Oct 7/1918

My Dear Mother & All:

Here I am back at headquarters after the ten most strenuous days of my experience in war. It certainly is a treat to be back again in civilization after almost two weeks in a battle-field of utter desolation. But then the experiences of those same ten days I will always remember as among the best of those of my two & half years overseas.

I do hope you have not been worrying too much about my not being able to write for nearly two weeks. And I know you will understand when I say I have been at least fifteen miles from any thing like a piece of writing-paper. Fortunately I found a few post-cards and sent three of them back to you as best as I could. hoping you may eventually receive them and they will help fill in the large gap in my correspondence.

As you will realize I have just returned from being through what might have been one of the largest battles of the Western Front but what really turned out to be one of the biggest "routs". It was nothing short of a three days "trek" at the same time sending back Bosche who quite willingly surrendered by the thousands without offering to make a fight.

I would like to make this a real long description of the whole affair but Major Warburton has just come in with his leave papers and is off in a few minutes to England so I want him to take this with him and post it for me there. So as to catch the first possible boat home. - I realize that a note now would be more satisfactory then a possible gap of a another week in my letters so I will make the best of this and write another letter tonight.

If our recent operations are any indication of the present condition of the German Army. I must say the war is nearly finished for we took thousands of prisoners who said they would gladly be taken prisoners as they thought it was the only way to shorten the war. That sounds hopeful at least dont you think?

In ordinary shows I would never have been doing forward work as this was supposed to be our time out at the "rest-station" but this was an exceptionally large operation so each of the three ambulances had to be prepared to do there share of forward work. Two other officers and myself were chosen to go from this ambulance.

The night before the show we were ready behind the infantry. At dawn a tremendous barrage went down and over when our infantry. and we followed on through mud and slush jumping from shell-hole to shell-hole. Ten miles were covered in the first day and fifteen by the third. Then we sat down for a little.

Major Warburton is now going so I must close. I will write more probably this evening.

Most Lovingly

Charlie