Catoctin clarion., 1918-11-07
Gets HUN FOR
EACH RELATIVE
Ohio Boy Tells of First Expert.
enCe at Front.
HAS HIS SHARE OF THRILLS

reels to Go Into Battle for the
First TIme-"We Licked Them
Clean of the Map. They Didn't
Have 4 Look-ln"-TeIIs Of New
Treacherous Stunt Of Huna
How it feels to go into battle is
thrillingly described by Private Ray
Congleton in letter to his sister at
Uhrichsville, o.
II just lately returned from going
over the top, and, believe me- 1t was
some experience. 1t sure was q sue
cess. had my share of thrills. They
speak of the day of battle being glo-
rfous. Well, 1t is, in a way, and, in
another, it is outright hell. / can't
quite describe the glorious part Of
it, but when you have trained and
worked for certain length of time
how to shoot, how to attack, and
thousanH other little things of how
to act when in action, you have en-.
dured lot Of hardships learning the
stuff.
"Then, when the real time comes.
you are crazy to see how things are
going to work out. and to see first
how badly you can lick the guy you
have cuSSed for months, and who Is
the cause of all your hardships and
Sufferings. You wonder If you will
come through it, and, If not, you have
given your life for great cause and
great country. These are some Of
the things that make the hattie glo-
riOus.
The other Side.
"Then there Is the other side of 1t.
went 72 hours without water. In
fact, l got so thirsty put stones in
my mouth, as they have certain
amount Of moisture in them. AS for
hunger, did not eat thing for three
days and three nights. But you don't
get hungry. There are certain things
that keep you from 1t. Once was
right In the middle Of two barrages,
and down as far as I could get in a
shell hole. Well, l never expected to,
get out of there, so I lighted up a
cigarette and thought over my past
life.
when l got back to the rest billet
my shirt and breeches were nothing
but bunch Of rags. My hands had
bled from blisters from digging in
l was some sight and there was not
much fight left In me. But. If neces-
sary, no doubt, I could have been
game. You see I got black eye
from the dirt thrown by a shell. My
helmet was blown to kingdom come.
bad place was knocked on the side
of my nose. had two pieces of
shrapnel in the right hand and some
lodged underneath the arm in the
skin. They removed 1t all with CO.
caine, so 1t did not amount to much.
l did not even go back to the hospi-
tai. stayed right there to get my,
revenge. However, I shall always
have one Souvenir-the side Of my
nose makes me look different, but
am proud of it and consider myself
lucky.
Cleaned Them Up.
"As for the fight. we licked them
clean off the map. They didn't have
a look-in. We cleaned up those boys
brought up on 'kultur;' in fact, we
gave them little culture Americaine,'
and guess 1t did not taste very good,
for they told us we were bloodthirsty.
and want to say right here that it's
d-n good manners to be so when
you are fighting a people as treacher-
Gus as the Germans.
"One of the Hun officers said: You
are just bunch Of school kids This
made us mad, for we were just as cool
MS cucumbers and laughed, joked and
smoked when going right over the
top and called to each other to know
How many you got? My baby was
sure working and l burned up two
rifles, so you can see old Henry second
was stepping out. I believe I got a
German for every one Of my relatives.
"Here is one of the Germans new
treacherous stunts. They carry
little revolver about the size of q
mans finger and it has one .22-caliber
shell In it. They hold up their hands
and holler 'kamerad,' and when they
get chance they use it on you. They
usually turn their backs on you and
shen they hold ur their hands this lit
tie pistol is down in the palm of their
hand where you can't see it.