Hammond Times, Volume 13, Number 134, Hammond, Lake County, 15 November 1918 — Page 7

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Fridar, November 15,

Letters from Soldiers

Written to the Home Folks From This Side and the Other Side of the Water.

ifroni A. S. Klassen. The Kifle i:ange is one of the places That we boys do not like; Because It is so far away, And we get there by a hike. Two fanii iv ich t-s make up our dinner. One s;sr and one Swiss cheese;

'.;. uun't, any way, but I hupe it dots. Tlu-ie isn't anything in it but what Is already known. I have received quite a lot of mail lately in the different places we have

; icn, anu nave a pocket run now. j Have be n waiting for a chance to

To set them into our mess kits the j answer some of them. We were on the

Inside we must squeeze.

go j.ltnost all the time, so there wasn't

And by the time we get to eat them j 11 chance. I got a letter from They're dry a dry can he. Wilbur Huntinft yesterday. 1 see by The fjs and cheese have vanished; i Hlmost a'l your letters that you are Iire;id is h!1 that von can see: ! having, lots of hot weather and not

The pa-ks and Kuns that seemed so lih! get heavier each mil": And by the. time we rach the place. "IV e sure do carry n pile. We the!-, put up our shelter tents and Cro p into them like dops: And by the time this thinp is over. We sure do look like hops. We eat our chow-chow 'pon the ground And set it full of sand; The worms and ants that creep around Make the meal taste very grand. Wo shoot from morning uptil night. And only stop to eat: It's r.ipid fire, kneeling down. And standing on your feet.And when we fro to sleep we find. The ground is very hard: Tl;e blankets do not help a bit. Our whole nigrht's sleep is marred. And after turning from side to side, A soft spot we found, no doubt. We make ourselves ready to fall asleep But tha sergeant yells, "pit detail, fall out." We put the target In their place. And make ourselves all ready; We paste themiup and pull them down. It's work all day and steady. We try to figure out each shot. And see that we mark them rijrht, "Wake up, you're slow!" Is all we get. And we havn't slept all night. And when we fret back to the camp, Ot the tents we think a whole lot. TVe kntw they're not so very bad. We appreciate our cot. We didn't know what's good, what's bad: We were very much spoiled. We've been at the Rifle Range and we know. The camp is not the worst place in the world. FRT. AXTO S. KLASSEN. Co. C, 46 Infantry. Camp Sheridan. Ala.

an much riiin. Well, it is opposite here. It has rained every day for the last month or more. It can cloud up and rain on short notice here; the sun will be shining nice and in fifteen minutes it will be rainintr to beat the band. It is rainlriff hard now' I am glad to hear that Pa has such good luck wth the engine. It sure must be a pleasure this year. You said I probably would get enough of camp life. Well, we sure do, as I can't remember the last time I was under any kind of roof except our little tents. We hive some wnuderful beds on the ground some times wet or dry all the same to Uc now. I can't tell when I will be home, but not unt.l the kaiser has had enough of our shells and bul-. lets. We torment them with that, because it is a taste of their own medicine. Yes, some of the towns we have passed through had been deserted and we passed through some that were mere shambles of former structures nothintr left, and could hardly tell there was' a town there at one time. I sure will be glad when I won't have to write any more and when I do get home I won't write any more letters for a year. I received a Times paper yesterday the first one in over a week, r don't think I get all of them, as they probably get lost o- something. Maybe they have a hard time keeping track of me. I have been busy all morning; don't know whether I have this dated right or not. as it Isn't half the time I know what the date Is. Well, Mother I am about out of news now-. Will write again soon. With love and best regards to all. I am as ever. Tour loving son. FLOYD PERKINS. 76th Field Artillery. Battery C. V. S. A. Exp. Forces. France.

From Harry Graves. American Red Cross Headquarters. Liverpool. Eng.. Oct. 16. 1918. I 'oar Mother: I often told you how many new experiences we have in the army. Well. I am just passing through a new one and am in the hospital. But don't get excited, as I am up and around again and will soon leave here. It all started with pleurisy and a rough, while on shipboard, and you know pleurisy with a cough and the rocking of the ship was no pleasant experience. When we debarked, a number of us were sent to the Red Cross hospital where, they decided I had bronchial .pneumonia and I am still connected to the cough. Well, I was in bed about two weeks waiting for my temperature to get down to normal and last night they let me get up and now will be all O. K. again in a few days, so don't worry. Our voyage over was splendid. Think we sew most of the northern Atlantic oc.a:i. Went clean north of Newfoundland; saw all kinds of ice tergs and didn't have a stormy day. nor was I sik st all. It was tiresome at last and we were all rejoiced to get on land agein. Have not been out much y?t. consequently have not formed any o pinion about England, but hope to set more of it soon. There are 5 or 6 of our boys here but we have no idea where our company Is at this time. If T could only know where they are and when I will get to Join them, and then get some letters from home. I would be happy. Our eats here are Just about what you would get anywhere and to all outward appearances you wouldn't know there is a war. Well, mother. I do not think of anything else just now that would pass the censor, so will ring off for this :m. Good bye, don't worry. As ever. HARRY R. GRAVES. 311 Sanitary Train. Ambulance Co. 341. . American Expeditionary Forces.

From Floyd Perkins. From Private Floyd Perkins. 76th Field Artillery. Battery C. A. E. F.. to h;s mother. Mrs. H W. Perkins of 793 Real avenue. Hammond. Pear Mother:

Well st. last, Mother. I have found I

an opportunity to write to you. It has been some time since I wrote any let

ters at all, and this Is, the first one In!

about two weks and a half. I know you will be waiting patiently for this and will probably think that the Huns have captured me. but it is not the case, and I am well and feeling fine at present. Well, as you will probably guess. I am In e. different part of the country than when I wrote last. We have been after Fr'.tz again too. as usual, and gave them another merry chase, and may be they didn't move In a hurry. I was on ground and In the trenches ths.t the Germans have held for four years, and I aw some wonderful sights. Mother, I believe I have sen one of the most wonderful sights there is. and also beautiful, even if it wan in battie. After we had been out In '.he rain all night at the guns firing at the Huns, It was the morning Just ns It started to get daylight, that the doughboys went over the top. We were only a few hundred feet in back of them, and as the rockets and star rh"Tls burst and flashed we could see then; go after them. It waa as good " any Fourth of July fireworks I have seen, and as a flash would come, we could see them running up the hill. Tt wasn't long after daylight that the sentries began coming over the lull with prisoners. They came In bunches and al! day they were going by. It is a right I will nevor forget, for -one res son that I was soaked fro mhead to foot, but that Is nothinfr to us now. "Vr we. have been that way before. Well, as I said, we were on ground .bey held for four years arid they sure -'d live swell in those places. They K id some dandy dugouts. Several places were found furnished good, with i on the luxuries of pianos and talk-1-machines. I saw some big guns iliry left, and some big trucks, too, i)h. well. If I started to tell it all. It would take a dosen sheets and besides It mlrht not pass the censor. Maybe

From Sergt. I. J. Thompson Ord. Rise Depot. o. 1, A. P. O. 701. A. E. F., France. To Mrs. 1- N. Griffoth, u Cor. Logan and Howard Streets, Hammond, Ind. On Active Service. With American Expeditionary Force. Somewhere In France. Sept. 21. 1918. DEAR MOTHER: Tour first letter received first, but the other one was addressed to Toul and forwarded to me. so your last letter reached me first. I just kept track of how long it took to get an answer. I wrote from here about July 16. and got an answer to it Sept. 14. Of course, you answered it the same day, so there was no delay. I am not lucky with my mail. Some of the boys get their mail In twenty-four hours. I am feeling fine; am billtted with a casual company for quartern and rations. I have but little time to myself every day, Sunday and all. are alike. Never stop even when rain is pouring down; It Is just the same. This Is Sunday evening. I am writing this letter by the light of two candles and they are burning rretty low down. IXiwn at the other end of the shack some of the boys are signing. They s'.ng very nice. They are singirg now, "Back In Old Indiana." A few more are playing checkers and others are talking of things that just happened today and others have gone to the Y. M. C A. Secretary Baker passed within ten feet of me the other day. I had a large detail doing things. Ho looked at the boys and what we were doing, nodded his head and smiled. As he looked at me I returned a salute which he answered and passed as If well pleased talking with the high officers with him. I have met General Pershing and heard him talk. The man who is in command of this section of the ordnance, took me aside the other day and personally thanked me for what I had done. I put together two different types of big guns, ready for action, without any blue prints or instructions. They are the first of many to follow from home and we zre getting redy for train loads of them. I am aiso an expert on the French famous 73 M.M. cannon. I know it to the smallest nut and bolt, als the French 155 run. which weighs many tons. I would like to tell you a lot more, of things, but cannot. May he the censor will cut some of this out as a word slipped by mistake may mean a great deal to the enemy. I received the papers O. K. I am sending you today's paper. I must close; time I make up my bunk and get into bed. as my candle will be burned out. Give all my best regards. Will he home when we crush the foe. Your son, ORD. SERG'T I. J. THOMPSON.

From Charles Duff. Mr. and Mrs. R. Puff of 297 Logan street, received the following letter from their son, Charles, somewhere at the front. October 8. 1!I8. Dear Mother. Father and All: You have been waiting for this letter for a long time, but I got started at last. Well. I have -been at the front for quite a time and like it very much. Don't worry about me for I am in the best of health and we'll have the Germans running or ducking all the time, so they don't get much time to fire our way. The first day'wc advanced (that is after we put over a big barrage that knocked the Huns out of the'.r holes) we were almost up with the doughboys and the snipers with machine guns singing us a song, but trie boys soon captured or killed what was left behind them. The German auxiliary fired on us with long range guns for a few days until wo located them and of course they quit. I have quite a few German souvenirs and will try to hold on to them until I get back. Of course I will bring some back, you can be sure of that. I received a letter from Gillis today and he is. on his wagoner. I thought he was giong to be one of the coast patrol and stay In the States all his life. I was on one of tha other fronts about the first part of September end ran into Harry Earlebaoh.

He was driving a truck with ammunition for the Doughboys. If you see his mother tell her I saw him and that he is in the beat of health. I only got to talk to him for a few minutes, for he was in a hurry and so was I. I haven't seen any of the fellows from the club yet. but I expect to run across some of them here. The Germans sure had this place looking fine. Nice dugouts and they left them in such a hurry, ha! ha! Well. I am living in onu of their nice dugouts and we are all enjoying the little German stoves, for the nights are cold and we have quite a bit of rain. I got a couple of helmetK and a bayonet and a few other things. We might be back for Christmas dinner, for the way things are running now the Germans are about to quit, that is if the allies agree for we are the ones who's on top. Give my regards to the peojilo I know and tell them I am still in good health. I suppose Mary and Lillian ure going to school. O, yes. I received a letter from Lillian Just before we left for the front and didn't get a chane to answer it. I also received u letter from Leona and Kulalia. Well I am going to cease for this is all the stationery I have and If we write on both sides there might be something the censor wants to cut out and then it would cut the other side out. I am your loving son. CHARLES. Kattery A. 0th Artillery. American Exp. Forces, France.

From O. J. Prevo. France. Oct. 14. Dear Mother and Dad: After a long time I finally received mail today and my spirits rose a hundred per cent. I had been on guard all night, to give the alarm against any gas shells Fritz might slip over, and when I got back to my dugout, there was the mail. The pictures are great, especially those taken on the farm with Nellie on the ladder In her bare feet. I sure put a wrinkle in my cheek. I am certainly seeing plenty of war on this front and ifsome of the tight wads back there could see half that I have seen they wouldn't hesitate a moment to buy Liberty Bonds. This old war sure is H - - -, and you can take it from me the movies don't exaggerate it a bit. You should see the nice company I have at night. Many a time I wake up to. find the rats playing tag around my nose. Wouldn't do for any girls to sleep in a dugout, but I'll take the rats in preference to the shells. Was down to the river washing the other morning and Frit sent some big ones oer which landed rather near but I kept on washing. Finally one went over my head and If I had been standing I never would have finished those clothes. One gets accustomed to hearing the shells coming and you can Just about guess where they will land, that is if they aren't coming too fast, but don't worry about rr.e, the Germans don't make them big

enough to pick me off. It won't be long now before we will be on our way home as we have the Huns on the run on every front. The French and English say the Yanks are the best fighters that ever put a foot on the field and I guess they know. I am writing you as often as I can but there are times when I am in a position that I can't write or receive any mall. I have been over here since July 10th and have only received four letters but we have been moving from one front to another so fast that I haven't much chance to receive any. Enclosed Is my Christmas label. A fountain pen would be handy and appreciated. Kep the rest posted about me and don't worry for we'll all soon he b. k with those we love. Write me often and If you don't hear from me as often as you would like you will know that we are busy doing our duty to Uncle Sam and the Allies in bringing this old war to a close. I am in the best of health and stouter than I have ever been In spite of all the hardships of war. Haven't even got a cold. I have seen a great deal of France, traveling mostly in box cars and sleeping in dugouts, old barns and in the open. I must close now. as it Is time for taps and then no more lights. Good night. Tour loving son, O. J. PREVO. 1st Battalion Headquarters. 43rd Regiment Artillery. C. A. C.

From L. Hilbrich. The following letter was received from Lawrence Hilbrich to his friend as follows: . Notre Dame, Ind.. Nov. 6. Dear George: I surely was glad to receive a letter from you. Every letter from home is a kind of stimulant for our spirits which naturally become depressed occasionally when we think of home and the loved ones there. But otherwise we have, little to complain of. Our commander Lieut. Wm. Williams Is a very popular and esteemed man in the naval unit up here. The boys all like him, for everything he does is In the interest of the unit and consequently he expects the same of the men, most of whom do most willingly respond. ' The "flu" has been entirely obliterated and all the hoys who wero in tha local hospital and isolation house are returning and will be hack on duty in a very short timo. It sure does seem gftod to have these fellows Borne of whom were declared as hopelessly sick a short time ago. One of the boys who is now hack again, was delirious for about two weeks. Only four or fivo died. That is a very small number considering that the registry of the university exceeded seventeen hundred students. Roy and I were fortunate enough to escape that powerful epidemic. Nicholas Kuhn had a slight attack, but has entirely recovered. , About fifty or more of the ' student soldi rs have been sent to the officers' training camp at Camp Taylor. As yet, none have been picked from the naval section. Perhaps you know that this was the big idea, the making and selecting of officer material. Doubtless it will bo only P short time until Home will b; chosen' from the naval unit. The bunch that left sure was a happy band. Ws hjve clashes every day and study period of two hours every evening. A test or quiz in "military law" was applied last week and I think that w passed with a fair margin. Our classes are just as much a part of our military discipline- as the daily drill or regular formations. Every class period must be accounted for. When not in class we

must be in barracks studying. May not he seen on the campus during class hours. We are kept busy every hour of the day, except the days reserved for athletics and amusements. I am a member of tho "Naval Gee Club." We have a membership of about thirty-five. I sing second tenor (rather I holler second tenor). South Bend is

IfeT -CJniP-x mwMr kr ?fc ' life w mm Wm mmmi

Into

th

e Valley of the Shadow

UNDER the candles of the village church the American wounded lie in close even rows. Straight down to the door they are packed together. Outside an ambulance arrives, and deftly, quietly, the Soldiers cf Cheer slip out to help the Army's litter-bearers lift out the wounded and carry them into the yard or the church or the school wherever there is room.

Why you should give twice as much as you ever gave before! The need la for a sum 70 greater than any gift ever asked for since the war began. The Government has fixed this sum at $170,500,000. By giving to these seven organizations all at once, the cost and effort of su additional campaigns is saved. Unless Americans do give twice as much as ever before, our soldiers and sailors may not enjoy during 1919 their 3600 Recreation Buildings 1000 Miles of Movie Film 100 Leading Stage Stars 2000 Athletic Directors 2500 Libraries supplying 5,000,000 books 85 Hostess Houses 15,000 Big-brother "'secetares, Millions of dollars of home comforts When you give double, you make sure that every fighter has the cheer and comforts of these seven organizations every step of the way from home to the front and back again. You provide him with a churdi, a theatre, a cheerful home, a store, a school, a club and an athletic field and a knowledge that the folks back hom are with him, heart and soul I You have loaned your money to supply their physical needs. Now give to maintain the Morale that is winning the war I

UNITED WAR

The ambulance whirs off again along the shelltorn road, and still these messengers of friendliness pass in and out among the soldiers holding cups of steaming chocolate to their lips, giving them lighted cigarettes, shifting their positions. From one comer a boy's voice calls out: "I got it pretty bad. Will you send home a message for me A friendly face bends over him. He whispers his mother's name and her address. , He asks that she be told where he was struck and how. "Is there anything else?" asks the man above him. He hestitates a moment. Then, so softly that the older man can barely hear, he murmurs a girl's name, and dies. To be there when a wounded soldier needs them, is a privilege which comes to your representatives in the seven war work organizations. After every push, when the field hospitals are full to overflowing, there are calls for every available worker in the area. They come from miles around, after their day's work is over at their own huts and canteens. And then through all the night they help the wounded fight their battles. a The grief of many a mother or a wife or sister here at home has been made easier by the letters which these men have written there beside the stretchers. Keep the Soldiers of Cheer on the job the 7,000 who are there already and the 1,000 a month for whom Pershing calls.

WORK CAMPAIGN

T.M.CA. Y.W.&A,

WATT. CATHOLIC WAR COUNCIL K. C . JEWISH W ELF ARB BOARD

WAR CAMP lt-v COMMUNITY azRVJCC X j AMERICAN LIBRARY ffl ASSOCIATION I V V f" SALVATION ARM $

Patriotically Contributed to the Boys "Over There" by West Hammond Trust and Savings

ank

Btill under quarantine, but the rumor is that it will be lifted by Friday niffht. That -wiil mean a rare liberty fur which every sailor and soldier has been earnestly hoping for the last two or three weeks. Have you any news from any of the othr boys in camp or "over there"? My old pal Carl L. Friedrich is leaving for France. He sent me a hasty note informing me of his expected departure. Also received a letter from "Bib" Chenard. He is getting along nicely now, but eays that he will have to remain in tha cast for several weeks before his bones are strong enough again

to allow him freedom. Weli. 'I will close with best wishes and regTij-ds- to you and all the folks. I am. Tour fritnd, LAWUKNCl" W. IHLBIIU'H. Naval L'arracks, Notre Dame Uni.. Notre Dame, Ind.

From Ned Naef. Somewhere in France, Oct. IS, 191s. Dearest Mother and Dad: It will probably be sometime bofore yu receive this letter. We have to write all of our letters during our spare

time and believe me. most of them are written by t light f ye olden candle. I am getting some practical army engineering now. 1 am on a survey detail and at present we are running a traverse ! t(in the various small towns in the vicinity of the camp. We leve in the morning and return to camp at night.

We usually travel about twenty miles in j each day. i

Taiking about being regular warriors. Johnnie has nothing on me, because I have my gas mask and stel helmet. These two articles sure add to the weight which we have to carry. We

see many curious sights in this country, namely, one-handled plows pulled by eilher cows or oxen and ox-carts with wheels six. or eight feet in diameter. Most of the people here wear wooden shoes with leather uppers. Everybody works here,, the old as well as the young. Yesterday I saw an old couple felling trees and sawing them up into post lengths. I arn well and happy as tver. With love to all, rVTE. RICHARD NAEF, Co. A. 309 Eng.. A. P. O. 905.. A. E. V., France.