This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Belville, Sherman Classification: Military Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AQB.2ACI/250 Message Board Post: Plattsmouth Journal, Thursday, June 20, 1918 A LETTER FROM A MARINE WHO IS FIGHTING [front page] PRIVATE BELVILLE WRITES OF MARINE LIFE FROM ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. THINKS FRANCE GREAT PLACE Wants to Make a Sight-seeing Trip to France After the War Is Over >From Tuesday’s Daily. Somewhere in France, May 18, 1918 Dearest Mother: I think I had better write you tonight as I may not have time to do so during the next few days. I suppose by the time you have written me “oodles” of letters and no doubt some day I shall get them in a bunch, but so far it has been just nine weeks and two days since I received a letter. However, I am no worse off than the rest of the boys in our company, so I guess I can stand it. As you may guess by the stationary [sic] I am using, I am writing in the French Y.M.C.A. entirely surrounded by French soldiers. For the last two days, our town has been filled with what are called in the States, the “Blue Devils of France,” or the Alpine Chasseurs. They are commonly considered the best soldiers of France and they look it. Almost all wear the Cross of War (Croix de Guerre), and many the Medaille Militaire. Besides being good soldiers, they are good fellows and we have lots of fun with them. I can talk enough to exchange pleasantries with them and to find out most anything I want to know. Their uniform is the best I have seen in France, being dark blue, with a black artist’s (or Henry VIII) cap pulled back on the head, and ornamented in front with a green or silver “corne de chasse,” a sort of hunter’s horn. On the collar of the coat they wear the same ornament in green with their regimental number and their bu! ttons have the “corne” also. Their overcoats are the horizon blue. Altogether they are the best looking bunch I have seen in France. Two battalions of them were here and they made things quite lively. They fraternize with the American very freely and claim to like them better than any other troops. I had a good warm shower bath in the French bath house today which was quite a treat, as most of my baths recently have been either in a cold river or out of a bucket of cold water. No lying in a nice porcelain tub in the soap suds. But then this war can’t last forever. I guess I am divulging no military information when I tell you that marines are in the trenches in France. I haven’t been in the front lines as yet, though I have been pretty close to them. I think it the experience of all that the closer one approaches them and becomes familiar with them, the less he really dreads going up., and all are anxious to go who haven’t gone. So do not worry about me as I really am getting more fun out of life than ever before I think. I saw an air battle the other day and one of the planes was destroyed – at least we saw it fall, but never found out whether it was a Boche or a Frenchman who fell. Only yesterday I counted eleven French machines in the air at one time. Wednesday, May 22. - Several things have happened since I wrote the foregoing and at present we are a good many miles from where we were when I wrote it. Yesterday and the day before we spent hiking after quite a lengthy train ride in “side-door pullman’s,” and believe me, we have seen come of France. All three days of travel were very clear and fine for seeing the country. I surely saw some beautiful sights en route, though I must admit that I enjoyed sights from the train more than I did the things I saw on the march, carrying a rifle, steel helmet, two gas masks, a belt full of ammunition, and all of my belongings on my back. Some of the prettiest cities and villages you could imagine. One afternoon was easily worth what few sacrifices I have made in coming in France, aside from leaving all of you, of course. I must admit that I can’t blame the Germans (or “les Boches” or “les Allemands” as we say here), fo! r WANTING this country, however much one may condemn their methods in trying to get it. Really, some of the homes in these towns would be a credit to lots of places on Riverside Drive. I guess I may be permitted to say that I haven’t been to Paris, but I have seen Eiffel Tower from which you may draw your own conclusions. My feet were a trifle sore after marching for two days and carrying everything I own, but today we have been resting all day and I feel fine and glad of the experience after it is over, as one always is. It really is the greatest experience one can imagine to be here, especially in the best cause in the world, and I hope you are glad I am here. I’ll enjoy it still more when I can talk French better, and sometime when the war is over, I’m coming back and see all this at my own pleasure. I hope you will send me some snap shots soon as you don’t know how I enjoy looking at the few I have of you and home. Don’t worry for I am well and happy as a lark. Watch the papers for accounts of the marines the next few weeks for we shall surely do something if we get a chance. With a world of love, Always your obedient son, Private Lloyd S. Belville, 74th Company, 6th Regt., U.S. Marines, A.E.F. Private Belvile [sic] is a grandson of C.W. SHERMAN for so many years editor of the Journal and son of Mrs. C.W. BELVILLE of Tracy, Minn., now visiting in the city. Plattsmouth Journal, Monday, August 12, 1918 AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM BATTLE FRONT Lloyd Belville Writes of Fight and Impressions of Enemy. – He Thinks the Germans Cowards. SLIGHT WOUND FROM A GERMAN SHELL The battle of Chateau Thierry will doubtless go down in history as the one in which American troops received their first real baptism of fire in the great war. It was the U.S. Marines, named by the Germans “Tieful hunden (devil dogs),” who added new laurels to our glorious military history. Among this little band that stood like a stone wall against the Teuton waves which beat against them on these historic days, was a Tracy [Minnesota] boy, Lloyd Bellville, a son of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. BELVILLE, of this community. He enlisted and entered the service last December and has been on the active front now for some months. In this battle he received shell would which sent to a hospital for some weeks. He thus holds the distinction of being the first Tracy boy who has been wounded in actual battle at the front. We give below a letter to his mother telling of his experience in the battle and impressions of the enemy: Y.M.C.A. Headquarters Bordeaux, France June 22, 1918 Dear Mother, Through the kindness of a wounded comrade that has the use of both hands, I will write you a few lines. No doubt before this General Barnett has informed you that I was slightly wounded. I will hasten to explain that I have not lost an arm or leg, but simply got a small shell fragment through the right elbow which renders me “hors de combat” for a short time. We saw a good deal of fighting in the neighborhood of Chateau Thierry, and after thirteen days, during which I was in a number of very heavy bombardments, and finally got hit by a little lonesome shell because I got a little careless. My injury is not serious, though at times painful and enough to keep me out of fighting for six weeks or so. No doubt you have read all about the big fight in the Chicago Tribune and probably know more about the battle than we do ourselves, but you will be glad to know that we met the Germans fairly in close quarters and that we have been up to the “big league�0� front. So far I hav! en’t much respect for them as soldiers aside from their artillery fire. Their reputation as quitters when the fighting get hand to hand is amply justified and they are ready to yell “Kamerad” whenever they see a chance to surrender. I have been very well taken care of since being hurt, spending four days in a Red Cross hospital in Paris before coming here to Base hospital No. 6, located at Bordeaux. I have a nice view of Paris, including the “Bois de Boulogne” on the edge of the city and the “Champs Elysees” from the ambulance, and expect to see it soon again under more favorable circumstances. I am also in hopes that my mail will catch up with me here (I have never had any since coming to France in March) in which case I will be pretty well satisfied with everything. I am enclosing a clipping from a Paris edition of the Chicago Tribune which expresses a sentiment much better than I can. I don’t want to freighten [sic] you and of course I have no intention of being killed, but I have seen a good many comrades who have fared much worse than I and one had best be prepared as this Lieutenant was. At least it is a good thought though you probably will have no chance ! to use it. I guess this will be all. Don’t worry as I will soon be all right again and as good as ever. Write often and I will get it some time, no doubt. Give my love to all the folks and believe me as always, Your affectionate son, Lloyd Private L.S. Belville 74th Co., 6th Reg’t, U.S. Marines, A.E.F. A card written a week later adds: Doing fine and able to write a little as you can see. Two weeks ago today I was hurt and I am almost well. Have gained three pounds in four days so you can see I am doing well. Weather is elegant here at Atlantic port. Lovingly, LLOYD The clipping referred to is as follows: Chicago, May 6th – Lieutenant Dinsmore ELY of Winnetka, a north shore superb [sic] was killed in France while on air service on April 2. – A few days before his death he wrote a letter to his father, Dr. Jas. ELY, which was received yesterday. The letter closes thus: “And I want to say in closing, if anything happens to me let us have no mourning in spirit or in dress. Like a Liberty bond, it is an investment not a loss when a man dies for his country. It is an honor to his family, and is that a time for weeping? I would rather leave my family rich in memories of my life than numbered in sorrow at my death.” Dr. Ely sent the letter to Mrs. Ely at their summer cottage at Donaldson, Wisconsin. There the family held a funeral service for the soldier. Last Sunday they placed his effects in his canoe and covering all with the national colors, they sank it in a quiet nook of the lake which was a favorite retreat of the young man. The above letter is taken from the Tracy, Minnesota, Headlight, sent to us by Mrs. BELVILLE, who was a former resident of Plattsmouth, and well known by many of our people, and the daughter of Mr. Chas. SHERMAN. The letter will be read with double interest by our people, especially those being better acquainted with the Sherman family.