TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT FEBRUARY 4, 1919 P. 2
We are publishing below a letter from Crawford Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Allen of Tuckerman, Ark. He is one of the first American soldiers to land in France:
Sinzig, Germany, December 17th, 1918.
Dear Mother:
Received your letter of November 18th and sure was glad to hear from home. I am now where we have been trying to go for a long time, but Kaiser Bill didn't approve of that but we showed him who was Boss.
I have been so down-hearted that I didn't feel much like writing. I have been under shell so long before getting relief that I gave up all hopes of ever making it through the war; I have been so close to my comrades when they were killed or wounded that you will call it a war story when I tell you about it.
I went to the Chatteau-Thierry front on the 1st day of June when the Germans were driving and French were retreating. We stayed in one place for about four days and nights, and they took B Company up to the line as reinforcements for the marines. We marched along the front line nearly all night with a Boche plane overhead signaling to the artillery as to the location of the reinforcements for the line troops. They were shelling us every step we made--sometimes direct hits in our columns inflicting loss upon us. Just before daybreak we reached the hill where we were to take up our position on the front line. I do not remember the number of the hill, but it was called Marine woods. We dug our holes to stay in through the day, which turned out to be graves of some of the boys. On the night of the sixth I was detailed by my platoon leader to go on post guard in No-Man's-Land. About twelve o'clock the Germans sent over a terrific trench mortar and machine gun barrage, which took some more of our comrades from us. This lasted an hour and ten minutes, but it seemed like a day and a half. About an hour later the Sergeant came out to my post and informed me that I was relieved from post duty and to report to my platoon at once, which I did, they being ready to move down the line a few hundred yards and go into attack when daybreak came. Everything was ready and the ball began to roll. The marines were directly in front of the Germans and the engineers on the right and left flank. We went forward letting out the War Whoop which frightened the Germans very much. They turned their machine guns on us and yelled for help. We succeeded in capturing three or four machine guns, but the call for help aroused the first line support and about fifty machine guns were brought over the hill and turned loose on us, but we were too few for the number of machine guns, and after six hours battling we were forced to fall back to our old position, weak and nervous from the effect of the battle and the six days without food and one canteen of water, which holds about one quart. Since then the marines have been warm friends of the engineers. Whenever you read about the marines you can also say the marines. The 5th and the 6th marines and the 9th and 23rd Infantry and 2 Engineers are the line troops of the Second division, the one which has borne the blunt of the U.S. share of the war. It has done more fighting than any other outfit in France.
The Civil War veterans have nothing on us because they did not have the big cannons to deal with as we have had.
On the last night of the war the Second Engineers put a bridge across the Meuse river. It was the hottest time I ever saw. The Germans shot up flares and made it light as day on the spot where we were constructing the bridge and they had nothing to do except sit on the opposite bank and work their machine guns, but that task was like all others for the Second Engineers--to accomplish all we undertake or lose the last man. That is the motto of the whole regiment, but we have paid pretty dear for some of these heroic deeds done by the regiment. Our regimental flag has on it a Croix de gerre.
Well there is no use of trying to write you all about this war for it would take weeks to tell you. I know you were glad to hear of the armistice but nothing like the boys. I did not know it until 8 o'clock on the 11th. I was so happy I had to throw my helmet against an old stone building; but engineers did not celebrate. September was the last month's pay we have gotten. I have not a cent and do not get enough smoking tobacco. I do not have the least idea when I will get home. I have decided to rest easy. The (4 LINES ARE BLURRED) will see that this division had borne the blunt of this war.
I received the card stating that had $250 in the bank. I sent $85 since then. I suppose it was on the Champagne front sometime in October--$50 in one and $35 in another. I guess you will get them later. Well I don't know much to write. I will write again soon. Tell Madge and Florence hello for me.
Your son,
Corporal Major C. Allen,
Co. B. Second U. S. Engineers, American E.F., A.P.O. 710.
NOTES: Major Crawford Allen (his first name was actually Major) was writing to his parents, M. Henry and Mollie Allen of Tuckerman, Arkansas. He was born on April 9, 1894 in Tuckerman and died on September 8, 1970. He is buried in the Gracelawn Cemetery in Tuckerman. His military headstone identifies him as a Cpl. serving in the US Army during World War I. He departed New York, NY on September 10, 1917 onboard the Carpathia. He was serving as a Private in Co. B 2nd Engineers. He departed Brest, France on July 25, 1919 onboard the Finland. He arrived in New York, Ny on August 4, 1919. He was serving as a Cpt. in Co. B 2nd Engineers.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
We are publishing below a letter from Crawford Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Allen of Tuckerman, Ark. He is one of the first American soldiers to land in France:
Sinzig, Germany, December 17th, 1918.
Dear Mother:
Received your letter of November 18th and sure was glad to hear from home. I am now where we have been trying to go for a long time, but Kaiser Bill didn't approve of that but we showed him who was Boss.
I have been so down-hearted that I didn't feel much like writing. I have been under shell so long before getting relief that I gave up all hopes of ever making it through the war; I have been so close to my comrades when they were killed or wounded that you will call it a war story when I tell you about it.
I went to the Chatteau-Thierry front on the 1st day of June when the Germans were driving and French were retreating. We stayed in one place for about four days and nights, and they took B Company up to the line as reinforcements for the marines. We marched along the front line nearly all night with a Boche plane overhead signaling to the artillery as to the location of the reinforcements for the line troops. They were shelling us every step we made--sometimes direct hits in our columns inflicting loss upon us. Just before daybreak we reached the hill where we were to take up our position on the front line. I do not remember the number of the hill, but it was called Marine woods. We dug our holes to stay in through the day, which turned out to be graves of some of the boys. On the night of the sixth I was detailed by my platoon leader to go on post guard in No-Man's-Land. About twelve o'clock the Germans sent over a terrific trench mortar and machine gun barrage, which took some more of our comrades from us. This lasted an hour and ten minutes, but it seemed like a day and a half. About an hour later the Sergeant came out to my post and informed me that I was relieved from post duty and to report to my platoon at once, which I did, they being ready to move down the line a few hundred yards and go into attack when daybreak came. Everything was ready and the ball began to roll. The marines were directly in front of the Germans and the engineers on the right and left flank. We went forward letting out the War Whoop which frightened the Germans very much. They turned their machine guns on us and yelled for help. We succeeded in capturing three or four machine guns, but the call for help aroused the first line support and about fifty machine guns were brought over the hill and turned loose on us, but we were too few for the number of machine guns, and after six hours battling we were forced to fall back to our old position, weak and nervous from the effect of the battle and the six days without food and one canteen of water, which holds about one quart. Since then the marines have been warm friends of the engineers. Whenever you read about the marines you can also say the marines. The 5th and the 6th marines and the 9th and 23rd Infantry and 2 Engineers are the line troops of the Second division, the one which has borne the blunt of the U.S. share of the war. It has done more fighting than any other outfit in France.
The Civil War veterans have nothing on us because they did not have the big cannons to deal with as we have had.
On the last night of the war the Second Engineers put a bridge across the Meuse river. It was the hottest time I ever saw. The Germans shot up flares and made it light as day on the spot where we were constructing the bridge and they had nothing to do except sit on the opposite bank and work their machine guns, but that task was like all others for the Second Engineers--to accomplish all we undertake or lose the last man. That is the motto of the whole regiment, but we have paid pretty dear for some of these heroic deeds done by the regiment. Our regimental flag has on it a Croix de gerre.
Well there is no use of trying to write you all about this war for it would take weeks to tell you. I know you were glad to hear of the armistice but nothing like the boys. I did not know it until 8 o'clock on the 11th. I was so happy I had to throw my helmet against an old stone building; but engineers did not celebrate. September was the last month's pay we have gotten. I have not a cent and do not get enough smoking tobacco. I do not have the least idea when I will get home. I have decided to rest easy. The (4 LINES ARE BLURRED) will see that this division had borne the blunt of this war.
I received the card stating that had $250 in the bank. I sent $85 since then. I suppose it was on the Champagne front sometime in October--$50 in one and $35 in another. I guess you will get them later. Well I don't know much to write. I will write again soon. Tell Madge and Florence hello for me.
Your son,
Corporal Major C. Allen,
Co. B. Second U. S. Engineers, American E.F., A.P.O. 710.
NOTES: Major Crawford Allen (his first name was actually Major) was writing to his parents, M. Henry and Mollie Allen of Tuckerman, Arkansas. He was born on April 9, 1894 in Tuckerman and died on September 8, 1970. He is buried in the Gracelawn Cemetery in Tuckerman. His military headstone identifies him as a Cpl. serving in the US Army during World War I. He departed New York, NY on September 10, 1917 onboard the Carpathia. He was serving as a Private in Co. B 2nd Engineers. He departed Brest, France on July 25, 1919 onboard the Finland. He arrived in New York, Ny on August 4, 1919. He was serving as a Cpt. in Co. B 2nd Engineers.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD