TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SCOTT COUNTY ADVANCE REPORTER FEBRUARY 20 1919 P. 4 AND FEBRUARY 27 P. 3
Sunday, Jan. 19 1919
Dear Bro and sister:
Your highly appreciated letter of the 24th of Dec. came to hand yesterday was indeed glad to get it. I'm sorter surprised to hear of the new arrival at your house. I extend to you and family a hearty hand of congratulations. Hoping the new born babe to be a success in the world.
I also rec'd your card a few days ago. It was a surprising card to me but gladly surprised. I had a letter from papa and mama two or three days ago. Said they were all well and getting along all ok these few lines leaves me in the best of health and getting along fine. I weighed a few days ago I weigh 160 lbs. Jim you was speaking of your birthday I had forgotten your birthday you don't feel any older since you are pa do you? Ha I'll be 24 the 12th of next month. I'm going to soon be an old man I feel just like a kid an going to be a boy all the time.
You was speaking about it being cold and icy there, hope it is warmed up by now. It hasn't been very cold here at all, have not had but little ice, one little snow but just covered the ground. It hasn't been near as cold here so far, as it is there.
I'm glad Uncle Henry came in for Xmas, wish he would write to me, I don't know his address or I would write to him. Guess he's been working in the oil fields around Tulsa and Cushion I appreciate your words of congratulation but I feel as for myself my presence is almost a neusence I appreciate the opportunity of taking a hand in the game over here. I don't feel that I've done very much but what I've done was that much and by us all working to-gether and each man doing his little bit we victoriously won the fight and we'er going to have a better world to live in hereafter.
I've seen some pretty scarry times since I've been in Europe and in the battle fields but have not got a scratch yet and think I'll make it back to the good old U.S.A. all ok.
I've seen the time that I would have sold out for a dime and thought I was getting a bargain. I've stood or layed in a ditch several times and listened at the hun shells come over. I tell you they sound lonesome. Sounded like they was calling me, but I never had one to fall closer than fifteen or twenty yards of me.
It would be greatly surprising to you to see how bad some of the battle fields are tore up. I ve seen hundreds and hundreds of acres of land that's so full of shell holes there isn't room for another and I've seen shell holes that you could almost bury a house in and I've seen villages that once was famous. swept almost level with the earth, not one but lots of them. That's the way parts of France is tore up. Shall we have any mercy on Kaiser Bill after all this?
I don't believe I've ever told you exactly the branch of service I'm in. Our part of the game was mostly supplying the artillery with ammunition by way of motor trucks. We did a great part of our work at night which was very difficult for we had to travel with out lights in order to keep the enemy from spying us. I'll tell you a little instance that occured one night at the Verdun front, I was at that time assistant with Wag. Calhoun, of N.C. We got orders to go to a ammunation dump at Bethelenville and got a load of ammunation and take it further up to a new dump or battle position, so by the time we got to Bethelenville the huns begin sending a few over at the little village. The dump was outside the town so we were alright while we were there loading but in the center of the little village was a road crossing which the huns was trying to hit and we had to pass that way so luck come for me and Calhoun and the other assistant to pull out first.
(Continued next week)
We got to the road crossing and that was as far as we knew how to go we had to wait there till the Srgt. In charge of the convoy come along and directed us which was an hour or more during the time our truck was sitting there in that lonesome deserted street the shells kept howling around and believe me they got pretty close right on each side of the street during the time we were sitting there. I decided I’d better hunt up the Srgt. And try to get out, so I was ___ off down the road and couldn’t find him, so I thought I’d crawl down in a ditch for a while I did and got behind a big tree that was standing on the bank of the ditch. I felt a little safer there, but it a shell had hit the tree it would of cut it right smooth off and in on top of me it would of come.
It was there I thought of home of papa and mama and of many things back in the sweet land of America and thoughts came to me, what if these dirty bloody Dutch was in our free and happy land tearing things up like they have been in France and running our dear fathers and mothers our of their free homes in the land of Liberty then my muscles raided with vigor and I felt that I could lick any two of the dirty Dutch. Believe me the Yanks made quick work of them. It didn’t take many months till the Dutch ceased to sound no more. And we’re now resting easy along the banks of the famous river of the Rhine. I’ve been in the town of Pfaffendorf just across the river from Coblense a little over one month ago.
Well I must close for this time hoping to hear from you soon, and wishing you all the best of luck. I’m your bud.
Pvt. Paul E. Neal
NOTES: Paul Eddy Neal was writing to his relatives in Weeks, Arkansas. He was born in Bates, Arkansas on February12, 1895 and died on June 9, 1981. He is buried in the Weeks Cemetery in Scott County. He enlisted on July 9, 1918 and was discharged on August 13, 1919. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on July 7, 1918 onboard the Manchuria. He was serving as a Pvt. in Artillery Overseas Casual Co. No. 206.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Sunday, Jan. 19 1919
Dear Bro and sister:
Your highly appreciated letter of the 24th of Dec. came to hand yesterday was indeed glad to get it. I'm sorter surprised to hear of the new arrival at your house. I extend to you and family a hearty hand of congratulations. Hoping the new born babe to be a success in the world.
I also rec'd your card a few days ago. It was a surprising card to me but gladly surprised. I had a letter from papa and mama two or three days ago. Said they were all well and getting along all ok these few lines leaves me in the best of health and getting along fine. I weighed a few days ago I weigh 160 lbs. Jim you was speaking of your birthday I had forgotten your birthday you don't feel any older since you are pa do you? Ha I'll be 24 the 12th of next month. I'm going to soon be an old man I feel just like a kid an going to be a boy all the time.
You was speaking about it being cold and icy there, hope it is warmed up by now. It hasn't been very cold here at all, have not had but little ice, one little snow but just covered the ground. It hasn't been near as cold here so far, as it is there.
I'm glad Uncle Henry came in for Xmas, wish he would write to me, I don't know his address or I would write to him. Guess he's been working in the oil fields around Tulsa and Cushion I appreciate your words of congratulation but I feel as for myself my presence is almost a neusence I appreciate the opportunity of taking a hand in the game over here. I don't feel that I've done very much but what I've done was that much and by us all working to-gether and each man doing his little bit we victoriously won the fight and we'er going to have a better world to live in hereafter.
I've seen some pretty scarry times since I've been in Europe and in the battle fields but have not got a scratch yet and think I'll make it back to the good old U.S.A. all ok.
I've seen the time that I would have sold out for a dime and thought I was getting a bargain. I've stood or layed in a ditch several times and listened at the hun shells come over. I tell you they sound lonesome. Sounded like they was calling me, but I never had one to fall closer than fifteen or twenty yards of me.
It would be greatly surprising to you to see how bad some of the battle fields are tore up. I ve seen hundreds and hundreds of acres of land that's so full of shell holes there isn't room for another and I've seen shell holes that you could almost bury a house in and I've seen villages that once was famous. swept almost level with the earth, not one but lots of them. That's the way parts of France is tore up. Shall we have any mercy on Kaiser Bill after all this?
I don't believe I've ever told you exactly the branch of service I'm in. Our part of the game was mostly supplying the artillery with ammunition by way of motor trucks. We did a great part of our work at night which was very difficult for we had to travel with out lights in order to keep the enemy from spying us. I'll tell you a little instance that occured one night at the Verdun front, I was at that time assistant with Wag. Calhoun, of N.C. We got orders to go to a ammunation dump at Bethelenville and got a load of ammunation and take it further up to a new dump or battle position, so by the time we got to Bethelenville the huns begin sending a few over at the little village. The dump was outside the town so we were alright while we were there loading but in the center of the little village was a road crossing which the huns was trying to hit and we had to pass that way so luck come for me and Calhoun and the other assistant to pull out first.
(Continued next week)
We got to the road crossing and that was as far as we knew how to go we had to wait there till the Srgt. In charge of the convoy come along and directed us which was an hour or more during the time our truck was sitting there in that lonesome deserted street the shells kept howling around and believe me they got pretty close right on each side of the street during the time we were sitting there. I decided I’d better hunt up the Srgt. And try to get out, so I was ___ off down the road and couldn’t find him, so I thought I’d crawl down in a ditch for a while I did and got behind a big tree that was standing on the bank of the ditch. I felt a little safer there, but it a shell had hit the tree it would of cut it right smooth off and in on top of me it would of come.
It was there I thought of home of papa and mama and of many things back in the sweet land of America and thoughts came to me, what if these dirty bloody Dutch was in our free and happy land tearing things up like they have been in France and running our dear fathers and mothers our of their free homes in the land of Liberty then my muscles raided with vigor and I felt that I could lick any two of the dirty Dutch. Believe me the Yanks made quick work of them. It didn’t take many months till the Dutch ceased to sound no more. And we’re now resting easy along the banks of the famous river of the Rhine. I’ve been in the town of Pfaffendorf just across the river from Coblense a little over one month ago.
Well I must close for this time hoping to hear from you soon, and wishing you all the best of luck. I’m your bud.
Pvt. Paul E. Neal
NOTES: Paul Eddy Neal was writing to his relatives in Weeks, Arkansas. He was born in Bates, Arkansas on February12, 1895 and died on June 9, 1981. He is buried in the Weeks Cemetery in Scott County. He enlisted on July 9, 1918 and was discharged on August 13, 1919. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on July 7, 1918 onboard the Manchuria. He was serving as a Pvt. in Artillery Overseas Casual Co. No. 206.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD