Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-05-01
THE AMERICANS
FIGHTING IN FRANCE

1 z Il N Is
With the British Army in the
Field. April 6.-Letter to the Free
man Tribune From F. A. Mckenzie,
u. P. Correspondent: I asked an
American what had induced him to
come to join the British ranks. 81
thought from the first this was a
flight in which all freedom loving peO-
pies should take part" he replied.
This is the prevailing type Of Ameri-
Jeans who have come to France.
They have thought out the matter,
have come to- decision, and have
Joined up for neither fun, frolic nor
adventure. Often enough, they cold
" hate and despise the Germans, and
when they let themselves go, their
|eloquence about the Hun leaves their
less nimble-tongued neighbors admir-
|ingly envious. Gee, if could only
talk like that" said one Alberta boy
latter an ex-Texan cowboy had spoken
his mind for five minutes on the Hun
Jas he really is. He never used the
same adjective twice, and each adj
Elective was like an added drop of Wit
|riol.
They are of varied types. There
lis, for instance, Lieutenant Larrabee.
la West Pointer, who broke his course
to join as private. He earned the
d. C. NJ. for special gallantry in res
cuing wounded, and his commission
soon after. Stephenson, noted sni-
per in one infantry battalion, was in
the old days very we'll known Wes-
tern COW puncher. w. H. Warren.
now Canadian rifieman, was, when
a member of the National Guard of
New York, champion pistol shot,
and one of the competitors for the
ElchO Shield. He was wounded at
Zillebeke. Williams, of Indiana, was
IA Captain in his State Militia. He
Joined the French Foreign Legion
and won the Medille Militaire. Then
he was transferred to the Canadians,
was wounded and decorated with the
British Military Medal. The story Of
Rogers, the American boy who act
ing as q runner was wounded and
won the Military Medal on the Som
me. and then was claimed back by
the American authorities is well I
known. He didn't want to leave, and
officers and men in his old regiment
have nothing but good to say Of him.
Here is a record of a different kind.
and greatly as it is to the credit of
the man, do not feel that I ought
ito give his name. A brilliant young I,
Officers in the U. S. Army resigned
and given commission with the Ca
nadians. He occasionally drank too
much, and as result was advised to
resign. He did so but Immediately
re-enlisted as private, ''If can't
keep sober as an officer, I'll have to
when in the ranks" he said.
He was sent to the front, where he
soon made fresh record, this time
for gallantry He was attached to
the Machine Gun Corps, and won pro-
motion to sergeant and the Military
Medal. After one heavy fight, in
which he stood out as born leader,
he was offered another commission,
which he accepted. His old weakness
had been conquered. When there's a
one admires him and likes him. "I'd
rather have a man who'd tripped up
and recovered than one who hadn't
enough blood in his VEINS to feel the
force of temptation" said one exper-
fenced General to me. "I've no use
for the second kind"
Sergeant Martin is another Ameri-
can who won a D. M. C. At the fight
for Observatory Ridge, there was a
great deal of wire obstructing our
advance. The whole front was swept
by shell fire, machine guns and snip
ers. 1t seemed certain death to go
out. Martin crept from our trenches
in broad daylight, stealthily APP
preached the German wires, cut quite
a quantity and returned. Incidental
ly, he was wounded. He showed q
very fine example as soldier" says
his superiors.
Private G. Sale, another young
American, won Military Medal in
the same advance. Although wound
ed, he insisted on going back into the
firing-line, as soon as his wounds
were dressed, carrying a load of gre
nades with him. He was then wound
ed second time. Lieutenant. ]. L.
MacFarlane of San Francisco, was
Machine Gun Officer for battalion of
Pioneers. He had earned his promo
L. L