Military History in Paulding County

By: Mark Holtsberry

An Interesting Letter

Corporal Royce E. Smith wrote the following to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Altie Smith, Broughton, Ohio.

Dear Folks, With all the turmoil and excitement, I have finally found a little time this morning to send a line.

You probably read of the terrific artillery barrage laid down preceding the attack on D-Day. I had a ringside seat. I’ve been reading all those places you have been reading about in the papers. You can’t imagine how completely demolished these places are after they have underwent these terrific bombardments. Rubble is certainly an adequate term.

I have either found or have in possession a lot of things you would prize highly as souvenirs. 

Some of the German equipment shows great ingenuity. For instance, they have a flexible cleaning rod. I have one and using it. That is an improvement over our steel rod, since ours is more difficult to carry. When you move so rapidly, it is your advantage to carry as little as possible.

There is a story behind the story on mines but I suppose that will have to wait until the war is won, to be told.

Can you picture me escorting those Nazi supermen? I’ve had some odd experiences in doing just that. The Germans are quite docile when they are stripped of their armament. They still maintain their military discipline however, and their obedience to commands is really something to observe. When they snap to attention they literally freeze. These visible evidences of their severe training and discipline bears out the many articles l’ve read. Articles which stress that the German is fanatically imbued with Nazi doctrines and military creeds.

However, it is difficult for most of us to condemn the German just because he is our enemy, because we know that without the evil. leadership, these men would probably be simple peace loving citizens living a normal happy life in their own country. Nevertheless it is quite evident that their beliefs are firmly rooted in their minds and it is going to be quite a problem even after the war expires.

I assure you the line Company boys don’t take my liberal attitude, but are looking down the barrel of that rifle which bent up vengeance.

I’d do the same. You would really be interested in my surroundings. I’m sitting on a second floor balcony with the warm Italian sun creating a false feeling of peace and tranquility. The Italians really go in for spacious buildings, with big flare for unnecessary adornments. My desk is a box of grenades, all over the floor is scattered debris from the surrounding walls. It certainly will be a sad day when the owner returns and finds his house in such ruin. Many of the men have fled into the hills carrying a few meager possessions but they will return gradually as their homes are liberated from the Nazis. They are very bitter against the Germans, and small wonder. They even have looted what little the Italians were able to take with them. All of the stories about the unscrupulous Germans must have been true, even more so what some of the Germans have to say is very interesting.

Before I decide to start a novel on this subject, l’d better sign off, assuring you l am o.k. and will write as often as opportunity presents itself.

Corporal Royce E. Smith

35345369 85th Infantry, Division Band

P.S. A correspondent just gave four of us an interview. He took notes on our reaction to our first enemy air bombing. I consider myself lucky I didn’t get hit. Those Stukas were plenty terrifying. He also took the address of the Paulding Republican Newspaper, which I just received.

Royce Smith was my neighbor from my childhood until he passed away. I loved his sense of humor, craftsmanship in making human models for the Paulding Historical Museum. Leaving model heads in his windows of his shop was often scary. But as he would say, “No one ever broke in”

I knew his father Altie and his mother, Agness, great people. I had really neat neighbors as a kid growing up. I only wish that I would have wrote down what they said. All I have are great memories from old neighbors and watching new neighbors living in their homes. I guess to them, I am starting to be that old neighbor.

…Until Next Time !