TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SCOTT COUNTY ADVANCE DECEMBER 26, 1918 P. 3
"Somewhere in France"
Oct. 23, 1918
Mr. H. H. Lynch
Waldron, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Dear Friend:
I will try to write you a few lines in answer to your most kind and welcome letter which i received yesterday.
i was glad to hear from old Ark. once more, and was especially glad to get the news from my old home, and friends. you have no idea how glad a fellow is to get a letter over here.
Albert must have been scared when he was examined almost as bad as he was when you caught him shooting buzzards on Sun. I would like to see Albert in a few places i have been (and I seen nothing at all compared to what the infantry sees) he is so excitible that he would be comical when a 'Boche" plane comes over dropping bombs that are likely to kill you are in a radius of two hundred yards and tears a hole big enough to burry a horse I am sure Albert would have cold feet.
The first big shell that I heard caused me to feel all out of place I was ahead of my company, having gone on ahead on a truck with rations while the company "hiked" I was told that the night before that the enemy had sent over gas, and not being well acquainted with the use of the gas mask I of course felt that I had a poor chanch. I was sleeping under a tree, and all at once I awoke with a start. I listened and in a few moments I heard a singing in the air and then ___a boom. Althro the night ____kept sending them over all of them were going over in a ___town just beyond where we were camped. I soon become accustomed to them and have ___ noticed them.
At the same place I ____ Frenchman plowing in a ____ several shells fell near him, _____ finally one fell inside the ____ he was plowing, and Frenchie quit and left the field. The shells ceased falling soon after he left, and in about an hour he came back and went ahead with his work as unconcerned as you would after a summer shower. you see they have seen and heard this go on for four years and have become accustomed to it.
The worst thing about the work of non-combatant regiments behild the lines is the bombing airplanes. The first experience I had with an enemy bombing plan was pretty exciting. We were camped on an open hillside near an American Hospital, when a "Boche" plane came over in a French plane, we heard the motor humming and knew it was not a "Boche" plane and paid no attention to it. It got right over us and dropped some bombs that I am thankful were not of the large type that Fritz usually drops, and then he turned a machine gun on us and you may imagine I lay close to the ground and wished that I did not occupy so much space. Happily only one man was killed and he was not in our organization.
Well I know your are wondering about how many French sweethearts I have over here. I am not very crazy about French girls, however they are glad to be with an American soldier. The French have a custom of an older person going along when a young couple goes out anywhere, may imagine that this is not very agreeable to me.
So Earl is still in Kansas City yet is he? say when you write me please send me his address as I want to write to him. i had his address but have lost it.
Well Henry you have no idea how much food, clothing and other supplies it takes to keep things going over here. I believe ___ the Officers and Non-commissioned Officers. And you may imagine that I don't get lonesome, for they are a jolly bunch. We have a first class commedian with us, and there are several good singers in our Company. I must close for this time, trusting to hear from you soon.
Yours Respectfully,
Oscar L. Neal
Co. D 537th Engineers, American Ex Forces
NOTES: Oscar Lewis Neal was born on April 8, 1896 in Tilton, Arkansas and died on July 25, 1971. He is buried in the Fakes Chapel Cemetery in McCrory, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
"Somewhere in France"
Oct. 23, 1918
Mr. H. H. Lynch
Waldron, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Dear Friend:
I will try to write you a few lines in answer to your most kind and welcome letter which i received yesterday.
i was glad to hear from old Ark. once more, and was especially glad to get the news from my old home, and friends. you have no idea how glad a fellow is to get a letter over here.
Albert must have been scared when he was examined almost as bad as he was when you caught him shooting buzzards on Sun. I would like to see Albert in a few places i have been (and I seen nothing at all compared to what the infantry sees) he is so excitible that he would be comical when a 'Boche" plane comes over dropping bombs that are likely to kill you are in a radius of two hundred yards and tears a hole big enough to burry a horse I am sure Albert would have cold feet.
The first big shell that I heard caused me to feel all out of place I was ahead of my company, having gone on ahead on a truck with rations while the company "hiked" I was told that the night before that the enemy had sent over gas, and not being well acquainted with the use of the gas mask I of course felt that I had a poor chanch. I was sleeping under a tree, and all at once I awoke with a start. I listened and in a few moments I heard a singing in the air and then ___a boom. Althro the night ____kept sending them over all of them were going over in a ___town just beyond where we were camped. I soon become accustomed to them and have ___ noticed them.
At the same place I ____ Frenchman plowing in a ____ several shells fell near him, _____ finally one fell inside the ____ he was plowing, and Frenchie quit and left the field. The shells ceased falling soon after he left, and in about an hour he came back and went ahead with his work as unconcerned as you would after a summer shower. you see they have seen and heard this go on for four years and have become accustomed to it.
The worst thing about the work of non-combatant regiments behild the lines is the bombing airplanes. The first experience I had with an enemy bombing plan was pretty exciting. We were camped on an open hillside near an American Hospital, when a "Boche" plane came over in a French plane, we heard the motor humming and knew it was not a "Boche" plane and paid no attention to it. It got right over us and dropped some bombs that I am thankful were not of the large type that Fritz usually drops, and then he turned a machine gun on us and you may imagine I lay close to the ground and wished that I did not occupy so much space. Happily only one man was killed and he was not in our organization.
Well I know your are wondering about how many French sweethearts I have over here. I am not very crazy about French girls, however they are glad to be with an American soldier. The French have a custom of an older person going along when a young couple goes out anywhere, may imagine that this is not very agreeable to me.
So Earl is still in Kansas City yet is he? say when you write me please send me his address as I want to write to him. i had his address but have lost it.
Well Henry you have no idea how much food, clothing and other supplies it takes to keep things going over here. I believe ___ the Officers and Non-commissioned Officers. And you may imagine that I don't get lonesome, for they are a jolly bunch. We have a first class commedian with us, and there are several good singers in our Company. I must close for this time, trusting to hear from you soon.
Yours Respectfully,
Oscar L. Neal
Co. D 537th Engineers, American Ex Forces
NOTES: Oscar Lewis Neal was born on April 8, 1896 in Tilton, Arkansas and died on July 25, 1971. He is buried in the Fakes Chapel Cemetery in McCrory, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD