Herb doesn't have Cooties

Herb has made it to Epense, Marne.

October 17, 1918

Dear Mother,

This slip that I am enclosing gives you the right to send me my Christmas package – 9 x 4 x 3 inches. The slip is to be pasted on the package and serves as address. I haven’t any idea what to ask you to send in it. At any rate don’t send a book because they can be sent just like magazines and it would be a shame to waste the space.

We’re out of the zone of activity – came out yesterday, and I can’t say I’m a bit sorry. Today I had my first bath in a month and it surely felt good. After you’ve gone dirty for a month it’s hard to imagine anything that feels better than a bath and clean clothes.

As usual we’re in a small village – that’s to be expected. However, it’s a bit cleaner than the average run hereabouts. The reason why we’ve gotten one of the best villages hereabouts is that we’ve been travelling along with the Division Headquarters and they, of course, must have the best going. In fact, the General himself is in the house that’s on the same lot as our camouflaged so we have to cut out all unnecessary noise and nearly break our arms saluting every time we go in and out. However, there is a French Y.M.C.A. run by an American who came over here a month or two ago from some small burg up near Saranac Lake. He’s given us some magazines and there are moving pictures nearly every day. Of course, they’re not the kind that are shown in the Griswold, but one can’t be particular over here.

The rainy season started several days ago and I imagine we’ve seen the last of the sun until next April. It isn’t cold, of course, but it’s horribly damp. So, today, I took the opportunity of putting on my woolen underwear and it feels very welcome. I shouldn’t have waited until now, but of course, when we were up above we had no extra baggage with us. Practically everyone in the Section got cooties from living in the old German dugouts. Strange to say, I didn’t. of course no one around here will believe me when I say I haven’t them, but if I have any they’re some variety that doesn’t bite and there isn’t any such animal. However a bath or two and clean clothes usually knocks them, so the boys ought to be through scratching shortly.

I didn’t intend this for a regular letter but only a note to go with the package slip because they must be sent at once, so I’ll write again in two or three days.

Your affectionate son,
Herb.

I thought I'd include some photos of Herb so we can all remember what he looks like, the cutie-pie.