Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-03

out to see what we have to eat.
not having received any mail from
me for over ten days. or course you
know that there are no regular mail
boats leaving France. They sail when
they get a chance, but approximate
ly every week. Sometimes my letter
just misses a boat. so there is a de-
lay of week or more. So If, some-
times, you do not get a letter from
me for three weeks, don't be wor-
ried. l write every week and, unless
the boat is sunk. they will get to
you sooner or later.
1 am going to give this letter to
Graeme Wytelaw TO mail in New
York. His time is up and he is 60
ing to sail for America in few days,
SO 1 am giving it to him as 1t may
get there sooner. Also 1 can tell you
better where l am. L don't suppose
am saying anything that the censor
would object to or giving away any
military secrets. but l can tell you a
little more and perhaps east your
mind q bit.
If you watch the official COM
muniques in the papers, you can get
an idea what is going on where
am, or rather where 1 was, and
where our section expects to return
to in a few days. When you see
Avocourt Woods, Hill 304, Mort
Homme, Verdun. Vaux or Douamont
mentioned, you will know there is
sopething going on where 1 am sta
toned. It's a very busy sector and
also a very important zone, $50 we
are kept busy all the time hauling
hlesses. (Wounded)
1 hope by this time my box is
on Its way. Send lots of chocolate,
for that is wonderful to fill up a
hole in your stomach about or 4
o'clock in the morning. when you
are making a trip to or from the
cry some time when you are on the
job! Also. tobacco! The French to-
bacco is rotten and a good pipe full
of American tobacco helps a lot on
the same little trips. OF course, at
all the hospitals, Post de Secours,
etc, you can get hot coffee. So be-
tween the three you can find some
comfort and. even forget the blosses
groaning and beating on the sides of
the car.
Last week I went into Bar le Due
near which we are zen repos." with
the lieutenant to do a few little
things and help him get some
"ravitaillement" (food) for the sec
ton. We were just in time to run
into an air raid on the town by
Boche planes. The lieutenant, Rodo-
canalchi. who comes from one of the
richest families in France. (they
have a monopoly on oil like the
Rockafellers in United States) and l
were eating lunch, when suddenly
the sirens in the towers and church
bells began to make an awful racket.
didn't know what on earth had
happened. Everybody ran out in the
street and began to look up in the
air. So I followed suit. Away up
above were three or four little white
specks set against the dark blue sky
and cleaning like little diamonds
in the sunlight. They didn't look
particularly dangerous to me and
evidently the people did not think
so either, for they all ran out into
the street instead of going into their
Caves voulees" or bombproof shell
ters, which are known by a sign
pasted on every fifth or sixth house.
Then 1 began to see little dots of
white smoke and much later heard
the reports of shells from the con
tre-avion" guns shooting at the
Boche planes, none of which was
hit. Then they began dropping
"eggs" and you could hear the re-
ports as they struck. But they did
little damage and soon went away.
/ have also seen good many Amer
lean soldiers and they are a fine
looking bunch, but will have to learn
warfare all over again if they want
to do any good. The Chasseurs, some
| of the finest troops in the French
army, are training them, /. e., teach
ling them how to throw hand gren-
ades, trench work. which includes
the holding and fortifying of shell
! holes, ETC., torpedo shooting, ma
chine gun support, etc. They say
they learn fast and will be great
help to tho French.
l suppose you have seen in the pa
pers the recent success of the Brit
| ish in Belgium. 1t was wonderful
work and everybody is tickled to
death with their success.
Last night we had a farewell party
| for the boys who are going home
| The whole section was there and we
sang, had speeches. music and gen.
eral good time. Most of them are
Joining the army in some capacity ol
| another.
What's doing at home these days
| I suppose Harrisburg is as hot as the
deuce now, isn't it?
Now don't worry about my mail
1 am all right and have been wei
SO far and am feeling fine now. One
fellow in the section is in the hos.
pital with appendicitis, but outside
| of that we are o. K.
Give my love to everybody at home
and write soon and often. Also, senC
the box "vitement."
| Love to all.
| FRANKLIN.
P. Sect some big eats when
come home. This French grub is noI
the best in the world.