TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MODERN NEWS JUNE 14, 1918 P. 4
My Dear Folks:
I received several letters from you yesterday and I am glad to answer them today. Yes, I understand that our armies are coming over here but the thing that makes one impatient is the time it takes to get them over here. Of course I understand, because I know conditions, but the English are very much worried about when? They have some reason to be worried, too for Fritz has given them a shock and it is not over yet. The ground he is capturing is not so valuable, only we had planted gardens etc., all over it, and of course, we will miss that. But never mind, we will all pull our best.
It takes a very long time to become accustomed to the killing, even the killing of the boche, but soon one becomes immune to feeling and looks upon it as a casual happening.
I have had quite a lot of experience in my three months experience in my three month in the line. Fear never enters a man’s mind after the first 20 minutes of war. You go into the line with the idea of “shuffling off the mortal coil” but you really find that it is not quite so bad as that.
There is a great wear on a man’s physical appearance and endurance. There is no question but that two years of this life equals 10 of civilian in its effect on me. But all the same it is great game in that we have a tinge of the feeling we all had as children playing ghost, when we would slip and creep around sometimes listening then crawling, then running just as fast as our bare legs could carry us. It’s great, but still a man gets tired of eating ice cream all the time.
You know where the Americans are, so I can tell you where many of your letters were writing from East of St. Miheil two month were spent here and then some time from Arras south.
I just some ink blots and pen scratches blur the writing and are marked“shell bursts”.
I have some souvenirs for you and will have my picture taken as soon as I find a town intact.
I recognize that I am doing wrong in not writing at lenth, but it is most impossible.
NOTES: Partial letter written by Lieut Morris Few from France. He is writing to his family at Harrisburg, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY AMY MINGER
My Dear Folks:
I received several letters from you yesterday and I am glad to answer them today. Yes, I understand that our armies are coming over here but the thing that makes one impatient is the time it takes to get them over here. Of course I understand, because I know conditions, but the English are very much worried about when? They have some reason to be worried, too for Fritz has given them a shock and it is not over yet. The ground he is capturing is not so valuable, only we had planted gardens etc., all over it, and of course, we will miss that. But never mind, we will all pull our best.
It takes a very long time to become accustomed to the killing, even the killing of the boche, but soon one becomes immune to feeling and looks upon it as a casual happening.
I have had quite a lot of experience in my three months experience in my three month in the line. Fear never enters a man’s mind after the first 20 minutes of war. You go into the line with the idea of “shuffling off the mortal coil” but you really find that it is not quite so bad as that.
There is a great wear on a man’s physical appearance and endurance. There is no question but that two years of this life equals 10 of civilian in its effect on me. But all the same it is great game in that we have a tinge of the feeling we all had as children playing ghost, when we would slip and creep around sometimes listening then crawling, then running just as fast as our bare legs could carry us. It’s great, but still a man gets tired of eating ice cream all the time.
You know where the Americans are, so I can tell you where many of your letters were writing from East of St. Miheil two month were spent here and then some time from Arras south.
I just some ink blots and pen scratches blur the writing and are marked“shell bursts”.
I have some souvenirs for you and will have my picture taken as soon as I find a town intact.
I recognize that I am doing wrong in not writing at lenth, but it is most impossible.
NOTES: Partial letter written by Lieut Morris Few from France. He is writing to his family at Harrisburg, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY AMY MINGER