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Public Sept. 18 1918 Dearest Mother: Well today is my first real good oportunity to write and its been a long time since I had a real talk with thee so here goes In the first place a German plane took a picture of me yesterday with a map spread out in front of me-: it was black and it didnt fly over 100 feet above [???] I am going through the trenches and was going to locate an isolated company that hadn't been recieving rations: when over she sailed with her engine cut off later that day she hovered over us here but at a great height. I guess there were over a hundred shells fired by anti air craft guns. later in the day a certain machine gun it was comming up the road when along came this daredevil in his black plane the M.L.O. unlimbered their guns and opened fire the plane fell, wasnt that great Last night I led a pack train of 8 miles to front line and as e had unloaded rations I heard a plane coming its intermittent hum, told us that it was a boche
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it sailed over with out doing any thing but hum and I could just see his little light, now mind you it was bright moon light: two more came along and they seemed to be echeloned: pretty soon one came directly over us and almost immediately things began to happen I have heard lighting strike many times pretty close, but this had them all beat: Four shells from his plane fell & then to make matters worse some one rang the gas alarm & our own rifle men opened up & bullets started to hop all around us. I got home at my dug out a 1AM and was glad that all of me came along. My only mistake was that I didnt lay down when I heard [them guns?] This morning I inspected a dug out made by the Germans it was about thirty feet under ground and about 200yrds long - a wonderful structure The air wasnt bad in them at all- I have slept in most every kind of a place since I left home - & here they are, barracks O.K.; Trains O.K; Decks of ships O.K; Holds of ships fair; billets and dug outs pretty fair, except for rats and they speak French so we don't worry much. We have had a good morning, this morning cloudy so that the planes havent hurt any one.
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When about 5 oclock orders come that we moved again that night. Well that is hard times. Every morning up at 5 and often 3 oclock as every thing must be done early. some times, as happened the other day after being ready at 4 oclock we waittill 7 before we start - but so it goes. it don't do for a man to object for there is only one thing to do and that is Obey Orders; it teaches a man to change mind. We are to receive a special medal for the part we are playing and we are earning it. An order came through a while ago that there would be no more promotions so I will return home a 1st Lieutenant but I guess I will be just a welcome were I a captain and I was Company Commander long enough to swell with ego. I have been thinking very often about Elza and often wonder whether there was
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serious danger of her being very ill. This women produced some liquor a while ago and it is called "snaps". We all agree that it was 90 % alcohol I have never tasted any thing in my life equal to it. Well I will close this letter Mother I think of thee every day and when I am tramping along "the long long trail a-winding" I think of Home and long for the comfort of being where you dont have to move: I have slept in 14 different places in the last 20 days. and so I long for the day, how ever distant, when I can come back to thee & home (synonimous) I would like Helen to see this and any one else who is interested in the Yanke. Love Jack [note in margin] We go on German soil tomorrow.