 1t was a chilly, foggy
morning and as we waited for our
turn TO hop over the top stumped up
ahc down partly because of the ex-
cltement and partly because | was cold
Inc rirst thing to be encountered
was swamp about one half mile wide
and we had machine gun barrage for
90 minutes to help us get across and
that barrage was a peach Dad il
makes so much noise one can't hear
smells whizzing, and you could hear
the deep 'thunkW as Jetry's shells
We're dropped on the soggy marsh
with our smoke screen anG the fog we
could not sec a man more than 20
yards away. i had been over the ton
more than 80 yards when saw
medical men, engineers and wounded
I'LL the shell iIoies all around me. |
thought at first that all our men
were hit and l was not sure that |
for -.
up one of our platoons in the swamp.
so we mad to Grass single. file over a
single narrow track. AS soon as we got
across the swamp we were all right
and away we started. Everything was
Tine sailing until our artillery fell be-
tween our first and second waves
Web 1t would take all day to tell
you Oh this attack, but anyway we
advanced kilometers, five miles and
reached our objective on the Muese
RIVER at three in the afternoon. Here
we stayed until October 10th when
we deserted our own lines, crossed the
Muese River1down on the right and at
tackled there. We chased the Huh
back kilometers. That was as hea-
Wy Smelling as / was ever under anG a
number of our boys lost their lives.
Jerry started counter attack three
times in one day. but we broke up the
attacks 50 fast that he did not get
near our positions;-just turned
around and went back. We held these
lines until the Gath of October when
we were relieved. We were in this
.line altogether AZ days attacking un
der shell and machine gun fire and
eating cold food most of the time. and
| can tell you we We're a happy lot
when we pulled out November End
for seven days rest going to AK
le- Bains, one of the Palm Beaches of
France. 1t was certainly great sur
prise when they sent our Division
there; thought we were over here for
nothing but fighting, at least it looked
that way for long while, but this is
"A most beautiful place and everything
was done for our comfort,
On November l was stricken with
a slight fever and chills and taken to
the hospital where | was held until
November 23rd, although at no time
did | feel very sick. The armistice of
course was signed on the <i1th so
that is all the fighting have seen,
but 1t has been plenty.
war--vthat while agree with Sherman
still they make you think it is worse
than 1t is that one needs all the
strength of minc that he can muster
The Germans are abunch of yellow,
dirty dogs; their machine gunhers
seem TO be the exception, and even
they Sholler Kamerad when you get on
top of them. That the Americans are
the greatest bunch of boys in the
world. For myself ! can truthfully
say have never been afraid of an
attack, not because of bravery, but /
Just felt that have lived a fairly de-
cent life and was not meant to be
Killed, and ! tell you Dad, old boy, it
|is a great comfort to have that feeling
4 had boys drop by my side, in fact
all around me, but / have always felt
that God would protect me The worst
thing ever Received was little tear
in my eye and a lot of uncomfortable
days and nights. The worst nerve
strain of all is being subject to shell
fire for days and days and ii is sure
bound to get on lones nerves.
After all is said and done am proud
and happy that have done my bit
France is the finest country in the
world-for Frenchmentr-I have also
decided that there is no place like
home and that they cannot get me
back any too quickly. have never felt
better in mylife than co now Gain
ed just one pound since have been
in France. So that is my vision Of
war, Dad. and ! am hoping to be back
soon. l know II has not been all ros-
IS for people back In the States. ]
am now going back to my company
and expect to arrive there in few
days.
7. Wen, / guess this Is enough for
Dads Christmas letter. so will close
with my love 70 you, mother and
Pauline and Jennie, and best regards
to Ruth II she is stili there
CORP. PAUL v. FUNK.
60 y lslst. Inf, seth Brigade, s3rd
Iss| IH..4...-.|A