Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-06-21
MADISON YOUTH
IN FIRST LINES
Only One Hundred Feet Separate
Wisconsin Man From the
Germans

'Here is one exciting plhce!"
writes Albert Gilmore, son of Rev
F. A. Gilmore of Madison, well known
in Baraboo, who is now in active am
bulance service in first line trenches
separated by only one hundred feet
from the Germans "Some Germans
jumped into our trenches late the 9th
er night" he adds, primarily to spy,
but most of them got hand grenade
as a welcome"
Mr.. Gilmore, member of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin unit of the Red
Cross, left Madison early in March
With him recently has been Harry
Kraig, also a Wisconsin man, who
has just received a summons for the
croix de guerre.
Two letters, one written before go
ing to the front and one afterwards,
follow in part:
In Paris
Last night my section, No. 16,
convoy automobiles, had farewell
banquet; we had speeches by Will
Irwin, one British correspondent, our
French section lieutenant, and Cap
tain Churchill of the U. S. army. Our
cars are the first to go to the front
with the stars and stripes painted on
them, so we naturally feel pretty
proud. Captain Churchill is here
studying French military methods; he
told us that after our service here we
could be sure of commission in the
United States army The French Off
GER made dramatic speech, its es-
sence being the loyaty of thel French
soldiers for the United States. Those
of us who came over here seeking ad-
venture, found out in stern reality just
why we were here; what good we
could do, and our prospects for the
future.
Last week twenty of us fellows
drove Ford chassis from Bordeaux to
Paris. 1t was cold and rainy most of
the time, but I wouldn't have missed
that three days drive for anything.
We passed churches, chateaus, aviation
schools, concentration camps, and. one
immense cathedral. We went through
this cathedral, which beats Notre
Dame seven different ways. ! shalt
be glad to leave Paris, for am anx-
ous to hear some firing.
Harry Kraig, who was a Zeta
pledge when I was, is here with Roy
Williams; a Phi Beta Kappa. Kraig
has just received a summons for the
oroix de guerre.
Greeted as if U. S. Army
II have visited the American hos
Dital and helped make books for the
blind. BY George! A big French
lirigible just buzzed over here again;
,wo days ago one passed over not fifty
eet above our chateau or 'stonequar-
" Rockwell flew his aeroplane
around Eifel tower for us today. Yes
erday Washington's and LaFayette's
statues were decorated; we marched
n columns and were greeted as if
We were the United States army They
ook movies of us, gave us flags, pretty
girls kissed us; and during the rush
It the hotel de la something yours
ruly took a sneak. | have only one
etter from you folks and that's from
mother. I'm giving you my military
address, so that will cut down four days
If the time required for letters to
each me.
At the Front
"Our section reached this place
April &c. Another man and myself
we're sent up to the front on imme-
late duty. 1t is five miles from this
vase to the trenches. The trenches
ire on the outskirts of thick wood
which is so full of dugouts it looks
ike an anthill. From our station in
he woods we go to different postes de
occurs located one hundred yards be-
lind the trenches. My first bleSSe
vas injured by a big shell, the lydite
urning him as green as grass. Have
,nly had two stretcher cases so far
md eight sitting cases. My ambulance
las room in it for four wounded men
IN stretchers, or for eight men sitting.
got up in the first line trenches,
which are only one hundred feet from
he Germans ] wish I could describe
he awful sensations | had. The road
o one poste is continually shelled by
he bochl and especially one corner
where there used to be a battery.
Nhistling IT'S are common as mosqui-
os. The most exciting sport is to
watch an aeroplane being shelled with
sometimes the machine is
10 small it can hardly be seen, then
white puffs appear all around it DOT
ing the sky, and five minutes later
come the reports.