Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-03-13
Shell Not Made That Had His
Number

Mr.. and Mrs Pearse Sansum have
received the following letter from
their brother Frank Rooms, who is
with the engineers in Germany:
Oberlieber, Germany.
January 20, 1919.
Dear Sister and Brother:
Your letter Of October 16 received
just the other day. 1t was addressed
to the 117th Engineers and had trav.
eled around in France and part of Ger
many. 1t finally reached me, however
which shows how ones mail will fol-
low him. / also got one from May
which had been sent in October and
had been travelling a good deal. Those
post cards looked very natural, espe-
cially that one OF the cement bridge.
John Immediately recognized the old
place, which shows fairly plain on
the picture.
You know now that we are in Rhina-
land, no doubt. 1t is very fine coun-
try around here, the best in Germany,
/ think. We are being treated fine,
which is natural, but it really is a
much better place than we ever had
before. John and I are in the same
billet with several other fellows, and
we have a regular club here.
The other day | heard from home
and they said it was only 38 degrees
below. II we had to get into weather
Ike that just now / think most Of us
would be freezing. You see it has
been about two years since we really
saw any cold weather. Over here it
SHOWS one day and then melts the
next There has only been few days
that it was real cold. | have been go
ing out in my shirt sleeves a good
deal, SO you can see it isn't very cold,
more like spring than winter.
We are all enjoying this life, as it
S much better than being at the front,
but most of us prefer starting for the
states. Just year ago today We were
leaving New York harbor on the
Eeolus, bound for Brest, France, but
we did not know it at that time. We
were II days on the boat and were
more than ready to get on solid ground
again. During my year over here
have seen some very interesting and
also some very exciting times. All
together we were on the front little
over five months. The rest of the time
was spent in training in France and
up here on the Rhine. While at the
front l always had the feeling that the
shell was never made that had my
number on it, and l guess it never
was, but there were several times
when I would not have given much for
my chance of seeing the states again.
I remember once in particular when a
II nm. hit on hard paved road about
ten yards from where another fellow
and l were lying. We could hear the
whining of the shell several m 'nutes
before it hit, and by the sound we
judged that it had our number. on it
for sure. After being at the front for
a while one can tell by the sound Of
a shell about where it is going to
land. Imagine our feeling when we
heard this one coming. When that
one hit, the conclusion blew our he'll
NETS off our heads, but we didn't
notice that, as the rocks and steel
were flying In all directions. | don't
know how I looked, but the eyes Of
the fellow with me were nearly pop
ping out of his head and he was spit
ting just as fast as he could. We did
not stay long in that vicinity, as one
shell generally means another. This
happened in the Argonne forest. Many
tines l have dived into bitches or fiat
on the ground, as that is the best pro-
lection from fragments Of shells n.y.
ing through the air. Once whiz-bang
struck in marshy spot before | even
had time to duck, but it buried itself
in the soft ground before it exploded,
so fortunately no one was hurt. 1t
was one big experience, but one | do
not care to go through again. | could
tell you many more little incidents,
but will wait until / get home, as 1t
takes too long to write them all out.
John is here and sends his best re-
CARDS. I received Roy's note and will
answer it soon. Will close for this
time, hoping to be with you all soon.
AS ever, with love,
CORP. FRANK KOONS.
Co. f LOT Engineers, A. P. o. 734.