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My Dear Parents:-
This is the day we are all to write to our Dads. You will pardon the way
this letter is headed, Dad. While it is for you I can’t forget mother and
the rest whenever I write so it is for you all. I am still near the lines
in a small ruined town of Bauxieres. We were drawn back here from our
position we held at the end of the war, which was before the stronghold of
the city of Metz. As you all know this is the strongest fortified city in
Alsace-Lorraine which was held by Germany. When hostilities ceased we were
within range of the guns of this fort and on the eve of the greatest
battles which would have been staged in this war. We would have taken it
too but having seen a plenty and been through we were able to realize what
a seige (sic) on these works would have meant. How lucky we think we are
you may well guess because as in the former drives we were the Keystone
Division and held The Keystone position on this front. Then the bottom
fell out & already our troops have entered these strongholds without
resistance not only that but have been received as liberators by the
people here. No, Dad, we are not in the Army of Occupation. We were a part
of it but were relieved because we were so shot up that our Division
couldn't make the appearance. Every day we see these troops go through and
some times I wish we were going along. Most of them are "Parade Soldiers”
as we call those who have fought the war near Paris & have never heard a
gun. They have all new equipment and certainly look fine. We came in when
the battle started, we have fought continually ever since now I think that
since the war is over, yes, I mean over, because they can never raise a
finger in combat again. I think we are one of the Divisions that will be
soon on our way home. I have been in every engagement and this evening we
followed a map and since we left the boat at Calais we have been through
on our hikes over two hundred towns. Of course that is by lorries, hiking,
train riding. So you see we have toured France.
We just followed the Hun from Chateau-Thiery to the town of Fismes where
he made a desperate stand on the river Vesle. Here our regiment took back
what one Division had lost. The fighting there was vicious and for 16 days
I helped man an observation front which was under shell fire day and
night. He blowed everything around there but never came closer to us than
blowing our south wall in. This town was on fire at all times and you can
imagine what our home was like there. From dusk till dawn every night they
fought trying to cross the river here and the scrap was such that we
couldn't tell whether we were going to take Fismette or they were going to
take Fismes. Toward morning they would withdraw to the woods beyond the
town and then at dark they would be back with liquid fire and fresh
troops. We spent many exciting moments there. We were withdrawn from that
front and taken back for a long rest & replacements. The rest lasted two
days then we proceeded by forced hikes to the Argonne. Some marches lasted
19 hours. Then we came into the rain and the mud of the Argonne Forest of
which you have read. We rested a few days behind the lines which were held
by the French at this point for four years. They couldn't move the Hun and
frankly told us that they didn't think we could. All the time we rested
here our attack was being prepared & when everything was ready we moved up
and relieved the French who departed a happy crew.
This was on the morning of Sept 26, 1918. The day the great Allied drive
started. We entered these same trenches which had been permanent here for
four years at 2:00 A.M. our barrage started, and we left those trenches at
2:30 A.M. and with our artillery mowing down everything before us we
advanced. Our Colonels themselves leading the men. On the evening of that
same memorable day we were two miles behind there (sic) lines and still
advancing.
You can never imagine the noise made by our guns that day. We came to
dugouts upon which our guns had made direct hits & where as high as forty
or more men lay dead. Not a scratch on them. Just two streams of blood
from their noses. Killed by the concussion. We advanced taking our
kitchens right along and drove them back to the town of Chatel-Thehery. It
was at this place that Colonel Shannon was killed. He was a wonderful man
and we would have followed him anywhere. Just before we took the hill he
was seated before his Hdq. whistling, "Ask the Saviour to keep You,” etc.
A sniper sailed one close to him and he calmly moved his chin a trifle &
continued to whistle. When he had finished he said “Come on, boys, we'll
take that hill.” We did! But during the engagement he was shot through the
neck. The bullet piercing his jugular vein. While he lay in the Nursing
station slowly bleeding to death he asked one to read the chapter of the
Bible where Moses went to the mountain to view the “Promised Land.” When
they had finished he said "Great stuff! Great stuff!“ That’s the way they
die over here.
From that front we came back & marched directly to this section and here
we found it comparatively easy. You can imagine how much work it took to
do all this traveling and fighting. Now “we’re coming home"! Home,
father, mother, and sisters! Can you imagine how we
feel when we hear those words now. Now that the heat of the battle is over
and we have nothing to think of but home. The gang was talking here
today, and we certainly do talk, of our fathers, mothers, and families, of
the good times we had and are going to have. One of the boys said
something about the States another said, dont call it the “States, its
Home!"
Today I received the official confirmation of Hump's death. It was Grace's
letter to me written on the 29th of last month. Even after his first Sgt.
told me he had died I couldn't believe it. Now I know that my friend is
dead. He was a brother to me. Thats all. I never had a brother, neither
did he, we were brothers. I have seen scores of them die and I've
seen how they died and I know how Hump died. Fighting to the end! Fighting
to get back to those he loved and talked of always. He was hit hard enough
to die there on the field but it was the spirit that prompted him in his
last fight that kept him up until he got back. You'll hear from him. I
know where he fell and from his comrades I know how he fell and now he
rests in some one of these huge cemeterys (sic) near the hospitals. I wish
I knew where. Hump was ready and for that I am glad. His job was the kind
where he knew his chances were poor of coming out and he told Graft & I
this the evening before we went “over the top." No one will ever have the
honor again to die for a cause like ours. Grace's letter containing this
news was written well and the scripture verses she sent along helped
wonderfully. After I had read it I felt like some one had just prayed for
Hump and us all and involuntarily I murmured; "Amen"! I can realize how
the news struck you. I can see my mothers glasses dim as the hot tears
[cannot make out word]
her eyes, I can see Grace stiffen and Dad brace up and can you blame me
now when after it all I choke them back myself as I find these thoughts on
paper? I know what you did at the same time: You prayed for him and you
ask "God’s will be done" for us. Thats what won the fight. That’s what
enables these boys to die like heros & that's what pulled us through. Your
prayers! You are far away and you are at the same time very near.
Your dreams of us mother--I can't interpret them of course but I will be
back and when I leave again I leave right. You have long since forgiven me
for the way I left to come into this, I know and it was different then
because we didn’t know what we were coming into. Your one letter to me
asking me to visit your old house in Scotland coincided exactly with my
purpose but could not be pulled. Another fellow and myself had often
talked of it for his mother was born in Glasgow, but we were not allowed
to leave the country and had to go where we were sent. There is nothing I
would have enjoyed better. When I think of your childhood, your
responsibilities and your life, my only hope is that I can come back and
someday be an honor to you & our family and in that way repay you for the
wonderful life you have spent. In short, if I can only be what you want me
to be, I am sure you will feel recompensed.
Nothing makes me feel worse than when I read that Grace don't hear from
Ben. I know what letters mean to us here and I can't fathom the mystery.
Also had another letter from Florence today. She’s surely on the job every
minute and I hear from her regularly. It was officially read out to the
company today that W. H. Lockard, Pvt. had been raised to the rank of Sgt.
to take charge of the 1st Platoon. I am as high now as an enlisted man can
go and have no ambitions of becoming a commissioned officer because I
could not pass the physical examination. In other words I am "physically
incapacitated for active service.” Still I have been through and have no
sore spots.
I must close now because soon I won't have enough ink to send you all this
love. Tell Ethel to give my best love and condolences to Ruth & there will
be no need to tell her how I feel. She will know! Hope you are all well
and that soon I can tell you of it all, face to face.
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