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ts3s^cacMsoacaas^;BQ9s«i5SBaasBBMCcffi»?MM5C«r.r.-.r=n:| Letters from “Our Boys”C3403C3333=3w33?3!:CUUi3eoa«KBsaee:p.Juasttrupt, Fiance.hoc. iu.8.Mr. Hair) Elliott,Wen, H.a *~i; |t nu «..* you Uunk 1 have for gotten you, uut 1 iiuve net. i i.a.e wen veiy ousy, anu spent s-me urns in the hoa-puai eltlf oemg H'ounueJ m iiio ie. wi.iie going over Uie lop.i neitt a.c a good many things 1 cootd tell you, out it Wuuiu lu-« too ■vi.g eo write it, aim the way Ui.ngs look nov., l guess we Will be on our ay noine aooit. oend tnen I can ten it o.i.t«i tuan 1 ca.i wtite it. Vvo cei-uuuijr went tmough something in helping to drive those Boones Hack, but every one did his part.Uarttvid Jones and Clarence Swayes were in the same hospital with me, but ace getting along all 0. h. now.1 have now juineu my compuny, alter spending two mourns in tne hospital. Arc- you still at the ammuni-uon plant? Give my legunln uo you. wife and family and lnends. Hoping to see you soon, I am, as ever,Your old pal,JOHN BUTLER.tent ourselves with the thought of bringing our contribution with us. when we do chance to return.Feeling quite sure that the above will meet with your approval, due to the fact that duty called us away miking it impossible for us to do as we so derired, we close, sending hopes that the dear, beloved pastor and family arc enjoying tlie best of health, and that he shall ever continue to speak the Word, thus making the worid better for mankind.Sincerely yours in prayers,SCT. A. LIKING.SGT. J. M. BUTLER.On Active Service with the A. E. P., Dec. 7, 1918. Mr. Harry Elliott,My Dear Superintendent:1 know that there hus been much surprise because 1 haven't written be-FOltUM—Jan 8—TWO fore the above date, but what has been the main reason? It is this: the seldiers over here had “pas boaucoup’ (not much) freedom in writing in the days of lighting.The armistice was signed, as you know, the eighth of November, but the third battalion, which Includes Co. M, was right at the heels of the retreating Germans and did not receive news of it until the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. We were not more Hpjn live kilometers from Rocrois, Hiid seven kilometers from the Belgian border. We reached it in the same day in the early afternoon. Having entered u certain village, we were well received by the French and Belgian civilians and perhaps by the German soldiers who were there also, some armed and some unarmed. We would'have tired upon 'hem had not the adjutant ridden up and stopped us.In the evening of November 11, I.t. Co. Duncan, who was in command of the Third Battalion, instructed us not to mistreat or talk to the Germans. He said if we did it woud violate the armistice. This was in the village of Que d'Houssc, which was three hundred yards from the first village. A German unarmed came up to me and attempted to start a conversation, but of course it was denied him. He could speak Engish.The Lord haa been wilh me und the regiment, and we arc full of experience ami information. But since wo will be home or in the U. S. A. before January, I will not write many more letters to you but give to you person ally when I visit, if the Lord permits.Greet the pastor, your family, the church, the Sunday school, and the choir, and the Christians yourself.1 have only had one petty grenade wound ubove the left ear.I got your address from KendallCARL BURNS.Co. G, 372 U. S. Inf., A. E. F., France, Dec. 8, 1918, A. M. E. Church,Dayton, Ohio.Dear Church:Before we go very far, allow us to say that, when we say Church,” mean the people that make up the congregation.In the papers we read and from various conversations, we hear that the grand old church of Baker Street la to purchase, or probably by this late date has bought, a small tract of land on which to build a larger, a more beautiful tabernacle, convincing more people to worship the Great Triune God, the General of the Christian army. We are penetrated .with the idea (hat not a better, not a more needed task could ever have been begun.The churches of America can by no means realise the good that they have done towards the fighting men of the nation. It is through the churches that so many of us yet live to return to America and begin again the daily occupations that were so suddenly stopped.Hew often we have wtahed that we Were on the soila of America, where we could send to you our contributions for helping in the cause!But, being thousands of miles aay, we f-nr the transit*? mail; therefore we would not send you from such u dis-tsnce away, our contribution, i though it might, in comparison, be amall. But now that the war is over mud won, and that our return to Aaier jn is not far from hand. w. iH cun
Newspaper Details
The Dayton Forum
Dayton, Ohio, US
Fri, Jan 10, 1919
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Gina S.
USA 17 Jan 2025
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