The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1917-09-12

gas attacks which are not - bit
pad II you have gas mask and
are prepared. Even last night
when III bed we had to put our
masks on. One kind kills YOU
IN Il couple OF minutes if YOU
get n good full breath of it
while another just works on
your eyes and the right amount
OF either makes you drunk and
puts you out of your head.
Aviation is the only sporting
feature Of the war and is Of
greater value. Fortune has
again given me the pleasure of
seeing several good fights and
being IN some air raids. In one
good fight, five Boches sur
rounded Frcnchman and be
Tore the machine guns had
popped long Il Boche came
down end over end and after
about three minutes of fighting
a Boche shell went into the pc
troll tank of the French plane
and the petrol ignited, starting
lame. The machine started
downward but the pilot kept
control. Flames spread and
it looked as though it had fall
en- to the ground and smashed
everything but the pilot and
observer lit back of our lines
and only had II few slight
burns.
In an air raid they fly around
with the sky full of pencils of
light from spot lights and star
shells. Close by, the pop, pop,
pop of a land machine gun aud
then bang, bang bang of anti
aircraft guns, but they work
on as they are small targets and
have little TO fear. Soon he
will throw off his engine. drop
IA ways, and let loose of few
20 pound bombs, which may or
may not hit their target. They
tear holes in the earth from 4
feet to 10 feet wide and large
enough TO bury n machine and
they throw pieces of steel n ra
dins Of 100 feet. We have been
ruided where we take our rest,
further back of the lines, all
but three nights in Il month,
but the closest they have come
to us has been 100 feet. They
are after munition, stations.
etc. The other evening over at
our central hospital the Boches
sent Il couple of shells over the
place, promiscuously, and we
saw the smoke way up in the
air. Soon we heard noise and
| ducked my head and a piece
of shell casing is inches long
and four feet wide tore II
a hole in the wall 30 feet from
me. Both sides lose men this
way. Also their front lines are
SO close that the artillery lands
IN their own trenches.
Military life to those in the
trenches is lazy mans life, as
they loaf II great deal and while
they aren't fighting, pass away
their time making souveneirs
from shells, playing cards and
singing songs of their own com
posing and are not altogether
parlor songs. In places where
the enemy trenches are close,
the French and Germans ex.
change notes, food, drinks, and
at times concerts. The dash
and romance of old time wars
doesn't exist in the present
world war, as it is a duel of ar
tillery and industry. The men
live and fight under ground.
The cavalry, which has been
famous in the past, is almost
worthless.
The people, or soldiers on
both sides are naturally tired
of the war, after three years,
and the Germans probably
worse, but neither side can
stop and unless something turns
up it must be finish fight. No
one likes the war but it is a.
duty 10 stick to it and they
will. France is making more
sacrifice than any other coun-
try.
Before coming to our post we
travelled all over northern
France in our cars, stopping