TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DREW COUNTY ADVANCE FEBRUARY 11, 1919 P. 3
Bodonorf, Germany
Dec. 18, 1919.
Dear Sister:
Do you like the heading of this letter better than any you have seen in the past? I like it better, even tho it does not sound so mysterious. It has a far greater meaning than the specific fact stated therein. From the news I am getting from the States, I don’t think it necessary to tell you what it means. Almost from the time I landed over here, I have been with one of the busiest fighting divisions—The Rainbow Division (42nd) and it is one the Germans are well acquainted with. If there is anything you want to know about it, ask Kaiser Bill. He can tell you how some of his noble soldiers threw their coats and shoes away in their mad effort to beat us to the Rhine. The boys of the 42nd were making history before I got to them, and I am glad to say, they kept it up after I got to them. It meant no rest for us, but it sure helped the Germans find their way back across the Rhine. It seems to me that we hiked and chased the Germans all over France and since the armistice was signed, we have hiked across, Belgium, Luxemburg and this far into Germany, which is only a few kilometers from the Rhine. I am hoping that this ends our hiking.
I think we will be located at this place for quite a while and when we do leave I hope it will be on an entirely different mission, and that we will be traveling far faster than the “Hobnail Special.” Going over the Top I am sure as described by those that did such a thing makes very fascinating reading; but “Going Over the Top” does not seem to fit the part the Rainbow Division has been playing since I have been with them. I came to them in August and since then we have made three “hitches” on two fronts and neither of them struck me as “Going Over the Top.” To me the most facinating part of it all was apparent or seemingly simplicity of it all. All we had to do was to throw a few ammunition dumps over at the Huns and then the hard part commenced, trying tocatch them. It was not going over the top but a drive—that is what the Rainbow has been doing—that is what the Yanks did—taught the Huns how to retreat on the “run” and gave the Allies the “pep” that kept the Hun on the run. Of course it was not so simple and easy as all of that but that is about the way it would appear to a casual observer. The aeroplanes and observation baloons and every part of the army had their part to play and when they all played together, “Heinie” just naturally couldn’t make his feet behave. We certainly received a grand welcome in Belgium. The people had the streets all decorated with evergreens and some towns even had the twigs strewn along the streets. Luxemburg also gave us a very nice reception and so in Germany—but that is different—they are only using good judgement. Well if they will stop extending this armistice, we will soon be coming home, and then I can tell you all about it.
Will close,
Joe T. Holland.
Co. D, 150 M. G. Bn, 42nd Div.
NOTES: Joseph Thompson Holland, Sr. was born in Monticello, Arkansas on February 28, 1892 and died on July 11, 1982 in Wexford, Pennsylvania. He is buried in the Allegheny County Memorial Park in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He enlisted on September 18, 1917 and was discharged on June 27, 1921.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Bodonorf, Germany
Dec. 18, 1919.
Dear Sister:
Do you like the heading of this letter better than any you have seen in the past? I like it better, even tho it does not sound so mysterious. It has a far greater meaning than the specific fact stated therein. From the news I am getting from the States, I don’t think it necessary to tell you what it means. Almost from the time I landed over here, I have been with one of the busiest fighting divisions—The Rainbow Division (42nd) and it is one the Germans are well acquainted with. If there is anything you want to know about it, ask Kaiser Bill. He can tell you how some of his noble soldiers threw their coats and shoes away in their mad effort to beat us to the Rhine. The boys of the 42nd were making history before I got to them, and I am glad to say, they kept it up after I got to them. It meant no rest for us, but it sure helped the Germans find their way back across the Rhine. It seems to me that we hiked and chased the Germans all over France and since the armistice was signed, we have hiked across, Belgium, Luxemburg and this far into Germany, which is only a few kilometers from the Rhine. I am hoping that this ends our hiking.
I think we will be located at this place for quite a while and when we do leave I hope it will be on an entirely different mission, and that we will be traveling far faster than the “Hobnail Special.” Going over the Top I am sure as described by those that did such a thing makes very fascinating reading; but “Going Over the Top” does not seem to fit the part the Rainbow Division has been playing since I have been with them. I came to them in August and since then we have made three “hitches” on two fronts and neither of them struck me as “Going Over the Top.” To me the most facinating part of it all was apparent or seemingly simplicity of it all. All we had to do was to throw a few ammunition dumps over at the Huns and then the hard part commenced, trying tocatch them. It was not going over the top but a drive—that is what the Rainbow has been doing—that is what the Yanks did—taught the Huns how to retreat on the “run” and gave the Allies the “pep” that kept the Hun on the run. Of course it was not so simple and easy as all of that but that is about the way it would appear to a casual observer. The aeroplanes and observation baloons and every part of the army had their part to play and when they all played together, “Heinie” just naturally couldn’t make his feet behave. We certainly received a grand welcome in Belgium. The people had the streets all decorated with evergreens and some towns even had the twigs strewn along the streets. Luxemburg also gave us a very nice reception and so in Germany—but that is different—they are only using good judgement. Well if they will stop extending this armistice, we will soon be coming home, and then I can tell you all about it.
Will close,
Joe T. Holland.
Co. D, 150 M. G. Bn, 42nd Div.
NOTES: Joseph Thompson Holland, Sr. was born in Monticello, Arkansas on February 28, 1892 and died on July 11, 1982 in Wexford, Pennsylvania. He is buried in the Allegheny County Memorial Park in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He enlisted on September 18, 1917 and was discharged on June 27, 1921.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS