German Air Raids, Weekly Shower Bath and U.S. Newspapers Enjoyed by Ambler

An occasional German aerial attack with the accompanying engagement with the allied anti-aircraft guns, the weekly hot water shower bath enjoyed by the men at the front and the occasion when a man has the opportunity to procure and read American and English papers, mark the intervals of especial interest to Chester P. Ambler, 1013 Wilmette avenue, as set forth in the following letter received by relatives in the Village.

With the Colors at the Front
May 19, 1918
Dear Mother
Many thanks for that last package of candy and tobacco and little cigars. I got the package last night and it helped along nicely. Another fellow of my company and I share a small room in the stables where five of our horses are kept. We built this little room in our spare time, putting two bunks, one above the other, in it. We also have a small table and a soab box chair all made by us. A couple shelves and some pictures, an electric light and a telephone are some of its luxuries. Altogether it is very comfy and homelike. Right across the street is a watering trough for horses and a place to wash in. Today one of the French girls in town here paid us a visit. She brought us a bunch of Lillies of the Valley in a glass to put on our table. She stopped for a little chat of what we know of French and then beat it. We hope to see her again.

Showers and Laundry
We have near this town a place where we can get a hot shower bath once a week and now they have a laundry there where we can get our clothes washed. Heretofore we have been having it done by the French women around here. Yesterday I finished my last roll of films by having a couple of pictures taken of myself in different poses and as soon as they are developed and printed I will send them home. Today an order came out that we will have to turn in our cameras or send them home. I am going to do the latter if possible, so look for it about the middle of June or first of July. I will also try to send some souvenirs of France and of the war. It has been quite warm here for the last two or three days but right now it looks like rain and is thundering every once in a while.

Get U.S. Dailies
Every once in a while we get the Paris edition of New York, Chicago and English papers and get the general run of the news from the States. We can get these every day, but sometimes miss the man with them, by not getting up in time. Lately we have been pretty good and gone to bed before ten, consequently getting up around seven o'clock. We have not missed the paper man for the last three or four days so we have gotten the latest news. For the last three or four days, or maybe it is a week, there have been German airplanes flying ove rthe town and country around here, at least once a day and perhaps two or three times a day. It is a pretty site to see a small speck in the sky moving around in and aout among the clouds, with small puffs of black and white smoke from the bursting shrapnel and igh explosive shells from the aircraft guns around here bursting near itt. Every once in a while one bursts real close to one of them and several exclamations are heard from the spectators of the fight. I have yet to see a airplane brought down by the fire of anti-aircraft guns but hope to see one before long. The other day we wre watching one of these air battles when they came right over the town. The warning bugle blew to have everbody get in under cover. All traffic was stopped,that is wagons and trucks were halted where they were and on one seemed to be moving on the streets. We stayed out in the shelter of a building near where we were working and watched the battle continue. There was one of our red carts right in front of us so when we heard one of the shrapnel cases whistle down close to us you should have seen how three of us got in under the back of the cart. When the case landed we all laughted at the way we scrambled to get under the cart.

Shrapnel Hits Helmet
A few days after that fight we saw anothe rengagement. A few shell cases "lit," one on each side of our kitchen. A couple of the fellows were in the kitchen when they landed and after the battle they beat it over to where one of them had landed and found a couple Frenchmen digging it up. It had gone into the ground about two feet. I have had one of the German shrapnel balls bounce off my steel helmet or tin cage as we call them. It only made a little dent in the rim of the hat. I still have that little ball and intend to keep it as a keepsake. Our regiment has received or earned the right to wear a gold service stripe on our left sleeve and a good many of the fellows have them sewed on their coats alreadyd. I am not going to put mine on until I get a new coat to put it on. The coat I have now is pretty well worn out as I have had it since I left Fort Sheridan. The fellows who have their horses in this stable just got back from washing in a creek about half a mile from here and are now congregating in our little office, as we call it, taking a little rest, or "stalling" as it is called in the army. We just had a little shower, just enough to lay the dust which was pretty thick around these parts. Well, I have other letters to write, so will quit this one.
With love to all, I am
Chester P. Ambler
H.D.QRS.C.194.F.A.A.E.F. [unclear]