TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE NOVEMBER 10, 1918 P. 19
I am with the bunch who helped wipe out the St. Mihiel salient, and am now on another front, giving them h---. I wont say where, for fear of the censor, but papers of current date will tell you. I understand that they are being driven back on all fronts. You people at home hear general news before we do, although we beat you to it on our own front, which, for a regiment or a division, is small when compared with the entire battle front.
This paper was part of a Hun officer’s memorandum book, and I am using one of their calendar’s placed across my knees as a writing desk. We are temporarily stopping at one of their abandoned headquarters. It will be for a short time only—our next stop will be further toward the Rhine.
Heinie has begun to throw over a few six-inch love tokens, so for fear the mud will be thrown on and spoil this letter I will close. Our guns give him over two to one, and that is why we are pushing them so hard. I’ll bet there is some excitement in the United States about now. Look for us to come home next year.
At last I have a chance to mail this—from the hospital. No cause for worry, though, for it is only a little puncture of the right shin bone. No bones broken, and I will be after them in a few days.
NOTES: Sergeant Edward D. Roberts was writing to his sister, Mrs. E. C. Jones. The last paragraph was written 6 days later. He was born in January 1891 in Morrilton, Conway, Arkansas. He sailed for France on the Von Steuben on May 26, 1918 from Hoboken, New Jersey. He served with Co. C, 8th field Signal Battalion, A.E.F.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
I am with the bunch who helped wipe out the St. Mihiel salient, and am now on another front, giving them h---. I wont say where, for fear of the censor, but papers of current date will tell you. I understand that they are being driven back on all fronts. You people at home hear general news before we do, although we beat you to it on our own front, which, for a regiment or a division, is small when compared with the entire battle front.
This paper was part of a Hun officer’s memorandum book, and I am using one of their calendar’s placed across my knees as a writing desk. We are temporarily stopping at one of their abandoned headquarters. It will be for a short time only—our next stop will be further toward the Rhine.
Heinie has begun to throw over a few six-inch love tokens, so for fear the mud will be thrown on and spoil this letter I will close. Our guns give him over two to one, and that is why we are pushing them so hard. I’ll bet there is some excitement in the United States about now. Look for us to come home next year.
At last I have a chance to mail this—from the hospital. No cause for worry, though, for it is only a little puncture of the right shin bone. No bones broken, and I will be after them in a few days.
NOTES: Sergeant Edward D. Roberts was writing to his sister, Mrs. E. C. Jones. The last paragraph was written 6 days later. He was born in January 1891 in Morrilton, Conway, Arkansas. He sailed for France on the Von Steuben on May 26, 1918 from Hoboken, New Jersey. He served with Co. C, 8th field Signal Battalion, A.E.F.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT