TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER-INDEX NOVEMBER 22, 1918 P. 1
October 11, 1918,
Dear Aunt Jo:
I have a few days of rest, at last, so I am going to try to catch up on my correspondence.
We have been on the go almost continually for the past two months. We have served on three fronts in that time and our division, the 35th, played a very important part in one of the biggest and most important drives of the war. Our drive was very successful, our extreme objective being reached according to schedule. Not satisfied with this gain, the Infantry sent back word that they were going to continue to advance, which they did with good speed, taking several important positions and large quantities of supplies and material, which the Boche was unable to destroy. The most pleasing part of this final advance was the capture of a number of big German guns and ammunition.
They were at once turned over to us and we soon had the great pleasure of shooting Fritz’s shells at Fritz.
The dash and daring with which our men went into the fight was a thing wonderful to see. Regardless of odds or resistance our doughboys pushed right ahead, taking position after position. Quite a number of our men were killed and a large number wounded, but the final count showed that the casualties were far below the estimate made before the drive. We captured hundreds and hundreds of prisoners. The Lord only knows how many of their men were killed. They took a lot of their killed with them to cover their losses but still heaps of them were left behind, here and there.
My lucky star must have been with me all the time we were in action, as men were killed and wounded all around me, while I didn’t even get a scratch. One of my best pals was killed by a shell while on duty not far from where I was located.
Don’t be too certain that I won’t be there for Christmas dinner, as the Frenchmen tell us that the war is over. I don’t know how true it is, but I do know that every day the war lasts the kaiser’s grip is slipping and it can’t be long before he will have to come to an agreement, which will be favorable to the allies. Naturally, the sooner that time comes the better we will like it, but we also mean to keep on pushing until he is forced to give in, if it takes ten years to do it.
I was certainly sorry to hear of the fires, as I know their effect on business will be bad, even after the real financial loss has been remedied to a fair degree. Martha says the main street looks like Belgium must look. Well, I don’t know much about Belgium, but I do know how occupied France looks. The manner in which the Hun has treated captured villages is certainly horrible. Homes, whether great or small, have either been blown up with mines or destroyed by gun fire. Even this was not enough to satisfy the barbarians’ taste, so after he had removed everything of value and pillaged the churches he fired the buildings and allowed them to burn until all the inflammable matter was exhausted. The only way a town can be recognized is by a series of signs posted by the military authorities after the Boche is run out.
October 16.—Well, I was mistaken about the “few” days of rest. We received orders to be ready to move as soon as possible, while I was writing. Naturally, I had to leave off in the middle and get ready. We are now back in the line, though not as active just at present as we were the last time.
Tell Uncle P. R. I picvked up a little souvenir in a captured dugout which may prove interesting to him. I am going to try and send it across as soon as I get back. For goodness sake, though, tell him not to feel disappointed if it doesn’t reach him, as packages run about a fifty-fifty chance of ever reaching their destination. I may bring some things back with me, but the amount will be very, very small, as everything we pick up means that much more to carry on our backs, so we don’t pick up an awful lot.
Well, I will stop and get this letter off while the getting is good. I will try and get another one off at the first opportunity.
Your devoted nephew,
KELSO.
NOTES: Sergt. Milton Kelso Crews is writing to his aunt, Mrs. P. R. Turner of Marianna, Arkansas from France. He was born in 1897 and died on February 24, 1952. He is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Kirkwood, Missouri.
TRANSCRIBED BY STEPHANE LECOINTE
October 11, 1918,
Dear Aunt Jo:
I have a few days of rest, at last, so I am going to try to catch up on my correspondence.
We have been on the go almost continually for the past two months. We have served on three fronts in that time and our division, the 35th, played a very important part in one of the biggest and most important drives of the war. Our drive was very successful, our extreme objective being reached according to schedule. Not satisfied with this gain, the Infantry sent back word that they were going to continue to advance, which they did with good speed, taking several important positions and large quantities of supplies and material, which the Boche was unable to destroy. The most pleasing part of this final advance was the capture of a number of big German guns and ammunition.
They were at once turned over to us and we soon had the great pleasure of shooting Fritz’s shells at Fritz.
The dash and daring with which our men went into the fight was a thing wonderful to see. Regardless of odds or resistance our doughboys pushed right ahead, taking position after position. Quite a number of our men were killed and a large number wounded, but the final count showed that the casualties were far below the estimate made before the drive. We captured hundreds and hundreds of prisoners. The Lord only knows how many of their men were killed. They took a lot of their killed with them to cover their losses but still heaps of them were left behind, here and there.
My lucky star must have been with me all the time we were in action, as men were killed and wounded all around me, while I didn’t even get a scratch. One of my best pals was killed by a shell while on duty not far from where I was located.
Don’t be too certain that I won’t be there for Christmas dinner, as the Frenchmen tell us that the war is over. I don’t know how true it is, but I do know that every day the war lasts the kaiser’s grip is slipping and it can’t be long before he will have to come to an agreement, which will be favorable to the allies. Naturally, the sooner that time comes the better we will like it, but we also mean to keep on pushing until he is forced to give in, if it takes ten years to do it.
I was certainly sorry to hear of the fires, as I know their effect on business will be bad, even after the real financial loss has been remedied to a fair degree. Martha says the main street looks like Belgium must look. Well, I don’t know much about Belgium, but I do know how occupied France looks. The manner in which the Hun has treated captured villages is certainly horrible. Homes, whether great or small, have either been blown up with mines or destroyed by gun fire. Even this was not enough to satisfy the barbarians’ taste, so after he had removed everything of value and pillaged the churches he fired the buildings and allowed them to burn until all the inflammable matter was exhausted. The only way a town can be recognized is by a series of signs posted by the military authorities after the Boche is run out.
October 16.—Well, I was mistaken about the “few” days of rest. We received orders to be ready to move as soon as possible, while I was writing. Naturally, I had to leave off in the middle and get ready. We are now back in the line, though not as active just at present as we were the last time.
Tell Uncle P. R. I picvked up a little souvenir in a captured dugout which may prove interesting to him. I am going to try and send it across as soon as I get back. For goodness sake, though, tell him not to feel disappointed if it doesn’t reach him, as packages run about a fifty-fifty chance of ever reaching their destination. I may bring some things back with me, but the amount will be very, very small, as everything we pick up means that much more to carry on our backs, so we don’t pick up an awful lot.
Well, I will stop and get this letter off while the getting is good. I will try and get another one off at the first opportunity.
Your devoted nephew,
KELSO.
NOTES: Sergt. Milton Kelso Crews is writing to his aunt, Mrs. P. R. Turner of Marianna, Arkansas from France. He was born in 1897 and died on February 24, 1952. He is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Kirkwood, Missouri.
TRANSCRIBED BY STEPHANE LECOINTE