TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BOONEVILLE DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER 20, 1918 P 1
August 14, 1918
Dear Mother:
Will write you a letter today, although I just wrote you on the 9th. I have a better opportunity now than I had then, as our regiment is on its way to a rest camp behind the lines. I am lucky to be in this regiment. I have only been at the front about two weeks. I don’t know how long we will be off.
I happened to be attached to this regiment just when it was in a big drive. I came to the woods where they were camped at night. It was raining and awfully muddy. We were all wet and cold and hungry, and a battle was going on. The skies were lighted up from the constant artillery fire and signal rockets from both sides. Since I have been in this sector the Americans have drove the German back about 25 or 30 miles, but they don’t have miles–its kilometers. One kilometer is five-eighths of a mile. I have learned very little French. I will never learn to speak it good. I don’t try much, ha, ha. You know more about what is going on all along the front than I do. We never see a paper till it is old.
If you want to keep in close touch with this regiment subscribe for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. It always says something about the regiment. It was organized there and the officers some are connected with that paper.
When we made this drive here they blew whistles, rang bells and done all kinds of stunts in Chicago in honor of the 149th Regiment, so we hear. This is the most noted division in France. You probably have heard of it there–“The Rainbow Division,” It is made up of National Guard from 41 states–that is organizations from these states.
I was out where one of Germany’s big guns were like they shelled Paris. This one is larger than the one that shelled Paris. They tried to blow it up before its position was captured, but failed. They got the barrel away but left the rest. There is three switches off the railroad to the gun. They say the barrel was 82 feet long. It has a round base about thirty feet in diameter. Where it fired the trees in front of it are dead for 100 yards or more from the shock of the shots. It must have been some gun. They had saplings cut and set out along the switch from main railroad so the aviators could not locate the switch.
I have seen many interesting and some horrible things but I will not undertake to tell you of them all. If I live to get home I can tell you lots of things.
I have heard a word from any one at home. Yet I hardly expected it yet. The mail sent me before I came to this regiment will not be apt to ever reach me, although it may.
I never told you in my last letter where I have been since crossing the sea but will say I have been in Scotland, England and now France. I have been across France twice, to Paris once. We stayed there 18 hours. I saw the famous Eiffel Tower, the highest tower in the world. Almost 100 feet. I have seen all the world I want too now. I believe I would be satisfied to be settled down.
Scotland is the prettiest country I have seen.
The Drive the Americans made here. It is said will be called the 2nd Battle of the Marne. Our Captain read us Congratulation from the General in command of all the troops along here (a French General) for bravery and good fighting. This is called the Marne front or Chateau Thierry District. I have been through Chateau Thierry, a town as big as Little Rock and shot all to pieces by shells. Americans did most of it they say in running the Germans out of there. Hundreds of small towns shot all to pieces all the houses are stone here, I have not seen a wooden house and nearly all have stone walls around them, some must have been built before Christ. Well lots of them were.
I must close as it is getting dark and all of France is stark at night on account of air raids.
I have seen several German planes brought down, I saw two planes setting side by side with two German aviators in each. They were burned to a crisp. Their machines caught on fire when they was hit.
We can tell the difference between American, French and German planes by the noise their motors make. Our planes hum the hardest but run faster “believe me the new Liberty Motors run.”
I must close now. I am afraid some of this won’t pass the censor. Please don’t worry about me.
I am O.K. and don’t realize I am so far away from home but the distance doesn’t spill much anyway for I was close at Beauregard but couldn’t come home.
Well goodbye and good luck to you all.
As ever, Sid.
Battery B 149 F.A., A.P.O. 115 A.E.F.
NOTES: Sidney M. Jones was born on August 9, 1893 in Booneville, Arkansas and died on May 10, 1955 at Booneville. He was buried in the Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery at Booneville. His military headstone identifies him as a Cpl. serving in Co. F 142 Field Arty in World War I. His service with Battery B 149 F.A. was also noted on his headstone application.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
August 14, 1918
Dear Mother:
Will write you a letter today, although I just wrote you on the 9th. I have a better opportunity now than I had then, as our regiment is on its way to a rest camp behind the lines. I am lucky to be in this regiment. I have only been at the front about two weeks. I don’t know how long we will be off.
I happened to be attached to this regiment just when it was in a big drive. I came to the woods where they were camped at night. It was raining and awfully muddy. We were all wet and cold and hungry, and a battle was going on. The skies were lighted up from the constant artillery fire and signal rockets from both sides. Since I have been in this sector the Americans have drove the German back about 25 or 30 miles, but they don’t have miles–its kilometers. One kilometer is five-eighths of a mile. I have learned very little French. I will never learn to speak it good. I don’t try much, ha, ha. You know more about what is going on all along the front than I do. We never see a paper till it is old.
If you want to keep in close touch with this regiment subscribe for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. It always says something about the regiment. It was organized there and the officers some are connected with that paper.
When we made this drive here they blew whistles, rang bells and done all kinds of stunts in Chicago in honor of the 149th Regiment, so we hear. This is the most noted division in France. You probably have heard of it there–“The Rainbow Division,” It is made up of National Guard from 41 states–that is organizations from these states.
I was out where one of Germany’s big guns were like they shelled Paris. This one is larger than the one that shelled Paris. They tried to blow it up before its position was captured, but failed. They got the barrel away but left the rest. There is three switches off the railroad to the gun. They say the barrel was 82 feet long. It has a round base about thirty feet in diameter. Where it fired the trees in front of it are dead for 100 yards or more from the shock of the shots. It must have been some gun. They had saplings cut and set out along the switch from main railroad so the aviators could not locate the switch.
I have seen many interesting and some horrible things but I will not undertake to tell you of them all. If I live to get home I can tell you lots of things.
I have heard a word from any one at home. Yet I hardly expected it yet. The mail sent me before I came to this regiment will not be apt to ever reach me, although it may.
I never told you in my last letter where I have been since crossing the sea but will say I have been in Scotland, England and now France. I have been across France twice, to Paris once. We stayed there 18 hours. I saw the famous Eiffel Tower, the highest tower in the world. Almost 100 feet. I have seen all the world I want too now. I believe I would be satisfied to be settled down.
Scotland is the prettiest country I have seen.
The Drive the Americans made here. It is said will be called the 2nd Battle of the Marne. Our Captain read us Congratulation from the General in command of all the troops along here (a French General) for bravery and good fighting. This is called the Marne front or Chateau Thierry District. I have been through Chateau Thierry, a town as big as Little Rock and shot all to pieces by shells. Americans did most of it they say in running the Germans out of there. Hundreds of small towns shot all to pieces all the houses are stone here, I have not seen a wooden house and nearly all have stone walls around them, some must have been built before Christ. Well lots of them were.
I must close as it is getting dark and all of France is stark at night on account of air raids.
I have seen several German planes brought down, I saw two planes setting side by side with two German aviators in each. They were burned to a crisp. Their machines caught on fire when they was hit.
We can tell the difference between American, French and German planes by the noise their motors make. Our planes hum the hardest but run faster “believe me the new Liberty Motors run.”
I must close now. I am afraid some of this won’t pass the censor. Please don’t worry about me.
I am O.K. and don’t realize I am so far away from home but the distance doesn’t spill much anyway for I was close at Beauregard but couldn’t come home.
Well goodbye and good luck to you all.
As ever, Sid.
Battery B 149 F.A., A.P.O. 115 A.E.F.
NOTES: Sidney M. Jones was born on August 9, 1893 in Booneville, Arkansas and died on May 10, 1955 at Booneville. He was buried in the Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery at Booneville. His military headstone identifies him as a Cpl. serving in Co. F 142 Field Arty in World War I. His service with Battery B 149 F.A. was also noted on his headstone application.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT