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My Dear Parents:-
It was a sad drop from white sheets, regular meals, breakfast in bed, etc.
to the life of a ground mole again. For a few days I was very homesick but
after regarding my outfit and assuming my duties again I am once more the
soldier. I had a great rest and saw many wonderful sights. After months of
living as we have lived a few days in a place of that kind is bound to
bring back memories and not only that but it gives just a taste of what a
wonderful thing it will be to get home again.
Can you imagine your “blue eyed baby boy” camping out in November and
cooking all his own meals. There are two of us together here and we have a
great camp. We are several miles from our outfit and entirely on our own.
Today, for dinner I made one grand dish such as you used to cook on wash
days. Boiled beef and rice with a few tomatoes. It was very palatable
altho slightly burned. All our stoves and cooking utensils formerly
belonged to the Huns. Also we secured enough blankets from them to make
sleeping fairly comfortable these frosty nights.
The sector we occupy is quiet but very important and we have a great of
O.P. work. (Time out to warm my fingers). We are in the woods as usual and
the paths became so covered with leaves that it is very hard to find your
ways at times. The nights are so dark that it is almost impossible to
travel with out following the wires. Every day the German planes fly over
our lines and drop propaganda. It is great stuff to read and when I can
get some good copies I’ll mail them. They are surely crying for peace.
Your mail and clippings all came to me in good time and I must say that
since I have been in France I’ve been lucky to get so many letters and in
such good time. They are surely an inspiration. Mother, there was one
thing on my furlough I wish you could have seen, and I know you would have
enjoyed it. That was a minstrel show by real coons. The theater was very
large and filled entirely by soldiers. All kinds, Yanks, French, Serbs,
Italians, etc. and made a great picture, but the show was great, talk
about singing and dancing, leave it to the coons.
I am still worried about Hump because I have not heard from him since his
“blighty” came to him and I am afraid he is not doing so well. The first
aid men told me that altho the wounds were severe and painful his greatest
job would be to withstand the shock. Let me know what you hear of him
because I have no way of finding out. I am hoping for the best.
Glad dad has steady work and you are all well. I am wearing my gold stripe
now for six months service. Just think I haven’t had a pain or any
sickness since I left home. Isn’t that great! I was sorry to hear of Geo.
Meyer’s death. He was a good boy. I am acting Sgt. Observer now and soon
will have the job permanently I think. It can’t be long until the “silver
lining” is visible, but to hasten things we’ll just keep “loading and
firing”. Our Div. has been in some severe campaigns and I’ll have some
stories to tell you soon. Best love to all.
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