The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-12-26
Tells of War
Experience Near
the Front

The Daily Record is in receipt of a
letter from Thomas CoughIin of Wal
senburg in which he incloses an in
teresting communication from his
brother. Private Joe Coughlin OF this
city. written from somewhere in
France. Private Coughlin is a mem
Der of Company c. Sixtieth Regiment,
with the A. E. F.. where he is connect
ed with the transportation corps. His
parents and sister live in Prospect
Heights. and before being called to
the colors he was employed in the
service of the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad Company here. At the time
Of his enlistment he worked ON the
switch engine in the local yards for
Conductor Hickman Private Cough
lin was connected with the military
railway service behind the lines at the
time his letter was written. and in it
he tells some of his experience in that
capacity. He says:
"On November 8, two days before
the a-mistice was signed. ! was or
dered TO assist in taking ration train
to Vercun. famous in the history of
the fighting on the Western front
Things were pretty lively about that
tine, but we started without unneces-
ssry delay and passed through the
city of ST Mihiel. where the big drive
TOOK place last September. We drove
cautiously along the rails during the
darkness with the roar of the big
guns in every direction; some of them
station close TO use. At one place we
ha dto stop the train for two hours
and remain dead on account OF the
enemy's airplares flying overhead and
dropping bombs on all targets they
were able 10 make out. Our own
planes were in the air battling with
the Huns, and there was the devil TO
pay. both On the ground and in the
sky. The guns of the Allies were
throwing shells pretty fast into the
German positions which were only 6.
couple OF miles away. We were too
close for comfort. and the shock of
the artillery disclSrges broke the
glass in the windows OF the caboose
on our train.
We got to the end OF our trip
without accident after a slow run. and
were given an opportunity of inspect
ing the city of verdun, which is little
more than mass of ruins. After We
had seen all that We cared to there
We tried 10 get a train back TO our
terminal, but were unable 10 leave un-
til O'Clock in the evening. as the
Germans were bombarding the place.
Believe me. it sure made fellow
shake for they were using heavy STUFF
and the shells were tearing up the
grouad wherever they struck. We
saw a balloon shot down about 3
o'clock in the afternoon, but the
Dutchmau inside got away in his para
chute
I'VE sot ou; of yerdun about dark
and got 20 our terminal at the, CORE
spending hour the next evening. No
vembev IL. after being "a hours on the
road We had to make slow trip
$50 miles
The town of ST. Mihiel is all shot
to pieces and is a pile of wreckage
and old junk II was here that the
Huns started TO run when the Yanks
go; after them. but they were too
slow 70 get away and lost pretty heav-
lily in men and baggage in their re-
treat. visited ST. Nihiei last Mon
day and saw some of the dugouts the
Huns had fixed up in fine shape. The
town locks like Kansas cyclone had
struck il.
.An the way on the run TO verdun
the battle ragged in the air over our
heads, and we could hear the machine
guns Of the combatants crack as they
tried TO bring each other down. AT
daylight the battle ceased and We
moved ahead at a speed varying from
two 10 four miles an hour. finally
reaching our destination At O'Clock
at night in safety. verdun is quite
large city and was the center of
the drive last spring when the German
army under the Crown Prince attack
ed il with great force. The Huns
tried 10 take II from the French sew
erl times during the war. but never
succeeded. II is completely wrecked
a. ] know from observation, and my
pal and spent some time there look
iny it over. There is an underground
Verdun. as wei as one on the sur
face. hrt thc former is for military
purposes. being used as a resting place
for the soldiers during siege. II
is nice. comfortable place with a
good water supply and a great store OF
food
"verlun was held by the French
agains, the tower OF the German
army nom 1914 till the end of the
war. aud in Il are the last resting