Letters From the Front

Dated: September 18, 1918

Somewhere in France, September 18, 1918

Dear Douglas:

Well Doug, I'm still alive and well, hoping this findings you the same.

We are out on a rest now, and so we are taking it easy, for it ain't every day we get the chance to do nothing. Bill and I have erected a little tent that we salvaged in the push, so we are under canvas anyway and we have a little stove and once in a while, we get a chance to salvage some macaroni in tins or beans and that makes a lunch at night before we go to roost. You would be surprised to see the boys picking up stuff lying around and saying, just what I want, and the amount of equipment lying around too. After Fritz has moved on a piece we soon gather up all the stuff that is lying around and it ain't long till you would hardly know there was a battle fought there, but the trees and the shell holes tell the sad story of destruction. I have seen quite a number of shells half way through a tree and still sticking there, they had failed to explode, in other words were duds. Some places you would hardly see a shell hole and other places the ground is plowed by powder and shell and not a living thing anywhere. I would just love to take a picture of a lot of things that I have seen, but picture taking is out of the question, so that is all there is to it.

I think, Doug, that I have changed a lot since you and I used to work together and talk about things and what we were going to do and what we wouldn't do. To tell the truth, I don't think I have a heart left as far as sympathy goes and I used to think I would hate to shoot at Fritzie, but my mind has changed all whole lot since I have been in France. One thing I will tell you about when we were in the fun. I don't know whether it will pass the censor or not, but here goes. Our fellows had taken a bush and Hunie was running for dear life. A nest of them was captured and there were three still alive in it, they held up their hands and the cavalry were going to let them go. What I tell you is a fact. Just as the Huns were even with the major and two officers, the dogs picked up their rifles and shot the three officers. I suppose each one picked his man; it would be hard to say but that did not save the officer's lives, they were buried that afternoon by their men.

I received the box you send me, the tin one you know. Everything in it was OK except the chocolates which were far beyond all trace of candy. It reminded me of taffy or fudge. When you send any more out it in a box that you get fruit jars in. They stand all right and if you send the chocolates send them in a box inside the other one, and send hard centers.

I will give you a list of things that go good over here and you can send them in the next box: biscuits, jam, gum, coffee, you can send some butter too it if you like.

You will think that I am not getting anything to eat, but I tell you stuff made in Canada is OK.

Well Douglas, I guess I better ring off and go to supper. Your loving brother

Fred Moore

Write soon and remember me to all