The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-01-03
Letters to the Folks
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FROM FRANCE
For the Advocate from Corporal A
HarIand Greene, 311th M. c.. B.

For the Advocate from Corporal A.
Harland Greene, 311th MI G.. B.
Chaumont, France. Nov. "a, 1918.
Dear Father:-Today has been set
apart as the day on which each boy
of the A. T.. f. is supposed to write
his father or someone elSe'S father
letter 1t is estimated that at least
two million boys will comply with this
request.
The paper said yesterday that this
letter would not be censored; in fact
the censorship was lifted until fur
Their notice. L shall not attempt to
relate all my experiences, but be very
brief, preferring to wait until / shall
see you when I can do it better and
easier.
well, you should see me now! My
desk is an old piece Of marble slab
resting on a rude broken bed. I am
sitting on an old French canteen;
that's my chair. I am writing with
German ink. The rest I'll leave to
your imagination, so you can paint
the picture to suit your fancy. I do
not think L ever had such an eXpen-
sive CD outfit! You see, the last few
days of the war, we had the Germans
SO on the run, they had to leave much
of their equipment behind.
I'VE are at the same place we were
when the orders came to stop firing.
Yesterday we expected to move, but
at the last minute orders we're chang
ed. Now we do not know when we
shall 60. Chaumont, as nearly as
can understand, is about 20 miles
northwest Of Verdun. We are still in
tents ON the slope of big hill, about
half-mile from the town, which of
course is deserted as far as French
inhabitants are concerned.
In my last letter | referred to- a
town that this war has made world
famous. II was Verdun. Tt is a
pretty place and more modern than
any we've been in yet. Spent three
days and two nights there. Am I'm
hopes of getting back again, as
want to see more Of it. The town
is fairly well preserved, the one part
of it has been badly shelled.
II suppose mother has received
the note I wrote shortly after the
18th, telling her that Tracy, all the
rest Of the boys of the company and
myself are well. We surely had
some sensational finish. We're adj
vancing under the enemy fire, and
right In sight Of their lines when we
were suddenly startled by Justify
cheering ahead, of us. A heavy fog
hung over the hin which prevented
us from seeing just were it came
from. We couldn't account for it,,
but while we wondered, one or our
messengers came with orders to lay
down arms, seek shelter as best we
could, and wait. At eleven o'clock
sharp all firing ceased 1t was a
wonderful, thrilling moment. We
pitched tents where we stopped
The sod under us was heavy, SO we
gathered lot of grass and made a.
good, soft bed. Extra blankets were
issued us, SO we made ourselves
comfortable and slept fine and warm.
! wish you could have seen the fire.
works at night! AS T said before, we
were on hill, surrounded on al
most three sides by German artil-
ler'y. AS soon as it was dark they
began to send up rockets I believe
for one hour the sky line on three
sides OF us and several miles back
TANNED with red, green and yellow
rockets. 1t was one sight we will
never forget. Meanwhile the Ger
mans sang and blew horns, so you
see we all rejoiced together.
An aeroplane is just passing.
That reminds me that i'm one OF
mothers letters she said one passed
over near home. Here we scarcely
notice them. Have seen as many as
thirty at one time. We did have to
pay attention to one one Saturday
morning, not long ago. 1t was
Hun plane and swooped down on us
as we were advancing, firing all the
time. L think in all my life never
felt so helpless. ALI we could do was
take it. Luckily no one was hit.
L shall stop right here to say I
am real well as are all the rest of
the boys. We are looking forward
to the time when we shall have more
comfortable quarters And better
still, to the glad day when we shall
roll packs for the last time in old
France and head for home. Nav
that time be not far distant. Then.
IL that is my privilege, I'll resume
this narrative and tell you all about
it more fully.
With love to all, remain,
Sincerely your son,
CORP. a. HARLAND GREENE"