The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-12-20

the other meals of the year. We are
going to have lot of "extras" and
we're going to try to make it just
like the dinner we would get at home
as near as possible. We have COM
pany fund to finance the meal and
the non-commissioned officers have
separate fund for their mess. Last
Sunday we had big chicken dinner
with dumplings. Gee but it was good.
Our cooks had done their best. In
addition to the chicken we had mash
potatoes, celery, lettuce, bread and
butter and coffee. OF course we had
no pie or cake. l think it will take
me whole year to get filled up on
these two luxuries after get home.
am in hopes that by the time you
get this letter the Censor will let me
tell you where am. know you
people would like to know just about
as much as would like to tell you.
9P. M.
Since / wrote the above / went
down town and bought copy of the
Stars & Stripes, the mouth-piece and
official organ of the A. E. F., and in
it it said that in this letter to dad /
could tell you everything, from the
way we beat the Boches and won this
victory to the place in which my
company is now stationed. So you
see, in the next few paragraphs, i
have much news to tell you.
First of all / must tell you where l
am. am now stationed at a Re-
mount Depot at Besancon, city Of
so 900 people over near Switzerland.
Get out your map and take good
look. You can't miss it. 1t is up in
the north chain of the Alps, not so
very far from either Switzerland or
Germany. Besancon is noted for its
watches, also as the birthplace of Vic
tor Hugo and also as the base at one
time for Ceasar's armies. This city
was founded in 55 B. C. and has ever
since been the battlefield of some of
the most wicked and cruel and de-
structive wars. Each time it is re-
built and / think it is the most mod
ern city have been in in France yet,
and at the same time it has some of
the most antique things, too. We
are stationed with the 4th French
Artillery. This city has been raided
by the Germans in the air about 700
times since the war started.
So much for Besancon. Where
else have l been. l landed at Brest
on the northwest coast of France on
the 18th day of July. We stayed
there about four days and then went
down to Bordeaux. You know all
about that place by this time as sent
you so many cards and eventtold you
where l was. We left Bordeaux on
the 7th day of August and went up
to the front" We passed through
Tours, Orleans, Paris and then north
east to aAvillage by the name Of
Mitry- Claye. Mitry is the railroad
station for Claye. Claye is about
four or five miles from Mitry to-
wards Meaux. When we were in
Paris, on the 9th Of August, Big Ber-
tina was blowing SHELLS into Paris
every 15 minytes, just as regular as
the clock ticks. One she'll burst in
an aviation/ /camp nof far from. Che
railroad yards where our troop train
was layingfand it was reported to
have killed three American soldiers.
We did not go to Mitry, thence to
Claye-Souilly until the 10th. At
Claye we established Remount De.
pot This was early in August and IL
yon will remember it was at this time
that there was big doings up at Cha
tNau-Thierry. We could hear the
guns very plainly. The roar would
wake us up early in the morning.
Once we had very severe air raid.
1t was the last time that Paris was
raided. don't believe that there was
ever so many aeroplanes up in the
air before in the history of the entire
war. The heavens ware full of them
that night. It was a Vary clear night,
tao, We couldn't sesthem but we
could hear them. AID every time
they would drop a bomb we could
hear II coming for fully quarter Of a
minute before it struck earth Then
there would be the most terrific ex-