Sgt. Eugene Allsbrook Write From France, Jan. 10, 1919

From The Commonwealth, Scotland Neck, N.C., Jan. 10, 1919

Sergt. M.E. Allsbrook Writes

The following is a letter from Sergeant Marion Eugene Allsbrook now in France, but a resident of Leggetts, Edgecombe county.

My dear Wife:

Guess you think I am dead it has been so long since I wrote to you. We went over the top November the 9^th, and were over the top only three days. But we had some experience in those few days. One of my best friends was shot down right by my side.

I thought every minute would be my last for a while. But we soon got used to the bullets hitting all around us, and the bursting of big shells. The only thing that saved my life was a big shell that hit about two feet of my head that failed to go off. Just good luck you see.

It was right cold while we were over on the front, and we had it pretty bad at times. I slept in shell holes, and believe me we were glad to get in them. We did not care how deep the mud and water was.

My feet froze, and I had right much trouble with them after I got back. Right after we moved back. We started to hiking. We have marched about 155 miles since the middle of November.

I am well and getting along alright. Hope to be with you real soon. I don’t think it will be very long before we sail. We once thought our time had come to sail about a month ago but it did not.

I know it was good news to you all, when you heard that the war was over, and still I can imagine about how you felt, and lots of others that have loved ones over here, not knowing where they were, alive or not.

This is all the paper I have. I felt that I must write as soon as I could and let you know that I was still alive. Will write again as soon as I can get paper.

Your loving husband

Eugene Allsbrook

December 5, 1918