Lieutenant Phil C. Barber (56th Heavy Artillery) wrote to his aunt on August 22, 1918 to tell her about his experiences at the front in France. He was acting as an "orienteur" officer, which he had studied to become and enjoyed. His work was to determine the location of his batteries (2) and the locations where they might move strategically. He worked with seven instrument men and computers. (probably these men would now all be replaced with hand held computer or IT men in a remote location!)
He was a few miles back from the front for a ten day period of rest while he wrote his letter. While at the front he would probably have little time or concentration for writing a letter. Behind the line, he was living out of a truck with another officer and would only resort to a dugout when the shells were coming in. He told his aunt about the large car he was given for his work and the rough roads he travelled.
All troop movements had to take place at night and Barber described the nights this way: "It is then the whole enormity of this thing appeals to me most. It gives one a thrill to see the moving shadows and hear the voices of thousands and thousands of men, trucks and horses on the move with absolutely no light except the flash of guns and the flares shot up and dropt from planes. The ambulances always have the right of way. All automobiles use mouth blown whistles to clear the way. The use of klaxons is forbidden, for they are used at the front only for gas alarm."
Imagine being far from family and writing a letter which would convey to them the soldier's experience, but without frightening the home folks or discouraging them or even disclosing too much of the army's actions. At the same time, the soldier would be caught up in the war action and almost incapable of recalling what life had been like at home. War life would be wrapped up in gas alarms, constant shelling, air attacks and the fear of snipers.
Lieutenant Richard Boydston had no time to write letters home from the front. He died before his ship reached Brest, France. He was 30 years old and had worked as a telegraph operator for the Alton railroad before he enlisted in the U. S. Marines. On his ship 24 men died of the Spanish Flu. Boydston left behind a mother and three sisters.