The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-09-26
Nephew Of Mrs.
Frank Singer on
the Firing Line

Belford Likes OF Ottawa. Kan. a
nephew of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Singer
of this city, who is with the American
boys in khaki in France. IN the course
of recent letter to relatives at Po
mona in his home state copy Of
which has been left at The Record
Office for perusal. gives some interest
ing experiences while Aghting al
Chateau-Thierry. on the Marne. in
June. He says:
"If remember rightly II has beer
almost three weeks since wrote
you. Quite long while1 Yes, but
have been to the front on the Aisne
sector. Belleau woods. There is nc
harm in telling what sector because
the Germans know. and to their solr
row, that we were there.
I've left for the front May 80 Ne
mortal day.. and came back yester
day. June IL. 1t is sure relief to
get back. get cleaned up and sleep
well. war is hell all right. and we
were on a very active sector. where
the lighting was fierce. about as bad
as it ever gets they say. Our loss
was heavy. cannot, of COURSE. tell
you just what number, but it is q
very unhealthy place to be. We are
here to do or die. though maybe we
will do both, but it matters little com
pared to the cause for which we are
fighting.
1T is permissible to tell ones per
sonal experiences at the front. and
could tell lot about mine, but will
say my worst experience was being
under heavy artillery fire for seven
hours continuously and seeing my
comrades mangied by 1t. Whether
any of my shots killed . Hun or not
don't know. AS you have doubtless
read. most Of the casualties are caused
by shrapnel- Empey says the tin hat
Is shrapnel proof until II is hit by
shrapnel. That is true In many cases
while again it saves = good many
lives.
I'VE captured quite q good many
of machine guns. could have brought
a German helmet back as a souvenir
but l could not send II home and !
didn't wish to carry 1t with me until
the end of the war
However, l have Hun canteen; pre-
sumo I'll ditch 1t. though I haven't
a thing now but articles which are
absolutely necessary. When you have
to hike to the front with four days
rations or more and 220 rounds ol
ammunition, besides q few B. VI
(rifie grenades), and the rest Of youl
equipment, you soon begin to look fol
a place to drop anything you think yot
will not have serious need of.
"The Germans had made quite ar
advance when we took over the sector
but we stopped them and drove their
back little. The people had rushed
out OF their houses and left nearly
everything, so we had the comforts o
home. don't mind much being un
der fire. not nearly as much as war
afraid l would. But II is quite q
strain on the nerves after while.
"I'll enclose sheet of the Paris edi
tion of the New York Herald. which
gives an account OF our work at Cha
teau-Thierry. Will also enclose hal
copy of the Stars and Stripes. They
usually use just a little fiction te
make story sound good. but on ths
whole it is pretty reliable. have
often seen verdun Belle. but am moi
acquainted with her master. (Thii
story of the dog. verdun Belle. ant
her master. was given in the Kansas
City Star. Sunday, July ~. Part Of thaf
article is a very good description o.
our rush to the front. about the roat
being jammed with soldiers, trucks
artillery, refugees. etc.
Il guess 1t is nearly harvest time
isn't It? The papers say there vii
be bumper crop. especially in Kan
sas and Nebraska. Wish could ge
home long enough to help harvest it
l suppose men are scarce"