ANXIOUS TO RETURN

Lawrence Anderson tell of conditions "over there" after the signing of
the armistice.

Somewhere in France.
Nov. 27, 1918.
Dear Friends and Folks at Ruthven:

Will this morning try and write you all a few lines, letting you all know I am well and that I came out of the scrap unhurt. I certainly consider myself a very lucky doughboy. Have been on many fronts since I've been over here. We sure had the Boche on the run almost at all times. We would meet stiff resistance at many places, but wouldn't be long before we would flank them, and get those out of commission. In one dugout I helped capture a Major and 40 of his men. Many places we would catch them like that after laying over a big barrage on them. After our barrage was lifted we would go "hell for election." Nothing could stop us. The 90th Division never retreated. We won many records. Many received the distinguished Iron Cross for bravery. Now we have won the war. We got the Hune, so now we hope that we will soon be back home, back in good old U.S. again. I was one in our division that was on the Huns' heels clear up to the last day of fighting. We were on our way from a place to make a new attack. It was on the morning of the 11th when we were ordered to halt. The armistice had been signed and would be over at 11 o'clock that very morning. The big guns were still roaring from both sides. We waited. Course we had all our watches out, and when 11 o'clock came sure enough it all became quiet. It almost felt like we could hear a needle drop. Then all at once came loud shrills of whistles from everywhere all along the lines with shouts of joy, the war is over. It didn't seem real to us. We sure were some happy Yanks. Wasn't long before the talk all over the line was of home. How we wished that we could just tell our folks that we were well, and that we could tell them that we would soon be on our way home. I would like to tell in my letter of fronts and battles, of places that we have fought but it's useless. It wouldn't pass censor. I imagine that all church bells were ringing when they heard the good news that the war had come to an end. We are to go into Germany and do guard duty there for awhile, then I reckon we will go thru Belgium on our way home. If we do that, can almost lay claim to being all over the world since I've been in Uncle Sam's service. Since the armistice has been signed the Germans have been turning loose all her prisoners of war. They have been
coming over our lines in both small and large numbers. They consist of most all kinds of soldiers, French, English, Italians and some Russians, yes and even Belgians. In fact they are all mixed that way. Quite a sight to see almost all of them has part of another's uniform on. There were but a few
American prisoners. In many parts of this part of France has been camps, where the Germans had been keeping some of her prisoners of war. One camp had been a large French camp before the war. After the Germans had taken it in the early days of the war she had turned it into a large hospital, also
used part of the camp for prisoners. I talked to one English prisoner that came over the lines that said he was held prisoner in there in that very camp for over two years, working from sunrise to sunset, with but very little to eat. French civilians are coming to their homes since the armistice has been signed. Many are old people carrying what they can on their backs. A few have a horse and wagon which then they carry quite a load. Some will find their homes yet in fairly good shape and some will find their homes in nothing but a heap of ruins. In parts of France where there had been hard battles fought, are town after town in nothing but a mass of ruins. I must close now for it's about my time to be on duty on my shift at Headquarters.

With best of wishes to all my Ruthven friends. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas with ringing in a Happy New Year of Peace.

PVT. LAWRENCE M. ANDERSON,
Co. K, 358 Inf.,
American Ex. Forces.

-~ source: Ruthven Free Press, Ruthven, Palo Alto, Iowa, Wednesday, Jan 8, 1919

~ transcribed by a volunteer for, Palo Alto Co, IA   http://www.celticcousins.net/paloalto/index.htm