The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-08-29
iowa SOLDIER
EVADES CENSOR
Youth Definitely Locates Forces os
General Pershing at Noyon and
Saint Quentin. ;,,
MAY BE ~ vERouN NOW
The Writer Thought Il Thsir oestina-
tion-Gives Estimate Of Allied
Soldiers in Action.

IDA GROVE, Aug. 24--In a letter
smuggled past the censorship through
comrade returning to America,
Graham S. Fisher. an Ida Grove youth.
has written to the home folks an ac-
count of some Of the experiences OF
the Pershing expeditionary forces In
France. The letter was dated at Noy-
on, France, July 23d. and follows In
part: ''
Pm sending this letter out by
friend that leaves US tomorrow for the
states to rejoin his regiment, the
Third field artillery OF New York. in
which he holds a commission as first
lieutenant Thus can avoid the
censor. ~
From Paris we were sent out to q
small town some six or seven miles
south of St. Quentin, called Germain.
After about three weeks, rather quiet
ones, we were sent back to q small
place called Nesle '(NelD for few
days, and today we came to NoyOn.
We are on repose now because the
division to which we are attached has
been withdrawn from St. Quentin and
is to go to Verdun or the !"'oskes
mountains. We will probably follow
them. but at present we do not know.
Things in the war line have been
quiet in this region for some time. Al
though the other day heard the air
raid ON Ham. Three German machines
came flying very high and dropped
two bombs apiece. No casualties
were reported. ,2 49,, , Z. 4 ~,
Last week was out on part OF. the
battlefield OF the Somlne.. It was some
desolate looking country, One for
ests were nothing but blasted StuInpa,
or, at the most, poles, all branches
shot away. The fields and the mead
ows plowed and furrowed by. trench
es and great strips OF barbed wire en-.
the villages Hnthinx hut
piles Of brick, an occasional wall LETT
{, l.s7rs.
Il did not have an opportunity to
visit any but the German tssnches.
The most Of hslasaxe lsss.s1e
dugout in particn1Ar w14 ii - -
ample Of the way III Whsah the oe04V2
do everything. It was some forty foets
with two stairways And
an elevator encased In . cement shaft.
The elevator was: used for asuppltDe
and as an ammunition hoist. The
Germans leave mighty little behind
them when the retreat, neither war
nor anything that will /. be
of service whatsoever to any civilian.
Not so the British. They are more 4or
less wasteful and the French are very
much so. =.
"My observations may be perhaps
biased. but from what l see and have
heard the French desire to have, the
maximum credit for q minimum
amount of work. The British are vety
slow in making an advance. in CON
oarison to their colonies, notably the
Canadians and the Australians. Th6
Of the French poilus to whom
have talked seem to be very tired
IF the war and are mighty glad for the
entry of our states with fresh troops
% relieve them OF part of their work.
~ was fortunate enough to see
many German prisoners the other day
working on the railroad back Of the
ines. l was surprised at the extrem0
Of the great, majority OF
hem, many seemed to be not over
Is or II years Of age. as&
"By the next time find time 70
write our section will probably he
IN an active front and will not "
20 fortunate as to mention names.
places or be able to find someone that
S leaving for the states." ,s.s