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Letter from Will Mitchell
of Frost, Navarro County, Texas |
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Frost Soldier Under Shell Fire Eighteen Days
Sergt. Will Mitchell Led Signal Detachment in Thickest
of Fight Around Verdun
Tanlay, Yonne, France Dec 3, 1918
Dear Mother and Sis:
Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and
happy. I have just finished a two weeks hike, beginning
near Verdun and ending here. We didn't have time to
receive any letters and writing was out of the question.
I am here to tell you that I was just about worn out
when we go there. We didn't do any fighting around
Verdun but would have gone on the line there Nov 18. We
made our drive on the Champagne Front about halfway
between Rheims and Verdun.
Our division made a fine showing. We were under shell
fire for eighteen straight days. During those days Fritz
gave us everything he had in the way of frightfulness. I
got a little gas the first night up but not enough to
send me to the hospital. It shortened my wind until I
had a hard time keeping up with the advance at times. I
am all O.K. though now. The thing was terrible at times
and again it wasn't so bad. Just an occasional shell but
always enough to let you know that Fritz was somewhere
not so far in front of you. Though in several fierce
bombardments, I had my toughest time on the afternoon of
October 12. I had charge of the signal detachment with
the first battalion. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon we
went over the top with the hill overlooking the Aisne
river, in front of Attigney. My orders were to stay with
the Major, and the Major led his battalion forward. Our
advance the past few days had been so rapid that our
artillery had been unable to keep up with us, so we went
over the top without artillery support I don't know how
to describe it, but if there is such a thing as hell, on
earth, we had it that afternoon. For a half mile we
moved forward in the face of a withering barrage of high
explosive gas and shrapnel and the last three or four
hundred yards, machine guns and snipers played tag with
our insurance policies. One shell hit close enough to me
to knock dirt all over me with _____ Had it gone off
they might have found my dog tag, I don't know. I am
lucky indeed.
Sergt Will Mitchell
Headquarters Co 144 Inf 36th Division A.E.F.
The Frost Star - Vol 28 No 39. Jan 12, 1919 James E.
Kelly, Publisher |
Notes:
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Edward L. Williams
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