Military Letter from somewhere in France
October 20, 1918
To the Editor of the Waverly Newspaper:
Somewhere in France, upon the front lines where Fritz - spells fall thick and fast, one day I was detailed to take a message to the infantry. I started on my way with the message through the heavy shell-fire, and on my way I ran into a kitchen which was serving dinner. They had beef-steak, mashed potatoes, rice pudding and apricots. I stopped and borrowed a mess kit and fell into line to get my dinner. I sat down right among Fritz" shell fire and began to eat. I ate all they gave me and went back for seconds on the rice pudding and apricots. They sure were fine. the mess sergeant and the cooks had all stepped aside for the time being, and there was only one there to help me, so I began to help myself. Just as I got my mess kit leveled up good and full with rice pudding and apricots, up stepped the mess sergeant, who said, "Say, bud, do you realize you are not the only one in the army to eat?" I replied, "I realized the fact, sir, but I am most awful hungry and have quite a long, dangerous trip before me, sir. I am on my way to the front line trenches with a message." Then he says, "Eat all you want, my boy; you have an awful trip before you."
After I finished dinner, I started on my way with the message, with Fritz' shells falling all round me like hail, but after I had eaten such a good meal I did not mind them one bit. I went on right through them and reached my destination safely. On my way back Jerry joined in with Fritz and sent over a few of his shells, also. They got so close that I ran into a dugout and stayed there about an hour and a half. Then they quieted down and I got out of the dugout and started on my way back. I thought I would cut across through the woods which was at least one mile nearer, but I had not gone far till I ran into a machine gun nest, which made it very interesting for me for a few moments, but it didn't last long, as I took the back track as fast as my legs would carry me, and got into another dugout, where I stopped for some time.
Then I got out and made my way back to my organization. On the following morning the machine gun were captured. There were two of them, consisting of thirteen men, which were missed in the advance the morning before. The Germans are very sharp people. They stayed there as snipers until they were captured. They killed and wounded quite a number of our men before they could locate them, but after our boys located them they were soon captured. White the Germans are putting up a game fight, they are too weak.
We are advancing each and every day and taking quiet a number of prisoners along the line as we advance. Some of them are only boys from 14 to 16, ragged and dirty. They are bum looking soldiers. To look them over, I can't see how they can hold out much longer in this warfare. We all feel that the war is drawing near the end, and we are all fighting very hard. We feel that the harder we fight the sooner we will win the victory, and get back to our homes far across the deep blue sea, to our dear old mothers and sweethearts, who are waiting there for us.
We are unable to advance very fast at the present time on account of the roads. the mud is something awful now so that holds us back and prevents us from advancing as rapidly as if we had good roads. Fritz shells our roads all he can along the line to hold us back, and Jerry sends over a few and digs up our roads also. They also send over a few gas shells as well as shrapnel and high explosive shells, but we don't mind their gas - it is very weak . We have extra good gas masks, so it doesn't bother us at all.
We have fine hospitals here to take care of the sick and wounded, and they are properly taken care of. We have a number of Y. M. C. A. people on the front that are doing good work for the boys. They hand out cigarettes, cigars, chocolate, cake, stationery and lots of other stuff that the boys in the trenches appreciate very much. These gifts from the Y. M. C. A. make us feel the people in the U. S. are doing their bit to help the boys at the front. We are fighting hard to end this war and get back to our homes. We hope the end is near and that we will soon have peace and harmony again, this we must have and will have before the end of this war.
Yours sincerely,
Pvt H. R. Hilterbran, A. E. F., France
(World War I)
December 12, 1918 - Waverly Watchman
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