The diamond drill., 1919-03-22
Camp Hospital No. 1906. A. P. o. No. 7O5
A. r. f.. France.
schifflange. Lgxembuorg.
Tuesday, Feb. 25. 1919.

received your letter this a. m. and
was surprised, as l had decided that
you intended not to write, but were
expecting me home soon.
You mentioned that you all thought
my letter mighty Short and were
surprised that l never gave an account
OF where and what have been doing
since have been in France My dear
boy, you don't know what job, or
what a book il would make IL were
to write. II all. Censor would curse
me for month for writing letter
that would take him an hour or so to
read,
You won't be satisfied unless / ten
whore, and in what battles we were in,
and what have done while in France,
so will describe some Of my expert
ences briefly.
won't mention about the time spent
before going into the trenches, as
Pete Mortenson told what II was like.
and | suppose he had practically what
we had.
We went into the trenches on June
18th, and received our initial she'll
ing" on the road TO the trenches. This
happened in the Voges Mountains. We
remained there for about three weeks
and then moved into the trenches
near st. Die. We were in the trenches
there or near that vicinity for about
five weeks, and while there captured
the first German town that was cap
tured by Americans.
We thought then that war was HI,
but, believe me, we learned later that
Il was like home, sweet home back in
the sectors as compared TO what we
were into after.
Next important sector that went in
to was st. Mihiel. / drove the lead
team on "caission," or ammunition
wagon. Not because | had to but be-
cause it save me lot of hiking" and
because wanted to be in it, too
We arrived there two days before
the big barrage started which cleared
the way for the boys to go over the
top. German artillery played havoc
with us. They could see us in plain
view. especially when crossing GER
tain field about 200 yards wide We
had to go across one wagon at
time and couldn't hurry as the mud
was so deep. When my partner and
went through they fired five times
at us with artillery, but, luckily, we
pulled through alright. Here is
where warefare Is also a matter OF
brains.
Our artillery was comparatively
quiet during these two days. They
had direct range on all the German ar
tillery and on the gun that was doing
so much damage but wouldn't fire for
fear their own positions, etc, would
hN SAN'h away anu hut 1tlHlduS
would have time to rearrange their
guns.
But on the night of September -,
when they did open up. one would
think all hi was everything
seemed to tremble. 1t was supposed
to last for ninety-eight hours steady.
But that long a time wasn't required,
as the Germans "vamoosed" mighty
rapidly. We stayed there about one
week or so and then moved into
town called "Dealort" This place |
dreaded more than any place in
France. Guess it is because | had
two very close calls while there. One
was at the stables We had our
horses in some tarpapered stables and
had just returned from supper. and
also brought. supper for the fellow
who stayed at the stable while we
had our supper. Hadn't been seated
more than five minutes, he and /, and
were talking, when we heard, or, rath-
-------------------