The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1918-06-27
HARRY HEATON TELLS OF HIS
LIFE WITH ENGLISH ARMY

describes his life there in the fol-
lowing letter received in Lynden this
week:
| ION week days, except Saturday
afternoons, we are on the jump from
5 a. m. until $3.50 p. m. Two nights
week are given to night parades.
This is extra.
First l will let you know that ell
.anks given in Canada are reduced to
privates when they arrive here. Liou-
tenants and captains are given the
choice of returning or comirg down.
You must be able 20 control yourself
;.rd others under fire before you can
hold your stripes.
I'VE did not have a very bad trip
cerned OF course we had to see a
submarine but it was taken care of
by British destroyer. If you know
of any boys Oh their way across or
any that will be likely TO cross, just
tell them to obey orders strictly when
= sub. is sighted as their own safety
and the safety of others depends up
Oh their steadincss.
THE training here IS as much
harder as the training we had in
Victoria as the training in Victoria,
YVES harder than that in Co. E., w.
S. G. This country is all green, but
The land is nearly pure chalk. The
drill squares, trenches and FACETS are
oa or dug in chalk. The first drill
parade comes at 7:15 a. m, and is
one steady round of pleasure until
l12 m There is 6 10 minute rest
given every hour II the morning. We
drill with skeleton equipment. which
includes web equipment, rife, in
trcnching tool and bayonet. This
part of the equipment weighs about
80 pounds. In the afternoon drill
starts at 1880 and continues until
4:30 p. m. At p. m. we fall in
again and drill until p. N. They
feed us four times day. OF course
there are lots of fellows that are dis
qualified here.
''It is very warm here now. 1t
seems as hot as a summer day at
home. You can buy local strawber-
ries here, that is, If you have got
the price. They are 10 shillings
pound. Since it is warm enough to
ripen strawberries you can figure
that it is fairly warm. A bunch of
men every day, usually before
breeze arises. fall on the parade
grounds.
1.-The other morning after drilling
US for or 4 hours, they stood us at
attention for a long time, just to
see who was getting faint. 1t was
only about ten minutes till bump
went a man fat on his back; in
little while a few more. This way
they soon find the men that are a
hindrance. have perspired so much
at times that the whole jacket of my
equipment was soaked. Saturdays
| we go Ou NAH uas iOuIO Ahoi IN
This is done in full marching order
without ammunition. The pack
weighs from As to 60 pounds, includ-
ing rifle The difference in weight
of packs is due to the individual
soldier, as to how heavy he packs it..
Yesterday we marched all over
the country with two bands, one in
the lead and one in the center. We
halted at a small bay on the English
channel where we were ordered to
go in for a bath. After this we were
marched up a steep hill to see what
we were made of. Every day they
fall out so ! guess by the time we get
to France only those fit for service
will be there.
Everything was different when
we first got here. or in the segrega-
ton area where we Wee ten days.
arrived at Seaford the night of the
-, about 10 p. m. We had supper
at 1880 a. m. and went to sleep after
that. 900 of US were also issued
blankets to sleep on. We slept in
tents with no floors. About 800 a,
m. it poured down, and by a. m.
everybody was soaked The muu in
the tent was or inehcs deep, and
our blankets were soaking wet. There
was no fire in camp or no place to
build one. For two days it rained
and for two days we were soaked
On the third day the c. A. S. c. haul
ed us floors for our tents and that af-
ternoon it cleared up. We are in
huts now.
Il don't know if this letter will ev'
er get thru or not, but after all the
hardships of a soldier only make:
him fit and 1t is the exceptional mar
, that will show a weakness before his
companions.
Everybody is anxious to get acros.
the channel. We have had the plea
sure of seeing aeroplanes fighting
! The British aeroplane is as common
, as autos around here. try to ina
gine sometimes what it feels like Il
be in France, as we can hear from