Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-05-02


March 31st, 1919.
Dear Father:
Well l received your letter the 9TH
er day and was very glad to hear from
you. 1t found me feeling fine and
hope every thing is all right there.
l will try and tell you of some Of
the things l have seen while l have
been over here and some Of my ex-
periences in this little old world war
came over on the Gram Glas-
cow" German ship that had been
made over into a troop ship and land
ed in Liverpool. England, on the 25th
day Of June. We only stayed there
two nights. so 1 didn't get to see any
thing Of that place, but think have
made up for it since. We crossed
the English Channel the 27th and
landed at La Havre and went to ST.
Aignon, in one of those French cars
Eight CheveauX or Forty Homirres. :"
! was sent to the 23rd Regiment
while they were at Chateau Thierry.
one unit of the End Division. And
then the fun began.
On the 10th of July we took
French trucks and went to Scissors,
in he Villiers COtterel woods. We
rode all night and hiked from the
next morning until about five that
night. We were deep in he woods
then. After having our supper we
made our combat packs and left for
business. and rain, il was so dark
YOU couldn't see the person in front
OF you. They made the attack at
4.35 the next morning. the 18th. and
from that time on il seems as tho
they only used the 2nd Division to
start the Huns going when they
would get set any where. We were
there two days then went back to the
rear Eventually we landed in Nancy
and were billeted in some large bar
racks there. We also spent ten days
in quiet sector on the Metz front.
where we could hear the German
planes coming over to bomb Nancy
and at the same time the French
planes after Metz. We made two night
marches when we came out of there
and went to COlumbo La Belle for a
few days school with the signal corps
and now comes S. Mihiel. 1t was ali
night marches to get there and meant
sleeping in the woods daytimes, and
the night of the 18th of September
We went into the trenches for the at
tack and again it rained and the mud
was ankle deep there. We went
over at daylight and drove them eight
Kilometres We did in one day
what We were supposed to do in two.
We came Out OF there and went to
Cham payne. passing through Toul
and Citations, Oh our way.
And Champagne. | don't believe
anyone that was there will ever gor-
get it. There was ten days OF the
fercest fighting | ever saw. Three
times they captured a small town
there and tine first two times the
Huns made counter attacks and TOOK
!, back But there WAS only one way
for it to end--it stayed n the hands
Of the Americans If course. When
We came out OF there the signal pla-
tOOn. which | am in. had had the
hcavics! losses ii had ever had be-
fore.
But you may be sure that by this
Tine the ItcinieS were only thinking
OF one hing-hOme--and in the
Meuse and ArgCnne We helped them
On their way for II kilometers, and
imagine tive would advance at
might. and wake up the next morning
with two or three Heinies standing
there looking at us But on the 18th
G November it was all over, and the
end was scheduled to go over again
that night, in fact, part Of it did
cross the Meuse the night of the 10th.
And now comes the hike to the
Rhin"-325 kilCmeters in Is days
neutrality-suspicious. from six to 3S
hiloneters in Il lay. We crossed in
tC Germany the lSt day OF December.
ana crossed the Rhine on the 18th. on
Friday. at "Erpel'' and here we arc
in NallcnddY. so the next time we
move | hope it will be to the Old U.
S. A.
Give my regards to them all. am
your son, PVT GEORGE NJ. JONES.
Hq. 23rd u. S. Inf. A. p. O 700.
Germany.