Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-08

Lie Aoloe1AS ISaAc& AoH "
Fairfield. Ne. boy. now with the
Canadian troops in France to his
mother in his native place appeared
June in the Bangor News. It viii
be read with interest, because like the
letters from other Maine boys on the
firing line, we can believe it and its
contents brings the horrors OF the
war more yividly to US and aids in
strengthening the hope Of an early
peace. The letter:
Fort Fairfield. Me- June 3.-Mrs.
Edward Higgins Of this town on
Wednesday received a letter from her
son, Corporal Clyde F. Higgins. who
is now with Staff 10th Battalion.
Canadian Machine Gun Section. Brit
ish Expeditionary Force, France. The
letter will be Of interest to Mr.. Hig-
gins many Fort Fairfield friends in
this his old home town II reads as
follows:
Dear Mother:
First Of all. thank God / am still
alive after what we have just gone
through
At this date we are. or those who
are left Of our battalion. spending a
few days in the country back Of the
firing line.
tell you il is blessing to get back
from the roar Of those big guns and
feel that freedom when we go out or
lay around On the green grasA We
have no shrapnels, bombs or rife FIRE
TO contend with. l never in my life
lad anything get on my nerves 50
much as those little 'Willies." BY
jolly. they are wicked shell.
From the time the great battle
started April 22d until We were re-
lieved May 5th, we were under an
awful shell fire day and night. and
during that time no one could say
their soul was their own.
No doubt by this time you have
heard good many rumors about the
great battle in which We Canadians
took an active part and did SO nobly.
II was our first real engagement with
the Germans. and, believe me, those
who are left will never forget il.
am going to relate a part Of my ex-
perience, although will not be able D
say a great deal about the battle.
We left for and took
over the trenches from the French
three weeks before. During that time
they did little or no work to the
trenches SO when we got there we
found a lot Of work had to be done.
We all worked hard that night and
the next day, all the next night and
the following night, believe me, we
did a lot Of work. On the fifth night
We were relieved by other troops and
marched back to our billets.
The following morning everything
seemed so peaceful and quiet I took
party down town to see some Of the
ruins wrought by the Germans.
When We reached the large square
just opposite the ruined Diapers hall
which was a magnificent building
with beautiful arched doors and halls
with lovely. large painted walls. now
nothing but heap Of ruins. We stood
there several minutes looking at the
ruins and thinking to ourselves,
What if our town was bombarded like
this place, destroying buildings. killing
men, women and children. and posi-
bly, our own home. What would we
think or feel like?" and yet this build
ing is only one Of many thousands
which have met the same fate. Any
one who has not visited the fighting
once and seen the awe and destruc-
ton of this country can form no con-
ception Of German Kultur.
We then proceeded diagonally
across the square where the civilians
were selling post cards on the side
walk. After buying a few cards for
souvenirs we went further up town.
We had not gone fifteen minutes
when we heard a loud explosion back
in the square somewhere and sa"
great columns Of smoke rising.
/ said to the boys, We had better
20 back, for l fear something terrible
has happened" On reaching the
square everything seemed to be In a
wild commotion. Men, women ana
children were running in all direc-
tions. 1t did not take US long to find
out what the trouble was. for 1t was
plainly seen. A Jack Johnson had
Struck Dullu1u5 III thO SANoAO $500
demolished it. throwing half OF II
clear across the square, smashing all
the windows and killing those same
three civilians whom We bought the
post cards Of and wounded many oth-
ers. I noticed a very pathetic scene
a woman bending over one OF the
bodies on the sidewalk and crying az
il her poor heart would break.
thought at the time it must have been
her husband. her only support. l
would have gone back to her and CIV
en- her a word Of comfort, but was
Of another tongue.
We did not dare stay too long az
this spot for fear another Jack might
come crashing down on us. SO went 10
our billets. We had not gone any
time when we heard big Jack wnlz-
ling through the air on its way 70
the square. Another one came, ana
still another.
At 5 o'clock the Germans started 70
shell US like fury. especially the pof-
ton Of the city we were biiieteo.
Shells were failing thick and FAST DE-
stroying building after building. ana
killing all those who were near. TO
tell the truth. L thought the whole
world was coming to an end Men,
women and children were running IN
all directions carrying what they
.~S Ian hohSnS the rest.