DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919 | 1918-04-03 Clipping: ""Letters From Our Soldiers"" by Conger Reynolds

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Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919

1918-04-03 Clipping: ""Letters From Our Soldiers"" by Conger Reynolds

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS
April 3, 1918.
Dear Earl:
Did I write you since I became a censor and conducting officer?  Yes, I remember I did.  It has been intensely interesting so far.  In conducting various visitors to the show spots I have travelled hundreds of miles by automobile, seen our soldiers in all kinds of activities, learned more geography of a certain section of France than I know of any similar amount of territory in Iowa.  I have been under fire enough times that I have lost some of my first timidity about undergoing that experience.  But I don't pretend to like it.
The other day I was standing outside a first aid post in a village in the advanced lines that had been literally torn to pieces in the three and a half years of war.  Of a sudden there was a sharp whistle and a shell crashed through a wall about eighty or ninety feet from me.  It was as if you should be standing on the Old Capitol steps and see a shell go through the south end of new science.  Before I could realize what was going to happen there came another.  It landed in the road a few yards nearer, and exploded.  Immediate there was a cry for litter bearers.  In a few minutes they came back with a fine big chap stretched on the litter.  He had a nasty hole in his temple.  Of course he died before our eyes.  There is a little too much reality about war for comfort when you see it in that way.  Believe me, I was well satisfied when we finally got out of that place, because the Boche hate was bursting all over the landscaps as we hurried back.
It is a trying experience to be tied up by the regulations so I can't write the dozens of good stories that I see over here.  All I can do is read the other fellow's stuff.  Well, that is pretty interesting.  And I am having great fun observing how they get it and how they write it,---and oh what a merry time listening to the scraps between the correspondents and the chief censor!
But of course I'm not overworked---else I would be writing to you so much more than you do to me.  I understand your situation.  And now that graduation time isn't so far off I know you are simply buried.
Good wishes always
Conger Reynolds,
2nd Lieut. A. G. D.

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LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS April 3, 1918. Dear Earl: Did I write you since I became a censor and conducting officer? Yes, I remember I did. It has been intensely interesting so far. In conducting various visitors to the show spots I have travelled hundreds of miles by automobile, seen our soldiers in all kinds of activities, learned more geography of a certain section of France than I know of any similar amount of territory in Iowa. I have been under fire enough times that I have lost some of my first timidity about undergoing that experience. But I don't pretend to like it. The other day I was standing outside a first aid post in a village in the advanced lines that had been literally torn to pieces in the three and a half years of war. Of a sudden there was a sharp whistle and a shell crashed through a wall about eighty or ninety feet from me. It was as if you should be standing on the Old Capitol steps and see a shell go through the south end of new science. Before I could realize what was going to happen there came another. It landed in the road a few yards nearer, and exploded. Immediate there was a cry for litter bearers. In a few minutes they came back with a fine big chap stretched on the litter. He had a nasty hole in his temple. Of course he died before our eyes. There is a little too much reality about war for comfort when you see it in that way. Believe me, I was well satisfied when we finally got out of that place, because the Boche hate was bursting all over the landscaps as we hurried back. It is a trying experience to be tied up by the regulations so I can't write the dozens of good stories that I see over here. All I can do is read the other fellow's stuff. Well, that is pretty interesting. And I am having great fun observing how they get it and how they write it,---and oh what a merry time listening to the scraps between the correspondents and the chief censor! But of course I'm not overworked---else I would be writing to you so much more than you do to me. I understand your situation. And now that graduation time isn't so far off I know you are simply buried. Good wishes always Conger Reynolds, 2nd Lieut. A. G. D.