TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DEQEEN BEE OCTOBER 4, 1918 P. 2
Somewhere in France.
Sept. 7, 1918
Hello Papa:
Will write you a few words. I have moved again. I am now in sight of the battlefront. Have been here two days. I can hear the big guns booming away, and can see the flash of them after dark, and have seen hundreds of air ships. Have seen battles in the air. Can see hundreds of shrapnels bursting high in air at the air ships. I went over after supper last night with a bunch of soldiers and looked at a smashed up British air ship that was brought down by the Germans the 18th of July. Two Englishmen lost their lives and were buried on the spot. One French and one German was brought down here on our front yesterday morning. Well, last night the Germans were driven back 12 miles in some places. Some of our men and some trucks carried up a pontoon bridge. They were within two hundred yards of the front, but they said everything was quiet at the time, only German machine guns and snipers working. Right here where we are camping is where the big drive was about a month ago. It is simply tore all to pieces. I have seen a dozen towns that the American’s heavy artillery has torn all to thunder, and driven the Huns away. We rode on trains as far as we could and then rode on trucks to the camps, some ten or twelve miles up a pretty valley, but shell holes were most everywhere. Graves all around. Germans, French and Americans all here in the woods. Where we are are dug outs in German pits. Can see German helmets, old wagons, hand grenades, shells of all caliber, old rusty rifles and clothing. It is a sight to look around everywhere. We found two German graves late this evening, and they were buried so shallow that their feet were sticking out of the ground. Well, you can start out here and can find our American boys camping everywhere in the woods, under trees and bushes, to keep out of sight as much as they can from the Hun airships. We are in tents, two men to the tent. I don’t know when we will go up to the front, but they send us up as they need us, and when our turn comes. Some of our outfit go up most every night to do some work of some kind---built a bridge, or some wire work, or trench work. It is nearly 7 o5clock now, evening, and we will get the news in the morning again from the ones that go up tonight. I guess our army will cross the river tonight. The Germans are retreating, and we have got to follow up with our artillery, build roads and so on. They sure have good roads here. They are crushed rock. Only got to fix roads where the big shells happen to hit. Our ammunition train worked hard all night and today carrying shells up. They are going to make a big drive soon. Well, Papa, I could write you lots; but haven’t time. There are airships singing over my head, right now. Well, Papa, I never felt better in five years than I do right now. The closer the front, the better I like it. Well, I will try to write to you again soon. So goodbye for this time. Tell the friends to write to me.
As ever, your son, Somewhere in France,
Arthur W. Johnson,
Via N. Y., 103rd Engineers, A. P. O. 744, Am. E. F.
NOTES: Arthur Watt Johnson was born on December 12, 1888 in Delaware, Arkansas and died on August 14, 1950. He is buried in the Leavenworth National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Pvt. serving in the 103 Engineers of the 28th Division. He enlisted on October 26, 1917 and was discharged at Camp Pike, Arkansas on May 21, 1919. He departed St. Nazaire, France on April 20, 1919 onboard the Finland and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on April 30, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY DEBRA POLSTON
Somewhere in France.
Sept. 7, 1918
Hello Papa:
Will write you a few words. I have moved again. I am now in sight of the battlefront. Have been here two days. I can hear the big guns booming away, and can see the flash of them after dark, and have seen hundreds of air ships. Have seen battles in the air. Can see hundreds of shrapnels bursting high in air at the air ships. I went over after supper last night with a bunch of soldiers and looked at a smashed up British air ship that was brought down by the Germans the 18th of July. Two Englishmen lost their lives and were buried on the spot. One French and one German was brought down here on our front yesterday morning. Well, last night the Germans were driven back 12 miles in some places. Some of our men and some trucks carried up a pontoon bridge. They were within two hundred yards of the front, but they said everything was quiet at the time, only German machine guns and snipers working. Right here where we are camping is where the big drive was about a month ago. It is simply tore all to pieces. I have seen a dozen towns that the American’s heavy artillery has torn all to thunder, and driven the Huns away. We rode on trains as far as we could and then rode on trucks to the camps, some ten or twelve miles up a pretty valley, but shell holes were most everywhere. Graves all around. Germans, French and Americans all here in the woods. Where we are are dug outs in German pits. Can see German helmets, old wagons, hand grenades, shells of all caliber, old rusty rifles and clothing. It is a sight to look around everywhere. We found two German graves late this evening, and they were buried so shallow that their feet were sticking out of the ground. Well, you can start out here and can find our American boys camping everywhere in the woods, under trees and bushes, to keep out of sight as much as they can from the Hun airships. We are in tents, two men to the tent. I don’t know when we will go up to the front, but they send us up as they need us, and when our turn comes. Some of our outfit go up most every night to do some work of some kind---built a bridge, or some wire work, or trench work. It is nearly 7 o5clock now, evening, and we will get the news in the morning again from the ones that go up tonight. I guess our army will cross the river tonight. The Germans are retreating, and we have got to follow up with our artillery, build roads and so on. They sure have good roads here. They are crushed rock. Only got to fix roads where the big shells happen to hit. Our ammunition train worked hard all night and today carrying shells up. They are going to make a big drive soon. Well, Papa, I could write you lots; but haven’t time. There are airships singing over my head, right now. Well, Papa, I never felt better in five years than I do right now. The closer the front, the better I like it. Well, I will try to write to you again soon. So goodbye for this time. Tell the friends to write to me.
As ever, your son, Somewhere in France,
Arthur W. Johnson,
Via N. Y., 103rd Engineers, A. P. O. 744, Am. E. F.
NOTES: Arthur Watt Johnson was born on December 12, 1888 in Delaware, Arkansas and died on August 14, 1950. He is buried in the Leavenworth National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Pvt. serving in the 103 Engineers of the 28th Division. He enlisted on October 26, 1917 and was discharged at Camp Pike, Arkansas on May 21, 1919. He departed St. Nazaire, France on April 20, 1919 onboard the Finland and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on April 30, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY DEBRA POLSTON