Fred Pool Writes of Journey from Camp Sevier to Hindenburg Line to LeMans After End of War, Dec. 26, 1918

From the Raleigh News & Observer, as reprinted in The Dunn Dispatch, Dec. 26, 1918

“Old Hickory” Troops Began Drive Through Hindenburg Line. . . Fred B. Pool Writes of Entire Journey

Writing from Le-Mans, a small town in Southern France where on November 24^th the 30^th division was stationed, Fred B. Pool of this city and members of the 60^th brigade headquarters of the 30^th division, gives an account of the movement of the division from the time the soldiers left Camp Sevier on May 5 until they reached their quarters on November 21. He says the troops hit the famous Hindenburg defense line on the morning of September 29, had broken through at 9 o’clock and had penetrated the system of trenches for three miles by night.

Fred B. Pool is a member of the unit commanded by Maj. Gordon Smith and enlisted in the summer of 1917. He is a son of Mr. Melvin Pool of Raleigh, Route 2, who whom the young man wrote his letter. Among other members of the headquarters company from this city are Robert Duckett, Herbert Mooneyham and Milton Pool. His letter is as follows:

We left Camp Sevier May 5 and arrived at Camp Merritt, New York, May 7. Spent 10 days thee and then went by train to Boston, Mass. We arrived there May 17, took a boat the same day and went back to New York. On May 19 we left New York with a convoy of about 15 troop ships but had to return to Halifax after two days at see on account of our boat being too slow for the others. Left Halifax May 24 and for 11 days we were at the mercy of the old Atlantic.

We had a good time on the trip; at least, that is what some of the crew told us, but take it from me, I ….all that time we were so sick….first taste of Old Jerry’s submarines just before dark. Several of the U-boats got mixed up with our ships but the destroyers soon drove them off. The next afternoon they were right after us again but again, I am glad to say, they didn’t do any damage.

Our company landed in England at a place called Tillsburg, went from there by train to Dover and took boat to Calais, France. We arrived on French soil June 5. At this place we saw German aeroplanes for the first time. The first night there “Old Jerry” gave us a warm reception and dropped bombs all night but that did not keep us from getting a good night’s sleep. We spent six days there and every night we were bombed by the Germans.

From Calais we went to a place called Autang and reached this village June 12. We spent about a month at Autang in training and then were assigned to the British in Belgium. Had to hike over 50 miles. I can not give the Belgium very much but our company was there about two months with the British. We were just between Ypres and Kemmel Hill and ….. helped to capture Kemmel Hill. We left Belgium September 5 and arrived at Seine Chateau, France, on the following day. I thought we would go in the line at this place but, after spending about 10 days thee, we started out again on September 17 and reached Fontecourt the same day. I want to say that all these trips we took either on foot or in a box car.

We let Fontecourt September 27 and, after stopping at several places, arrived at a stop called Heigson Quarry. Here is where we started out first real fight when on the morning of September 29 we hit the Hindenburg line, had broken through by 9 o’clock and when night arrived we had penetrated three miles. We took several thousand prisoners and God only knows how many Huns were killed. I went over the battlefield the next day and could hardly walk for dead Germans. I never saw such a sight in all my life and will not try to describe it, for I cannot do so.

The barrage for our drive started at 5:30 in the morning and it was the greatest I have ever seen. I remained awake all night just to see the barrage and all at once I thought every gun in the world had broken loose. Our boys went steadily behind the barrage and the old Hindenburg line looked like a ditch in about half an hour.

We started moving up the next day, doing our best to keep up with Fritz, but he ran so fast that it was impossible to keep in contact with him. We went back to the line for a rest October 1 and thought sure we would have about a month doing nothing. However, October 5 we were ordered to hit the front trenches again, so had to again hike 40 miles. We went into action for the second time and pushed on to a place called Bohain. There were several thousand French people in this town. A majority of them were women and children and had been held captives by the Germans for over four years. You can imagine how glad they were to be free again. They were very much surprised to learn we were Americans as they did not know that America was in the war.

Our division was in the line until October 21 and then started back for another rest. On the way to the rear we passed through Tincourt, Peronne, Bray and arrived at Contagon October 25. Here we had a big French chateau for headquarters and for a long time had nothing to do but have a good time. I went to Amiens three times and found the city one of the nicest in France.

On November 20 we took a train at Cobie for Southern France and had a nice trip, reaching our present camp the next day. I am glad to say that LeMans, where we are now stationed, is the best place we have yet struck and the people are treating us fine, as we are the first soldiers to encamp in the city.