Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1917-09-28
SEES FLARE OF
GERMAN GUNS
Arthur Maloney Writes from France
While Enemy Cannon Crash
Others Who Are Doing Their Bit Are
Glad TO Get Home News

The folio wing letter was written by
Arthur Maloney, member of the en-.
gineers corps trecently promoted to be
a conouctor) to his mother, Mrs. p, A.
NJ aloney, 1874 School street:
81 have arrived safely in France otter
my long and tiresome journey and am
in the best Of health. After leaving
the States we were (eensored) days in
resching' England.
England Is a beautiful country.
While we were there we were received
by His Majesty, King George, V, and
Queen Alexandria; also many of the
most noted people OF England, among
whom were Lord George, Lord French,
Mr.. Balfour and the American am
bassador, DR., Page.
After our visit to the King at Buck
ingh am palace we paid visit to the
famous old Wellington barracks which
are very interesting. There are hupd.
reds of other things could write you
about but had rather wait until | get
home to tell you. We did not stay in
England very long and before leaving
there | sent you wireless message
telling of my safe arrival.
This letter will not be as interesting
as it might as | am not allowed TO give
the names of places we came 10 or saw
from train or boat.
Today we are in camp again some
where in France and about -four miles
from the firing line. From .where we
are we can lock over TO the British and
the German trenches and see the
large guns in action day and night. 1T
is a wonderful sight. AT night 1t re,
minds me of terrible lightning storm,
the only difference being that IL rains
steel instead of water. The clouds
that these large shells throw oil are
not as harmless as those of the sky as
they contain deadly gas. Every one
of us have been furnished gas mask.
We ARE also given instruction every
day of the way to putxthis tnask on
quickly and properly. ITO be perfect
one should have il on in six seconds.
To do this one can not be thinking of
America but must keep his mind on
what he is doing here.
Where we are camping was once oc-
cupied |by the Germans, and not so
very long ago. From the looks lof the
place / should say that it was a little
larger than Dayville, at. one tine, but
today there is not one building stand
ing and only a few trees, ana those
are in cemetery in which the Ger.
mans buried many OF their dead. Be-
sides leaving their dead soldiers here
the only other things they left were
the bricks and stones Of the buildings
they destroyed and their old trenches
These trenches are different sizes.
Some are 8 feet wide and to s feet
deep; others that | have been in being
4 to feet wide and as deep as IS feet
and very well made. | know that
when | was home and read of these
things in the papers that | would only
believe about half what / read as
thousands of others at home are now
doing, but today have seen for my
self these things that | didn't believe
and find them true.
Almost every afternoon between 3
and O'Clock we see the British aero
planes sailing over the German lines
and dropping bombs aud IL sure is
great excitement seeing the Germans
shooting al them with some of their
big guns. Sometimes you isee shell
burst right under one Of them or to one
side. When they go over they go in a
bunch of 10 or 10 but at most any time
of day we can see 20 TO 40 up In the
air besides many large observation bal
looms which stay up all day watching
the movements OF the Germans. /
suppose there must be hundreds Of
them along the entire battle front.
OF course 1t Is not as in America but
IL is not as dangerous as II is in the
trenches. The only danger here Is
from a stray shell that might land
here, or one that you might hit while
walking through the old battlefield.
Many shells didn't happen 10 explode
They were left here and II you should
happen to hit one they might go off.
All anyone could do for person who
hit one would be 10 say prayer. He
never would know what he hit or
what hit him.
| am feeling the best ] have ever
felt in my life and liked the trip very
much Now don't worry over me as
III come back TO you the same as 1
left, a little older in years but not in
looks. Tell the boys / will write 10
them as soon as ] can. | would
like to have them write TO me,
Address, Arthur q. MaIoney. Com :
pany f., l4lh Engineers Ry, Expedi-
tionafy Force in France. | want you
to send me the Putnam PATRIOT"
Glen Dow, From Somewhere 10 France
The following letter was written BY
Glen Dow, another Putnam membeI
Of the engineers corps, from ss5ome'
where in France:
Arrived ia France safe and am
feeling fine. Had a touch Of sea sick