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Date: May 18th 1917
From
Arthur Edmond Southworth
Letter

As you will see I am back in this man's town. I sent a card a few days ago telling you what had happened, and no doubt you have received it before this. I am getting along fine here, but I must say it was rough in patches over on old Vimy. We had been there so long, we knew just where to look for Fritz, and we sure found him. We went out to our advance trench or what is better known as the 'jumping off trench,' at 10 p.m. Easter Sunday, and were there all night until 5:30 Monday Morning. It was the worst night I have ever put in. It would rain awhile, then snow awhile. Then Fritz would see some of us and send up his artillery signals and open up on us for a while. At 4:30 one of the officers came along the trench with the rum and I took a dandy and by 5:30 I was all nerve. As soon as our artillery barrage opened up, away we went, and all you could see was smoke, Fritz running and some whole ones, but mostly pieces of them, going up in the air. A person would naturally think that the very life would be frightened out of a fellow, but fear never enters your mind. All you look for is go ahead and blood. You just go insane and that is all. The noise of the artillery and the bursting shells get you going. I never want you ever to go through what I have this winter, especially on the 9th on Vimy, for it was a hell on earth, and I am very lucky to be here to-day. I got in one place where the whole bunch was cleaned out but me and I had to crawl from shell hole to shell hole, to find some more fellows and thus get at the Huns again. I got mine after about three hours' of fighting, and I threw off everything and started back and I made it.
I do not mind the loss of my eye, but I am well pleased to save my life. Well this will have to do for to-day. Write soon.