Unknown
France-Oct.-14-1918
Dear aunt.
Kelly, Ida, How are you folks. I am fine and dandy hope this will find you the same. I got you letter yesterday that you wrote to me the 6 of September and was glad to get it. I haven’t got much time to write so I will scribble a few lines to let you know I am still living. I just got out of the trenches a day or to ago. Out for a rest the way thing read over here I don’t think I will see the trenches anymore without things change. The all say we are going home for Christmas dinner but I have my doubts of being home by that time. It will take a long time after it is over before I land and you never know it when I do. Well how is Toby and how’s he getting along with the old engine this year I but Toby thinks of Hornbeck once in a while. Well I do I started this letter yesterday and they said I couldn’t send it out for a day or to. It is hard to get mail home we can’t send it when ever we want to I haven’t heard from Delma for a long time don’t know what is the matter I don’t get only about half of my mail that is sent to me I got from Dewey to day and one from ma that she wrote the 6 of September I got it the 5th of October. Well I heard since I started this that I am going to move again but can’t tell where. Well how is the old man getting along with his finger. Ma said he had it taken of again. I would like to have seem his face. Well Ida you tell ma I will try and write in a few days. I am writing often but I don’t go threw only about half of the time. I am going to try and write to Dewey and see if it will go threw. Lot of you folks think I don’t write but I have answered ever letter that I got. Well Ida you tell them all hello for me and to write I will answer them if I get them so good by from K. Probock.
Answer soon.
Censored by
1st Lt. Inf. U.S.A.
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France: 15 Oct. 1918
Dear Mother
Hello mother how are you folks getting along? I am fine and dandy hope this will find you the same. I got your letter to day that you wrote me the tenth of Sept. Well how is the old mans finger getting along since he had it cut off? I don’t expose he is able to work very much. Well I got a letter from Stella a week ago well I expose Heb is busy cutting corn now I don’t expose he run his silo filler much this year.
Well mother I am out of the trench now for a rest but are going to move before long again. Well I don’t expose they are very many of the boys left around there by this time. How dose it come that Roy and Denise keeps out of it so long? Well they are lucky that they don’t half to come but I don’t think they will. Many of the boy see much service over here without things change.
Well I will be glad when I can come back and live like a white man again, but can’t complain much here. Have a for time and have been lucky haven’t been sick sense I been here. Have got a little cold now but that don’t amount to nothing. I haven’t been on dressed for a long time if I ever got a change to sleep in a bed it will be pretty hard to get me out but don’t think it will be long before we will be back. I think I will be home a year from now any day. I can’t last very much longer. Well mother don’t worry about me I am all wright and will be home some of these days if I have good luck. Well another I got to close for this time what is the matter with Delma I haven’t heard from her for a long time but will get one in a few days. Well good by from Suy answer.
Censored by
2nd lt. U.S.A.
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Camp Zachary Taylor
Louisville, KY.
Bty. 11. Reg. 2 O.A.R.D.
Camp Taylor, Ky.
Baraboo News Co.
Baraboo, Wis.
My dear Sirs, Please change my address from Hq. Co. Bn 5. Reg. 2. F.A.R.D. to Bty 11. Reg 2. O.A.R.D. O.A.R.D. means October automatic replacement draft; it has to do with sending men across after giving them two weeks of special training. I have charge of one of the kitchen in the organization and it is my duty to remain here permanently to prepare for new batteries as they arrive every two weeks
Our first battery leaves for overseas sometime this week. My biggest problem is ordering food, for I’ve got to have it so that when the boys leave my supply has been exhausted. They may leave any day so my orders go in every day for just enough food for the next day’s needs.
The influenza seems to be checked. We had about 9,000 cases. There have been about 150 deaths. Caskets are being taken to the hospital by the truck loads.
The rest of the Sauk Co. boys are still in the section of the ……….
(The remainder of the letter is missing. The author is unknown.)