W.T. Smith in France, Write Home, Jan. 16, 1919

From The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Jan. 16, 1919

Letter from W.T. Smith

Letter to his wife from Bugler W.T. Smith, Co. A, 306^th, Tr. Hq. & M. P., A.P.O. 791:

Dec. 4, 1918

This is the first chance I’ve had in two weeks to write. We have been hiking 14 days back towards home (from the front lines into the interior of France).

We landed in France at Cherbourg Aug. 17^th. Were 18 days en route from New York. Most of our riding in France was done in little 10-ton freight cars or side-door “Pullmans.” Most of our training was in the villages in Vosges mountains near the Swiss border. We were in shelling distance of the Germans for some time. Eight days after the armistice we hiked along way to St. Colombe. They are reorganizing the M.P.’s so possibly my address may be changed.

Got about a dozen copies of the Post Dispatch today. Seems like influenza is giving a lot of trouble in Richmond county. Seems to be worse with you than over here, though a lot of French people have died from it. I have been well most all the time over here; haven’t been in hospital yet. Give my best regards to my friends back home, etc.