TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DEQUEEN BEE JANUARY 3, 1919 P. 2
Somewhere in Luxemburg, on Way to Germany, Nov. 28, 1918.
Dear Father and Mother and All:
The censoring officer has lightened up a little on our letter writing, so I will try and tell you a few places where I have been.
First I want to say I am fine and dandy and having a good time if it is cold weather, and believe me, we are having some real winter over here, though let it come as it may we are prepared for it. We have good rain coats, leather jackets and gum boots.
Well, we are on our way to Germany, so we will have to do without our mail until we get stopped for a few days. I think it will be about 15 days longer.
Believe me, the Huns have been moving some to the rear all the time, or at least ever since the first corps artillery park has been in the game, and that has been ever since the 15th of July. So you see we will have to claim a little of the credit of the victory that we have won.
We sailed from Hoboken, N.J., on May 22 and landed at Brest, France, on May 30th, then traveled almost across France, stopped off a few days at St. Nazair, and a few days at Toul, then came back to Chateau Thierry front and went to work. Stayed there until that drive was finished and then went to the Verdun front. Stayed there until the Boches hollered. Now we are on our way to the Rhine. Have gone through Belgium and now are in Luxemburg. We had been under shell fire so long that when hostilities ceased we could hardly sleep for several nights on account of everything being so still. We almost had to beat on tin cans, pans and the like to make a racket so the boys could sleep. We did not do that but we talked about it of nights when we'd go to bed.
Don't know how long we will have to stay in Germany. Hope it won't be long until we can return home. We are being treated like kings over here. I have a good room to sleep in with plenty of windows for light and a good stove.
Listen, the best part of it is these people won't let us build a fire in the stove or even sweep out our rooms. They keep their little boy here to do it for us and believe me the little fellow is glad to be on the job all the time. He won't accept a tip for his work but we make him take it anyway.
Have just received two letters from you that have been up this way Oct. 13 and 20. Like to get them anyway. _______don't get here at all but what few do get here (SEVERAL LINES BLURRED) on the front reading matter has been scarce. The only papers we had were dropped by airplane. In dandy weather they would come every day and drop us papers. If it was raining they hardly ever dropped any.
Now if you don't hear from me for some time don't worry, for we are on the move and don't know when I can mail a letter. I am now acting as military police. You can imagine how brave I act running around telling the boys when they can go in and get a drink of wine and when they can't. Believe me, I try to keep them all sober.
I send you this Christmas card. It started from France, went through Belgium, Luxemburg and will be sent from Germany. So wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Regards to all.
Your son,
Private Robert H. Jacks,
Depot Co., 1st Corpt. Art. Park,
Am. Exp. Forces
NOTES: This letter was written by Robert Harvey Jacks to his parents John and Joannah Jacks. He was born in Bloomsburg, Texas on December 3, 1890 and died on October 20, 1952. He is buried in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas corp. serving in the 1st Army Artillery during World War I. He departed Hoboken, NJ on May 22, 1918 onboard the Great Northern. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Depot Section 1st Corps. Artillery Park. He departed Brest, France on July 21, 1919 onboard the Artemis.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Somewhere in Luxemburg, on Way to Germany, Nov. 28, 1918.
Dear Father and Mother and All:
The censoring officer has lightened up a little on our letter writing, so I will try and tell you a few places where I have been.
First I want to say I am fine and dandy and having a good time if it is cold weather, and believe me, we are having some real winter over here, though let it come as it may we are prepared for it. We have good rain coats, leather jackets and gum boots.
Well, we are on our way to Germany, so we will have to do without our mail until we get stopped for a few days. I think it will be about 15 days longer.
Believe me, the Huns have been moving some to the rear all the time, or at least ever since the first corps artillery park has been in the game, and that has been ever since the 15th of July. So you see we will have to claim a little of the credit of the victory that we have won.
We sailed from Hoboken, N.J., on May 22 and landed at Brest, France, on May 30th, then traveled almost across France, stopped off a few days at St. Nazair, and a few days at Toul, then came back to Chateau Thierry front and went to work. Stayed there until that drive was finished and then went to the Verdun front. Stayed there until the Boches hollered. Now we are on our way to the Rhine. Have gone through Belgium and now are in Luxemburg. We had been under shell fire so long that when hostilities ceased we could hardly sleep for several nights on account of everything being so still. We almost had to beat on tin cans, pans and the like to make a racket so the boys could sleep. We did not do that but we talked about it of nights when we'd go to bed.
Don't know how long we will have to stay in Germany. Hope it won't be long until we can return home. We are being treated like kings over here. I have a good room to sleep in with plenty of windows for light and a good stove.
Listen, the best part of it is these people won't let us build a fire in the stove or even sweep out our rooms. They keep their little boy here to do it for us and believe me the little fellow is glad to be on the job all the time. He won't accept a tip for his work but we make him take it anyway.
Have just received two letters from you that have been up this way Oct. 13 and 20. Like to get them anyway. _______don't get here at all but what few do get here (SEVERAL LINES BLURRED) on the front reading matter has been scarce. The only papers we had were dropped by airplane. In dandy weather they would come every day and drop us papers. If it was raining they hardly ever dropped any.
Now if you don't hear from me for some time don't worry, for we are on the move and don't know when I can mail a letter. I am now acting as military police. You can imagine how brave I act running around telling the boys when they can go in and get a drink of wine and when they can't. Believe me, I try to keep them all sober.
I send you this Christmas card. It started from France, went through Belgium, Luxemburg and will be sent from Germany. So wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Regards to all.
Your son,
Private Robert H. Jacks,
Depot Co., 1st Corpt. Art. Park,
Am. Exp. Forces
NOTES: This letter was written by Robert Harvey Jacks to his parents John and Joannah Jacks. He was born in Bloomsburg, Texas on December 3, 1890 and died on October 20, 1952. He is buried in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas corp. serving in the 1st Army Artillery during World War I. He departed Hoboken, NJ on May 22, 1918 onboard the Great Northern. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Depot Section 1st Corps. Artillery Park. He departed Brest, France on July 21, 1919 onboard the Artemis.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD