William A. Smyre
Describes Fighting
The following letter was written by William A. Smyre, a
private in Co. D, 119th infantry, 2nd N.C. regiment, 30th
division, to his mother, Mrs. Bettie Smyre of Newton:
Beaumont, France
Nov. 28, 1918
Dear Mother:
I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am well
and I am looking to start back to the good old U.S. now any day. I have been in
every fight that the 30th division was in. We went into battle on
the morning of September 29 and we broke the Hindenburg line. This was the greatest
trench that old Fritzie had. He had cement dugouts 90 feet deep and would hold
about 300 men, but we took them from him. It sure was a sad sight to see your
comrades shot down right at your side. We had 260 men when we went into battle
and the first battle we were in we lost 23 men, and the last time we came out
of the trenches, we had only 28 men and I was one of the lucky 28. I have gone
through it all and have not got a scratch from a shell or a bullet. When the
war stopped on November 11, I was in the machine gun squad and the only one
left out of eight men. I have been in Belgium most of my time since I have been
over here, and this war sure has taught me a lesson. We had to stay in dugouts
and old Fritzy shooting at us. We sure did have to hug to the ground at times.
I will close and try to finish my story when I get home.
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