Transcribed from the Wednesday, January 22, 1919 Adair County News

Back from France.

Noel Thomas, who was several times wounded on the Hindenburg Line*, in France, reached Columbia last Tuesday night, and Wednesday he was given hearty greetings upon the public square, by friends of Adair county.

He was wounded in the left thigh and left arm on the 29th of September, lying upon the battlefield twelve hours before taken up and sent to the hospital. His wounds were severe and he was in the hospital from the day he was wounded until he started home. He speaks in the highest terms of English and Belgium surgeons who operated upon him. He has discarded crutches, using a cane, and at this time his general health is good.

Deed Smith**, of this county, who was killed a few minutes before Noel was wounded, belonged to his company, and when he fell they were only about twenty feet apart. He saw Smith fall...

He is one of Adair county's best young men, his home being at Milltown, and every body was glad to see him.

[* Refers to the Battle of the Hindenburg Line, which started on September 18, 1918. It was part of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive which led to the eventual capitulation of the German government and Germany's surrender on November 11, 1918.]

[** Private First Class Deed Smith, a member of the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, was killed in action on September 29th, 1918, on the Hindenburg Line. His remains were interred in the Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France.]