On 24 November 1918, Ralph Witmer of Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, sent a letter to his father from Base Hospital No. 56 in Allery, France. The letter was printed in the Elizabethville Echo column entitled “News from the Soldiers,” 26 December 1918.
Dear Father: —
Will drop you a few lines o let you know hat I am well and hope you are the same.
Well, as the war is over and we are allowed to send pictures of France; will send you a couple of cards of the city of Chalon which is about ten miles away from Allery the place where the hospital is; it is a town of about one thousand people; will send you cards of it later on. I sure have done some traveling since I am in France. When we left Hoboken, New Jersey, we sailed for 9 days and landed in Brest in the northern part of France; from there they gave us a three-day ride in a French train and took us clear across the central part of France close to Dijou; we got off the train at that place an hiked about 15 miles to a small town called Puite; we stayed there for about a week; hikd again for about 5 miles; we then got on trucks and rode for about 16 miles in the rain and it sure was some rip; we rode for one day and landed at Fretts about 1 miles from Bar LeDue; we stayed there for about 8 weeks and we certainly did some drilling while we were there. When we left that place – we hiked about 12 miles; got on a train in box cars and rod all night, got off next morning and hike for another 5 miles to a town, Rains, remained for about a week; got on Chinese trucks and rode all night and started on a hike next morning again and pitched camp in a woods on the Verdun Front, but a good distance in back of the lines. We slept in dugouts and had plenty f company, namely, rats; and there were a lot of them but we got used to them and passed the first couple of nights with a good sleep, but after the German planes located us they came over one night and dropped a couple of bombs in the woods but nobody was hurt; the Allied planes got after them and had no trouble after that, we stayed in that woods for about a week; started off on another hike and pitched tent in another woods; had a little trouble with planes and shells from the Boch, saw two planes shot down by the French in one day, and every night the Germans would shell the place, but they had a poor range and everybody got out all right; stayed at that place until the 26th of September when the drive started; moved up to the Front on a Sunday night and went over the top on a Monday morning at 5:15 o’clock and wa up on the front for four days till I got hit with that German Grenade. I was then taken to Base Hospital 26 and stayed there for about a month; was then transferred to Base 56 and am there ever since, I am feeling fine at present and guess when I get home you will hardly know me. I used to wear a thirty-two waist breeches but now I take thirty-four and they are pretty tight and the last time I weighed myself I tipped the scales at 16 lbs. about a month ago; – hand it to the army to build up a fellow. But a fellow has to get fat here for they feed us all we want, have good beds to sleep in and don’t have to work very hard. I am in the kitchen on K. P. feeding the fellows in our ward and washing dishes; had a chance to work in the office but I refused it; I wasn’t to get back as soon as I can; I am tired of this place and don’t want to stay longer than I have to. Was not to Paris yet but this place is just about 5 miles away from there. I spoke with Jack Dieter and he told me he saw Daniel Smeltz from above town; wish I could meet him. Had not had an mail from home for about two month, but there’s some at the Tribune office at Paris and I expect a lot at my Company. I was called to the the Post Office yesterday to lift mail but then it was for Jacob Witmer and I sure was disappointed.
But I don’t care as log as you get my mail as I know you are all right at home. Well I guess I must close as the lights are just about to go out. Don’t worry about me as God will take care of me; and as the war is over and I will be home before long then I can tell you a whole lot more; could write a whole book full if I’d want to tell al my experiences. But will tell them when I get home. Will close with Love.
From your son, RALPH
Company F, 314th Infantry, A.E.F.
_____________________________________
See also:
Ralph Witmer (1894-1985) – World War I
______________________________________
From: Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.