My Dear Sister:-
"In again and out again" and not a scratch. I'm still pounding on wood, however, because in a few weeks we must go back. We were in 14 days this last time and were kept busy all the time. In those 14 days we didn't have one hot meal. How's that for "Hitting the Trail to Normandy"? Have you been reading about our success over here lately. We took the Hun back a few kilometers, believe me he doesn't give way easily either and took his toll of us on his way back.
On this last round of duty I was part of the force that manned the Regimental O. P. observation post. This was an old shack way up on the side of a steep hill overlooking the town of ___________ [Walter could not include the name of the town] and many miles of the front line. The Boche were on a hill on the other side of the valley and could be plainly seen thru the telescope going about their daily work. We were subjected to shell fire most of the time and during these periods we rested in our dugout which was just in the rear of our shack. We were connected to the artillery and headquarters by phone and our duty was to watch all activities and report the scene to the rear. Oh! It was real stuff. Aside from shell fire we were kept busy by the "cuties", ticks, fleas, flies, and hives. My body was scratched raw. I never suffered such misery in all my life. Couldn't sleep at night but had to sit there and scratch. And flies! Millions of flies. In after years flies will always remind me of France.
We were also treated to various kinds of gas which the Hun delights in sending over in great quantities. My mouth and nose was sore from that because sometimes you get a fairly good whiff before you can adjust the mask. The last night we were in up there he sent two thousand gas shells over and we wore our respirators for six hours. You have to keep them on long after the shelling ceases to keep them on long after the shelling because most of the shells are filled with mustard gas and it lays in puddles just where the shell breaks. Consequently it is still evaporating for some time afterward. Nice way of fighting, isn't it? I also saw them using liquid fire on our troops. This is another nice invention from hell. My old friend Capt. Zundell was torn apart by a shell and gassed about the same time. He died in a hospital at Chateau Thierry. Also Milt Bishop, Stevenson & ten or more others.
We are back to billets now again and fixed up better than ever. Eight of us have a three roomed cottage. Two bedrooms and a living room in the centre with a great open fireplace where we keep a wood fire going. Can you beat that for soldiering. The fire part of it may sound queer but the weather has been cold here all summer. The last two days we have been in attendance at the "debugging" station. This is in a small town near here and is nothing more than an old chocolate factory which the army has fixed up with shower baths, etc. You take a bath and then they give you all new underwear, etc. and after that you report to the Red Cross and receive your issue of chocolate and walk out a new man. You can't imagine the relief of a bath and new clothes after weeks of working and sleeping in your old ones.
Yesterday was a picnic for me. After I had been cleaned up I met up with all the fellows around home who were there at the same time. Ed Hardy, Art and Eddie Bymes and everyone from Jim Clarkson to Jud VanHorn. The 11th Band (that's the band from home) gave a concert in the P.M. and the "Y' had a vaudeville and "movie" show in the evening. First movie I have seen since I left the States. Also ran into Hump again yesterday. First I've seen him for three weeks. He was in the thick of it right along and came out of it unscathed again. He is attending a school and was also in to get "de-cuitfied". Graft is back on the job and had been inquiring of Byrnes for us earlier in the day. His regiment is near here someplace and I am hoping I can see him some day soon. Byrnes said he had a little mark on one eye but his sight was not impaired.
We still have another hitch up front and then by the time this reaches you we will go back for our first real rest. We haven't rested since we left Hancock and you can bet we have worked.
Some day soon am going to write you a long letter telling you much of the details of my travels but now it gives me a feeling of great satisfaction if I know that I have written a note and mailed it to all of you. I know that you always look for mail from this side same as we look for it coming this way. I haven't written a thing to anyone in the past two weeks because of the shells, flies, fleas, etc. heretofore set down. This is the longest time I have laid off writing to you and I hope you get some of my letters. I have written to Uncle Will several times and never hear from him. I sent Field cards right along too.
How do you feel after your vacation? I hope you land something nice with Uncle Sam in the nursing game. I'm more of a nurse now than I was a few months ago because I've seen some real cases. The sight of the wounded sickened me at first but now I don't pay any mind to it. Hump saw Howard Fisher the other week. I'll write soon again sis. Best love!

 

W.H. Lockard, Pvt.
Hdq. Go. 112th Inf. A.E.F.

 Your loving brother, Walter