Letters to Otto & Mother from Somewhere in Flanders
#782373
S.W. in Flanders
11–18–17
Dear Otto:–
I must write you a few lines but can't just think what it will be. I wish you could get a glympse of the devastated country that I have been over I have seen miles deep of country where there is not a thing left to show it ever was enhabited but the stumps of trees that mark out the fields and they are thinned out like a flower bed after a little boy has spent an afternoon remodeling the plants. There is not the slightest sign of a trench left some places the coarse of creeks has been blown up till you can't guess where the original ever ran there is no banks just a huge patch of shell holes and mud as the shells hit they place the water in another hole and make that one deeper or make a new one on the edge of two and place mud and water in others for from one to two hundred yards each way. Mules horses motors munition wagon guns men are nocked out every day when men are nocked out that have pack mules the mules starte back and what ever transport catch them keep them Some poor horses havent the sense of the mules they don't know enough to go home even I have tried to starte a horse down the trail but you don't ever need to say, this way, to a mule he knows enough to beat it from the firing line in a hurry. I have seen the finest horse get na poo it is hard but I guess no harder than to see the men. If you were always in shape to be able to help the boys it would not be so bad but if you have a duty on and are going in you can't stop unless you are detailed and some of the boys are looking out for no one they don't think they may be wounded out there them selves some time and it makes it a little harder for the boys that will help. I want to get on stretcher bearing then I will be able to help the boys as long as I last any way. Not boasting but one thing they never will be able to say about me is that I have showed fear under shell fire and it makes some of them that are scared resent me and try to find fault because I will go thru any time they tell me to.
The worst thing that can happen is to show fear among men one man can get any number of men up in the air and maby if some one an't there to check the bunch it might make a bad job. because when men starte to get away from shell fire they go some te. he, I was running several trips with a lad that was very slow but say let some shells come over and would keep me all my time to follow him.
They gave use an extra 50 franks for Xmas I have about $17.00 on me now and I am going to use it to help out missionarys or some such work I am sending the most of my money all the time in eats when I don't need them a bit more than a wagon needs the fifth wheel so to a certain extent I am going to be more temperate. there is nothing I want so much as to be master of myself in every way and to build up a firm strong manly personality which I can only do thru the study of the scriptures and the power of God, To prove my appreciation to God for bring me thru what he has with out a scratch, I am going deny my self at every opportunity to help fullfill his purpose, and that to me is only the bring about the conversion of men and wemen. I may never do much toward this but I am going to give my life short or long to that end, in the fullest capacity that I can see present its self.
I know that I have been able at times help some boys but manys the time I need help my self.
Hardships if there is any to army life, have never hurt me yet, and I feel quite sure that I will winter in as good shape as I started in for the times is flying faster seemingly each day, and the work I have been asked to do, I can do without an effert. You maby never took me for a tough guy physically but I havent seen any come out a bit fresher after a ten mile jaunt or anything that comes off. I have a habit of being out at rest billets among the first squad or else first every time we have been turned loose yet some three to seven or eight miles loaded maby twenty five to forty lbs equippage battle order.
It is rather dark going home these foggy cloudy nights, but we have less trubble than traveling around up the line among shell holes and wire entanglements, etc as I have done lots of nights the flashes of the big guns light things some times. I have been in gass several times but always got out all right you have lots of time to get your resperator on, I have never taken the rum issue yet because I never have seen the time when I needed it I get along just as good as the rest and sincerely feel sure that I have not abused my self by not taking it. There may be some occasion yet when I will need but if that time comes I will surely take it.
Well bye bye Otto old boy I can see you all at a good many different times and occasions that I know are coming off about now such as Xmas dinner but that is the beaty of home life. If it is God's will I will have one yet. Give my love to Kate Kathleen and the little boys, I would like to see them all now as ever your
loving brother
Laurie
[Pages 7 & 8; no date – included with letter to Otto; possibly begun 13 November 1917]
Dear Mother:–
next it must be 7 P.M. I should be asleep but want to write a few lines, I am in bed now the same place as last night. I have had no sleep since 3 a.m. and expect the same call in A.M. again I was building duck walk to the firing line this a.m. we go on with the canadian engineers they run the show and are nice boys. Heinie droped shells uncomfrtably close today on all sides he got some horses one mare as nice as Son and heavier. I was over in Bob McKeiths funk h. to night he made a tin of OXO before I left. we had a good visit. I ran across a fellow today that had never heard of a Tank and thot that the broaken down ones were Heinies, I can't understand a man like that, Well goodnight mother dear as ever your loving son Laurie
Math. 22 - 29 This points to me the necessity of studying the scriptures
14th 1.30 P.M. I have had dinner and am sitting in my funk h. Fred Barns came over to see use and had dinner with use, I have just been down to the creek about 100 yds to have a wash we only wash once a day and don't shave every day I was out on the same job today as yesterday. When we started in two big shells came right in front of use one cover use with a shower of mud but no one was hurt. we were near some of our guns. I like to here our artillery each night when it gets going constant because it is getting back at old Fritze. It seems hard but we have to do it,
I got a letter today from Annie one from Mrs Roy Pickard her letter was good Well bye bye Mother dear as ever
your loving son
Laurie