The Alaska daily empire., 1916-02-15

Y IS, 1916.
 -----.------------ ------.-.------------------' that. but. knowing that we were go. ing, we wanted to get started. It was very nervous waiting and waiting. And when we did get started it was Q little better. We did not know how we were going to get in. It was very dark, and after we had marched for two hours our guide, who was about three paces in front Of me came to halt and ] discovered that we were ap against wall. Then J saw men getting around and knew these were the trenches. AS 1t was very dark we. could not do much or see very much and we were glad when daylight fl. nally came.
 The trenches were built on the ground. with sand baga about five and one.half feet high, with 8 step 80 man could fro with ease. Everything is going nicely
 Two weeks later-we go into the trenches now as if we were going in- to store at home, and think nothing about 1t. l saw a few dead men, the first have ever seen. The first man wounded ] saw caused 9 feeling that man cannot express. You feel aB if some one has hit you and insulted you and you cannot see him
 One month later-We awolIe this morning to realize that we are at war. We are in Ypres. The trenches arc only twenty-four yards apart and there arc hundreds of dead Germans in front of us. They arc on our wire entanglements and everywhere. We are unable to get to them and bury them. although they have been there for months and they don't swell very good. The least noise and volley of shots come our way. This hap pened every morning at daylight for the first two mornings only. Then we began to play with them. They made lot of noise at first, but if they move now we let them have 1t, and you cannot hear @ sound. They are wise that the Canadians are facing them now.
 The Germans broke through the French and the gates of hell are open. Wounded and dead are all around. The dead-we don't think about them everything is the man in front of you or rather the mass in front Of you. The first line has gone down. They have gone. but for every man that falls there are about ten in his place The Germans must have a countless number of men.
 You are fighting hard; your men are an around you, and all at once you hear one Of them sing out: Good bye, mate; they have got me-"
 Swearing is a good thing, and do not know when have sworn as much in my life as l have this day My men are going fast, many wounded, others killed. We tie up the wound ed as best we con and try to get the poor devils back out of it. We do not hate the enemy. for they arc good sol dlers, but by God, we don't have any love for them. We have had no food for two days. We have no time to think of food; we haven't even time to sleep.
 have been very lucky so far Near ly all of the officers are either killed or wounded and only a few left. How much longer will .t last7
 Feb. 26-Arrived In the trenches at 1 a. m. Companies 1 and went out l regiment of the Indian army is with us here; also a regiment Of English regulars. They are teaching us how they run things. There is very little firing going on. Most of this is only snlpers work. We are 800 yards dis tant from the German trenches
 When Company 1 went into the trenches for the first t.me they kept firing all night long and the English regiment with them was very sore as they had to stand to nearly all the night, as the Germans answered with machine guns and kept 1t up for many hours.
 Feb. 27-The artillery opened up about D. m., in the afternoon, and ended up in a little artillery duel which lasted for a few hours. The Germans finally shut up and ours quit about half an hour later w left the trenches about 1:8O a.. m and went back to the asylum.
 Feb. 2s-We came into the trenches again at a. m. This time we manned | the trenches ourselves, with the Eng | lish regiment about 300 yards In the rear. The trench l am is in a little | advanced post. have two sections in 1t. had a per.scope hit by a sniper while l was taking an observation.
 March 1-The Germans tried to throw some bombs in our trenches about midnight Arrived back at the asylum about a. m Everybody is 80 lousy they are simply crawling. believe there arc darn near a thou.