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Mrs. H.K. Davis

Received a letter from there [sic] son

Purdy Dec 1 1918

My Dear Mother

Well mamma after so long I will try to ans [sic] some more of your letters and it sure seems great 
to be so I can Head the letters and tell where I am at I am in a nice little town in Bellfounlain 
Belgium and I can look The Hole [sic] world square in the face and say I am one of the happyest [sic] 
men [illegible text] these could be for on the 11 of Nov 11 hours 11 and 11 day the big guns was 
silented [sic] or seored [sic] Bathes I listaned [sic] to the last Big gun about 40 yards from me a 
six [illgeible text] inch gun and a 20 foot barrel

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I stood and watched them put the last shell in and send her ones through the Dutch and then the germans 
stepped Back and looked ones [sic] at me and said I hope By god I dont put another one through her and 
I said I pray to god you never haf [sic] to pull another trigger on her well mamma I know that god has 
sure herd [sic] my prayers or yours maby [sic] both for he has sur [sic] bin [sic] with me days nights 
and minuts [sic] for I have bin [sic] Right in the middle of it for 93 days and nights uner a Heavey 
[sic] shell fire I have not Had a letter from you for over

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too [sic] weaks [sic] but I think I will get some mail This afternoon we Have stopped to rest in this 
little town we are going to make a 200 mile hike from France to germany I dont know How long we will 
be in germany before we get to come home we are going over these to do guard duty maby [sic] you Think 
we wasnt welcomed in Belgium by them people they seem like they think they cant do enough for us I 
would of writen [sic] sooner but I didnt have time and no paper But now I can write oftener [sic] I 
am useing [sic] paper

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thats bin [sic] carried now till its worn out you can tell by the look of it cant you mamma when I 
get home I can tell you things that actualy [sic] happined [sic] to me that will make you shake in 
your shoes to listen at it but I cant write it unless I start a novel well this is certianly [sic] 
a pretty country I wish I could of saw it before it was tourn [sic] up well I think I have said about 
all for this time as I haf [sic] to turn this in by too [sic] oclock you will know I am well I hope 
you are all well at home

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But I sopose [sic] he is over here now isent [sic] he I hope we dont have eny [sic] more trouble after 
we get to germany if we Dont we will get to come home sooner oh yes I was about to foret to tell you 
I had a fine Dinner with some belgum [sic] People Thanksgiveing [sic] had a Big Roast chicken and a 
fine Dinner I am getting so I can talk a little french and some Belgium [sic] and I understand a lot 
more than I can talk if I could stay here a while I could talk and understand it all in a short time 
it isent [sic] a bit hard after you began to catch on to

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to it well if I have as good a xmas dinner as I had for Thanksgiving I will be verry [sic] well 
satasfide [sic] well I will close for this time hope you had a good Thanksgiving Dinner dont think 
I will Be home till the war in days [illegible text] ByBy [sic] love & kisses till I come then you 
can get some Real ones to mamma & papa PVT. Purdy Davis

354 Inf Co L AEF

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W.W.I.61.47