My grandfather, William Ruth, was in World War I. One of
the things I've been working on lately is typing in his WW1 journal.
I found this sketch in between some of the pages. This must have
been one of his "buddies" there in France. The journal is a wonderful
way to learn and "meet" my grandfather who died too early for me to really
know him as a person. "Listening" to him as he goes through his days, his
homesickness, his love of his mother, helps me to understand what it must
have been like for young soldiers far away from home.
He was part of the 46th Infantry and was involved in the occupation
of Gual; the St. Mihiel offensive; and at the Meusel Argonne offensive.
From the sounds of his journal, it was a wet occupation most of the time.
We have some wonderful paintings that he did that show some of the beauty
of France. It was good to know that he saw that beauty and captured
it.