BX April 25, 1918

Local Boy in Great Attacks on West Front – James Oliver Weller was in Forces Which Kept Teutons from Amiens – Bitter Fighting

April 6, 1918

Kitchener Military Hospital
Brighton, England

Dear Mother and Father

Just a few lines to let you know that I am wounded and in England. I got it going over the top on April 1. We had been over the top on the 30th too, but I got through that day untouched. We saved Amiens, but nearly lost our whole brigade, only a few being left. On the 30th we took back a wood and ridge, and talk about mowing down men after we had driven them back. They counterattacked us. Wave after wave we mowed them down. They used 13 ½ divisions against three divisions of us, so you can see what we had to face. Every other German had a machine gun. We were losing quite a few men, but he was losing five to one. We got relieved the night of the 30th, but only had to go back into the line as soon as we got out. On the first we marched through Domart and were then told we had to go over the top again at 8.30. We lightened our packs, took off our overcoats and made ready. At the zero hour, which was changed to 10.30, the barrage opened and over we went. It was up a long slope to the top of the ridge, where there was a large wood. The latter was our objective. Half way up was a sunken road, and in it were massed machine guns and they were killing a lot of our boys. On we went, men falling here and there. When we got on top of the sunken road, the Germans threw up their hands and yelled “Kamarad,” but they would have killed us a minute before if they could have done so. Not a German got out of that road alive, and quite a few of our boys got it, too. We used the bayonet on them freely. On we went towards the wood, where we got in more bayonet work on the Germans behind the trees. You got on top of them before you could see them, but once you got close to them they showed no desire for any conclusions with the bayonet. They were running out of the wood with hands up by the hundreds, only to get shot down, either by us or by their officers. The only German I had a chance to kill and didn’t was a young boy. I will swear he was only 14. He came running towards us screaming and crying and one of the boys went after him with the bayonet. But we spared him and sent him back as a prisoner. Just then I got a bag on the knee. I bandaged it up and crawled back towards our lines, dragging one leg after me. I got to the advanced dressing station then I got a pickhandle for a crutch and another fellow and myself started out for Bovie, another dressing station nearly five miles away. I got there near night time and was taken from there by motor to Rouen, thence to Le Havre by train next day, thence to Southampton by boat. I am quite comfortable here in a Canadian hospital. I have a bullet hole through my knee and a board up the back of my leg to keep it straight. I will be all right soon as the wound heals up and they say I will not be lame. I have a hole through my knee you could put your thumb in, but cheerio. Talk about hell. I don’t know if there is any worse hell than the one I came through to get here. If there is, not for me. From March 21 to April 1 we had hardly a bite to eat and no sleep at all, wet from head to foot all the time.

Well, I guess this is all the news this time. I have to get my knee dressed soon. Some class to be between sheets once more. I had a good sleep last night and feel “jake” now. Remember me to the boys and to “old Stab” Smith.

I got mine on April fool’s day all right. Guess Fritz missed putting one over properly however.

Your loving son,

Jim