me we got our shoes on in quick time and made the trenches. The raid was some distance off, but we could see the flashes and hear the explosions just as though they were right on us. After being in the trenches for 2 hours it was given all clear and we attempted to sleep.Next day we had to hike three miles with full packs to the trains where we loaded in boxcars and rode 2 nights and a day arriving at Lanlay, France. We slept in tents in a nearby field. Next day we are up early, (Sunday) rolled our packs and hiked to Commisey, a small nearby town where we trained for 4 weeks. 15 September we left Commissey hiking again, Sunday again. We made 10 miles and to another village where we spent the night. On and on like this until we boarded a train in cattle cars sleeping very little. Arrived at Brueyers near midnight. Here is where the Bash made his raid on our train. We were hiking and dodging all night as where he raided us is where we derailed. After hiking all night we came to a nice barn of hay for about 3 days we all took a sleep for we hadn’t in 2 or 3 days. I don’t believe any of us will ever forget that night of the raid. We started hiking for the front, staying in towns in the day and hiking at night. Almost every one of those towns was torn to pieces by German artillery. 27 Sept. we hiked to the front where we relieved a French division. This was in the Varpes Mountains, a very quiet front. I believe this was just to tame the fellows to these big guns, for the Germans would send over their big shells for a while, then ours would give them a taste of their own medicine. When the big shells started you should see us beating it for the dugouts. Just like rats when fire is after them. But just as soon as they stopped we were out ready to see if they were going to visit us with their rifles and bayonet, but they never came, much to our pleasure. I did mostly observation work and this may be the easiest of all, but there is nothing easy in any of it. We were here for 21 days dodging shells and machine gun and rifle fire and grenades and everything used in warfare. 18 October we relieved a Polish division, so we moved out that night. Hiked until we stopped next morning before light. Next day we made a small town named Vonrecourt. Rested for 10 days and drilled every day. First of Nov. we made town of Chatel, where we boarded another train, rode all day and detrained that night and hiked for another front. Came to a little village that had been shot to pieces a few months previous. Here we slept wherever we could, I slept on a pile of stones, a poor place but it was all I could get. Next morning we had some coffee and hard-tack for breakfast and I don’t believe we had any dinner for we were hiking this time of every day. Here is where I saw 63 airoplanes.
They came over us like a bunch of birds. I knew right then we were going where fighting was being done. 5 Nov. we reached Camp Reunes near the Verun and Metz front, The Meuse Sector. Here we rested 4 days when on the ninth, just before day we were ordered to support the trenches, arriving that night under fire. During that time I had to go on patrol with the 324th Inf. This was the first time I went over the top. I was able to see what we were up against. That night I was cold and tired but had a good supper. The trenches were muddy and no place to sit or stand on. We supported trenches for days and when night came we would crawl out and fix up under a hill to get out of the mud. After we got out we saw we were just as safe as the trenches so we unrolled our packs, put our tents down first and a blanket on that, then we got in and covered with them. Did a little sleeping, but only a little for it was cold and the big guns just rolling all the while. Officers came around and told us to be ready to move up to the front trenches at five. So when five came we were all ready. But gee, I did hate it for I was out there the day before and saw what we were up against. We went out over the top when the time came and how things went I can hardly say, but we were giving them a whole lot to do, but in the same time they were entertaining us very unpleasantly. If I live to be a thousand years, I will never forget the tenth and eleventh of November. One of the nicest things I heard in my life was when the Major told us it would be over at ten-thirty or eleven for Armistice had been signed. That night the heavens were filled with skyrockets and flares. Just as far as one could see, they were going up. One would think the moon was shining. The lights were various colors, red, white, blue, green. Thousands at one time. After eleven o’clock came that day not a gun could be heard anywhere. The Germans came over shaking hands and then we went back across the line with them. One or two tried to persuade some of the boys to go a good way back where some of the Officers were, but then some said, better not go for they may do something they shouldn’t and cause us some trouble. I was not there when all this happened for I was with the Major just then, but this was what some of the boys told me first hand. This letter went on for a few more pages and concluded as follows; Hope that I will be blessed with the pleasure of getting home earlier than I expect. But it wouldn’t surprise me if I have to stay here as late as October. But I truly hope not. The sweetest thing is a letter from home. Love and kisses, your devoted son, Ollie. He arrived back in America on June 14, 1919. The Bluffton Breeze
January 2014
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