New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-09-10
WRITES OF SALv0S
AND bROADSlDES
Howard c, Humason Depicts Life
Of MunitiOn Driver

written to his mother of his latest adj
ventures as driver Of French
munition transport The letter which
contains much vivid description of the
district in which Mr.. HumasOn works,
is dated August Il. Mr.. Humason' s
greatest difficulty is not keeping cheer
full by any means but is in speaking
French, which he necessarily accom-
panies with much sign language
The life of a nlunition. driver is no
Paradise of ease and freedom from
labor but the drivers keep in good
spirits and ever look on the bright
side of affairs. The letter follows:
Things have been very quiet on this
sector for many days now due as
have previously reported in part to
the weather. The sun has been out
for some time now, however, although
there have been slight showers every
day. There have been a largely in
creased number Of both French and
Boche captive balloons in evidence
which probably means increased ac-
tivity on one side or the other.
1t is hard at times when the front
is dull to realize that practically the
whole Of this great world is now at
war We can see from the camp mere
for miles in every direction ana more
peaceful sscene could never , be
imagined. 1t is a perfect picture on
the surface, Of a cOntented rural dis
trict Barring the new FrenchleS at
tached to our sectlOn,s the Americans
have the village to themselves so there
are no soldiers to mar the picture.
The fields are full of wheat, hay and
grain, which in many places has now
been cut and arranged in picturesque
H. ,no1
was not broken for a long time. Ex-
cept for a stray touring car with an
officer or two, we passed nothing on
a road usually active. We stopped in
the middle of clump of woods as
usual, waiting for it to grow dark and
outside of number of tree toads
peeping and a dog barking in the dis
lance there was nary a sound.
After the sun set we cranked up
and proceeded on our way crossing a
bridge shortly over the Aisne, so long
contested over Soon we reached a
stretch of road which makes the night
drive imperative as it lies across the
mouth of a valley and connects two
hills in French possession and which
shields the road at other points from
observation. Here, there was an oc-
casional star shell which went up at
some point and cast light on the
shadows way beyond but it resembled
distant fireworks more than anything
else We eventually reached our des-
tination and find as usual new evil
dences Of the effectiveness of a large
she'll This was my third trip to this
particular spot and each time L. note
new holes in the cement wall and the
house which is now badly riddled.
There was a short delay While our
Cradle showed his ordrs and got the
men necessary to unload us and we
then went on to the station which
had been moved on account OF the
bombardment to which the Chateau
has been subjected,
The unloading station is just at the
foot of hill which was once evil
IDENTITY covered with thick woods but
which is now absolutely bare with the
exception of a few quaint limbless tree
trunks on top, standing out against the
clear sky like sentinels Of a long lost
land. Still there had been no sound
outside of our motors, not even rifle
shot and yet just beyond the crest of
the hill is located a part of No Man
Iand-only two kilometers away, or q
distance approximately from our house
to the railway station.
The men had started to unload us
(they are MartiniQues, as black as
made) and I walked over and engaged
the corporal in conversation in my eX-
cellept French accompanied by much
sign language, which l think is prob
ably the most effective. After using
up the stock phrases | know we'll such
as BON Soir M sieu,' etc, 1 managed
to get out Very quiet along the
rade," he says, tonight it is quiet but
sometimes here and finished with an
expressive shrug of the shoulders.
The work Of unloading was about
| half over when there was a big flash
| and tremendous roar not one hundred
! yards from us. We all jumped about
| six feet and one fellow who had his
! head between the fan and the motor
! 70" repairs nearly ripped his ears of
! gct{ing away. One Of the Trenches
| near me didn't move a muscle but saiC
| calmly-"E.h hien' une message aux
| Bouches-deus cents Vingt." a dau>
| cent vingt is the largest type Of
| French gun and when shot off a shor1
| distance away without warning it i
| enough to make anyone jump.
This was evidently q signal as there
were salvos and broadsides all around
us. | counted over fifty distinct ant
separate guns By the flashes within /
| short Misunderstanding from the 1873 t.
the 220's. The noise kept up for {
half hour steady and then stopped
abruptly and we went home in perfec
quiet just as we had come.
| received another package of clip
pings and Life arrives regularly. Tht
tobacco and candy have not shown up
One of the boys just got a package
mailed June goth so . it eVidentl,
takes quite a bit of time for packages
| l have changed Camions and moved
| frC.n No. l 4 to 6 and got stuck on thu
deal No 4 was Il new car and in tn