TRANSCRIBED FROM THE CLEVELAND COUNTY HERALD SEPTEMBER 12, 1918 P. 1
Dear folks:
I have great pleasure to inform you that I am in good health and doing well.
I had my first experience in warfare, and have been in the trenches where I have seen and heard the whispers of the Hun shells, but when our batteries opened fire on them numbering ten of ours to their one, they had to stop immediately, and were saved from getting hurt, still we had our good friends with us, that is our machine gun, which can do a lot of damage when we get it working. She can only fire about 400 shots a minute, and the other friend is our gas mask and the steel hat which we always take good care of it. There are hard times in the army life but we get some days for ourselves and we get enough rest.
The hardest part is the hiking with a pack on the shoulders which weighs about 30 pounds, and believe me we had some hiking, for when I’ll get back home the street car or train will have to pay me to ride. Regards food I have no complaint to make for we get plenty to eat, we also get cigarettes and tobacco every week.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Private N. Bluestone
104 Machine Gun Co. Bn. B.
A.E.F. France
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY ISAAC WOLTER
Dear folks:
I have great pleasure to inform you that I am in good health and doing well.
I had my first experience in warfare, and have been in the trenches where I have seen and heard the whispers of the Hun shells, but when our batteries opened fire on them numbering ten of ours to their one, they had to stop immediately, and were saved from getting hurt, still we had our good friends with us, that is our machine gun, which can do a lot of damage when we get it working. She can only fire about 400 shots a minute, and the other friend is our gas mask and the steel hat which we always take good care of it. There are hard times in the army life but we get some days for ourselves and we get enough rest.
The hardest part is the hiking with a pack on the shoulders which weighs about 30 pounds, and believe me we had some hiking, for when I’ll get back home the street car or train will have to pay me to ride. Regards food I have no complaint to make for we get plenty to eat, we also get cigarettes and tobacco every week.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Private N. Bluestone
104 Machine Gun Co. Bn. B.
A.E.F. France
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY ISAAC WOLTER