The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-11-17
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
A Letter From c. r. n. Crathern, il
With the French Army.


had been accepted for the flying
corps and could report at once if ]
wished ! decided, however, that
would not go into the aviation seiv-
ice until had heard from you at
home. The war is going to last
long time yet and America will have
to pay the price and much higher
Price before il ends than they now
think ats SIZE
The American people will never
know what this war is for only those
who cone here and see It for them
selves will be able ito grasp fully the
sacrifices these people over here are
making M stF
From all that is seen and heard
over here many American lads will
be laid side by sidewith the French
and English and sooner than many
expect. can't say why or where
fore In a letter because we are
pledged not to communicate such
things.
Now that the United States is in
the war heart and soul OF course
will sign up in some branch or other
at the end OF my term OF service, and
as far as | can see now aviation IS
where the men are needed.
can imagine what you will say,
mother especially, but il you know
about it now it wont be so much of
shock later. While this war lasts
have got to be in it and not trying
to hold down any slackers job.
hope you haven't got an idea that
this work is very dangerous for it
isn't, A am going to have terat to-
night. One OF the fellows found a
place where he could get a canteen
of fresh milk and has asked me to go
with him 1t is the first fresh milk
| have tasted since | had breakfast
with Dad in New York. May 9Th
| had rather exciting trip the
other night which you may like to
hear about. led alconvoie of cars
with a French guide with me. The
night was cloudy and dark with no
moon or stars. After going through
several towns and villages which had
been destroyed by the retreating
Boches we had to climb very bad
HILL worse than the New Hampshire
| hills byfar. and as we came up over
| the top we could see in the darkness
| ahead, sudden jets of flame bursting
| forth from the ground followed by
| the roar of the explosion. After a
| short halt at the top to make sure
| all the cars had come along o. X we
| proceeded at a snails' pace down the
| other side OF the ridge which was as
| steep as going up. The brakes had
to be on continually for with ten tons
sliding along it didn't take long to
| acquire good speed and longer to
stop M
The road wound round and round
as it went down The. side facing
the firing. front was all screened in
l With biirlap reinforced With branches
Of trees on the outside 10 blend the
road with the rest of the cpnntry.
Behind us near the top was French
battery which kept up continual
fire over our heads. You could hear
the shells whise and whistle through
the air while star shells kept lighting
up the heavens. The French Shells
shoot up high into the sky and hold
their position for half es minute Or so
! while the German shells go up and
then gradually sink down They
both burn for about two minutes and
light up the whole country side. The
roar OF the guns and explosion of
shells was continual Near the foot
of the hill we passed several shell
holes within thirty yards OF the road
where the smoke was still pouring
forth after the explosion a. few
minutes before. On our way down
| we passed several wagons and guns
| going up. II is no fun doing this for
| you don't know how the road is. Al
the foot of the hill we passed through
| another of those battered and desert.
| ed villages where nothing but ruin
| and sorrow remain. After going
| about a mile on the level we stopped
| in the midst of wood that at first
| seemed deserted, but by the time we
| had stopped, hundreds OF Frenchmen
we're seen lying in the bushes and
| whispered orders were being given.
! This wood contained a front line bat.
| terry and each car had to back into
| the huge pits dug as storehouses just
behind the guns. 1t was ghost-like
scene to see these men running about
| in the shadows formed by the star
| shells above.
While unloading went down to the
battery with an officer and saw the
| battery in actual action. Some of
the cars got into trouble for the rain
had softened the ground and they
sank into the mud. but tow rope is
always carried and soon the trucks
were pulled out by man power. Near
one battery was hole where an
aeroplane had dropped a bomb the
night before. After we had unloaded
we went back to camp a different
way for where possible all are one
way roads. Part of the way back
was the most wonderful picture
ever hope to see. We struck a river
just after starting and the road fol-
lowed its bank A couple of camps
were or the side with sentinels posted
and with the sky above full of ex-
ploding shrapnel star shells and the
hum of aeroplanes you know that
something bigger than a Fourth of
July celebration was going on. A