SECTION 3
1918 Correspondence
1918 LETTER #19:
LETTER SUMMARY:
-- "We did not come out of the lines until three days after the armistice was signed and we went in on Feb 5 without coming out during that time on, so you see how long we stood it."
-- "The Yankee Division] takes its hat off to no one Nug for we done the "shocking" for the A.E.F."
-- "When we went over the top on July 18th at Chateau Thierry our slogan was "HELL HEAVEN OR HOBOKEN BY XMAS"
-- "ABOVE ALL LEAVE THE WOMEN ALONE until you get back . . . an old rounder like myself has NOT TOUCHED A THING SINCE LEAVING HOME (and had a seven day pass at that)."
SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS LETTER:
3 pages, pen
Y.M.C.A. (A.E.F.) Letterhead
Priv. H.W. Chapman
Co. D, 101st Eng.
A.E.F.
Nov. 27, 1918
Dear Nug:
Today is my second birthday in France . . . Mil and I just came back from our seven day leave at Aix Les Bains. I want to write so much to you I don't know where to begin. We did not come out of the lines until three days after the armistice was signed and we went in on Feb 5 without coming out during that time on, so you see how long we stood it.
We were the first full Division in the trenches and went . . . to Chateau Thierry where we drove from there we went and drove at Saint-Mihiel and then over to the right of Argonne. Two weeks before the end we shipped over to the Verdun Sector . . . the Yankee Division] takes its hat off to no one Nug for we done the "shocking" for the A.E.F.
[...]
When we went over the top on July 18th at Chateau Thierry our slogan was "HELL HEAVEN OR HOBOKEN BY XMAS" and its not our fault if we don't get there on time.
[...]
I am enclosing a picture of a veteran who dodged successfully everything thrown at him for ten solid months and without once ducking the front line gate.
[...]
Its no joke Pete over in this Hellhole. ABOVE ALL LEAVE THE WOMEN ALONE until you get back and take that from one who knows. You will see there is something to it when I tell you an old rounder like myself has NOT TOUCHED A THING SINCE LEAVING HOME (and had a seven day pass at that).
[...]
we have intensive training and drilling all next week and after that I don't know. Detail is all fucked up in that they have got us buffaloed to Hell and a rumor lands with every entry in town
[...]
Love,
Bootus
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