Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Accession number |
2002.035 |
Catalog Number |
2002.035.106.006 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Date |
23 Dec 1918 |
Title |
Letter from Hollis Bradford to R.C. Bradford |
Caption |
WWI Bradford letter |
Scope & Content |
Letter From Hollis Bradford to R.C. Bradford, Jr. My Dear Brother, This is the first opportunity I've had to write in a couple of months. The YMCA Man was in town yesterday and I loaded up on paper so I could, at least, write the folks to let them know I lasted longer than the war did, anyway. We went over on November 1 and went almost incessantly till the Armistice was signed. We sure had the Dutchman guessing when we started making night attacks. We would fight them all day and cut of a bunch or two nearly every night. Of course that was pretty tough on us, being as is all night and day too, but it takes just such stuff as that to whip a Dutchman. Now know a great many of the people in the States think that when a German sees an American soldier, he wither throws up his hands or runs. As a rule they lay behind a machine gun and throw a stream of lead at you. When lose a big bunch of mean and finally have him flanked, that's when he puts his hand up and wants to be taken prisoner. Of course, it's pretty hard for a man to take them prisoner after seeing some of his best friends killed by them but the remaining Huns would see that the Americans didn't take any prisoners and they would never give up. This war is some game, believe me. Once when we comming to start a drive, we got in a new bunch of replacements. The first morning the machine guns were fierce. They were shooting indirect fire and we could not hear the "rat-tat" of the gun but the bullets were thick and they have a peculiar sound when they "squeak" past. One of the new men, who had never heard them before, said, "What is them things a singing around here?" Well I think I'll be home some time in the early spring. Can't be certain though. We are now on the bank of the Rhine, about five or six miles north of Coblentz [Koblenz]. We started about thirty or forty miles from the Belgium border, at Beaumont, France where we were when the Armistice was signed. We hiked through that part of France and Belgium, Luxembourg, and a great deal of Germany. In all, about two-hundred fifty miles. I made that carrying my household: two blankets, our coat, slicker, a Browning automatic rifle and 160 rounds of ammunition, also various other articles too numerous to mention. I sure have been some tourist since the Armistice was signed. Well, when I get back to the States I'm going to school just as long as I can. I missed two years at school but I think by hard study I can take up the work where I left off. Tell Leven and Mary "Hello" for me. I'm well and have been well ever since I left the Hospital that "Spanish Flu" didn't bother us in the least. Well "Merry Christmas" to all of you - that's all the present I have. Your brother, Pvt. Hollis Bradford |
People |
Bradford, William Hollis Bradford, Richard Clarence, Jr. |
Search Terms |
World War I YMCA |
Lexicon category |
8: Communication Artifact |
Imagefile |
026\2002035106006.JPG |
Lexicon sub-category |
Documentary Artifact |
Inventoried date |
2023-12-01 |