This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Hirz Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AQB.2ACI/48.1.2.3 Message Board Post: Plattsmouth Journal, Thursday, August 29, 1918 LETTER FROM HENRY HIRZ Aug. 3rd, 1918 Dear Philip and Family: Just returned from the front. Received your letter when I came in and as usual was tickled to death to hear from home. I have been answering your letters and am at liberty to write at any time. We have been at the front ever since the first of June and of course, our packs are heavy enough without carrying writing paper. So we do not always have stationary [sic] and I think lots of mail goes lost. Nevertheless I am O.K. and am glad to hear that you folks are all well. We had a hot bath yesterday and received clean clothing, feel like a man again. Most all of us had creepers. We fight three armies, German, Mosquitos and lice. But we are getting away with all three of them. I suppose you read about the barrage the Germans put over on us the 17 of July. Barrage means artillery fire where they shot holes in the ground and try to dig you out of your dugout, and in many cases they succeed in doing it. This might not be the proper definition, but then it will give you some idea. Well, I was in that barrage, in a dugout. If I had not been in a dugout chances are I would not be able to write this letter. They shot everything at us from gas to brick bats. I did not see any brick bats but must have put some over. I seen everything else. They thought they had us all killed and was going to come across the Marne and take up a position. But they were mistaken there were still some of us left and we made them do the hot foot and they are still going. I think we will get a rest for a few weeks and I hope it will be near an end by that time. I just received your letter of the 8th of July. So I will answer them both in one. I am sorry to hear the sad news of Adam [perhaps Adam Meisinger whose death was reported in the Plattsmouth Journal at the end of June]. If you see his wife, giver her my sympathy. I wrote to you once before abut a man named Hirz from New Jersey. He is wounded. Well I will explain about the Brown affair. I met her son in Omaha, started for Ft. Logan. He went broke, so I let him have a little money. He said he would write to his mother and her send it to me. So I gave him your address. I did not think he would send it, but I guess he did. Keep it and buy the girls something they need. I have no use for money over here. Well I am glad to hear that the crops are fair and the rain is bound to come, so you will get 100 bucks for your pig. It has been raining for the last few days. The sure have some fine looking wheat over here, heavy as lead. And believe me when we drove the Germans back they are! getting busy and harvesting the wheat. Well I will close for this time. We got a little opening in woods where we are located and the boys are batting the ball around. So I will have to get in. So good luck to you all. Write whenever you have time. Tell Pipper hellow for me, and that I would be back by Xmas to chew the rag with him. Good-bye, CORPORAL HENRY HIRZ