The Ordway new era., 1918-09-27
With the Boys
Here and There
FROM BILLY WALKER

In letter to his mother. Mrs. A.
w. Bartlett, Billy Walker makes mem
tion of work his battalion has been
doing which shows that he mas been
on the battle front for couple of
months and is seeing and participat-
ing in some of the big battles and
victories in France. His mother and
sisters had reminded him that he was
to have a birthday and in response
he says:
1--WE have been going so steadily
for the last two months and have had
so little to remind us of days and
dates that had completely forgotten
that was passing another milestone.
and aside from the gift which l can
use to mighty good advantage it is a
very pleasant feeling to know that
you have not forgotten.
81 wish l could tell you where we
are and Just what we have been doing
but about all l can say is that we
have had the honor to be in one OF
the biggest battles and most complete
allied victory of the entire war.
We have received two citations for
getting into position in fast time and
for accurate firing and naturally feel
proud of it.
Since the boche started his retreat
we have been hot on his trail ana
have been continuously in positions
which have been very prominently
mentioned in the press, and so have
had some very interesting experiences
and exciting and warm times.
Harvesting Frances Crop
Zone would think that country
which has been the field of the Dig
gest battles of all times would be
completely destroyed and it is very
agreeable surprise to see German
prisoners harvesting the largest grain
crop ever grown in France on some
of the lands. However there are
some of the fields that have been so
sprinl5led with shell that they look
like they had just been plowed, and
show not one sign of vegetation.
And then when you see the buildings
and towns it is a different story. L
don't believe we have seen house
or building in the reconquered coun-
try that wasn't damaged, and very
seldom one that is not complete
ruin.
Villages Devastated
1--WE were in one village of about
1000 population that had been the
victim of both German and allied
artillery and it was literally blown to
pieces. Not one house was left stand
ing and the only thing to distinguish
it from rock pile was once in awhile
a lone wall or chimney. Even the
trees were reduced to splinters and
all in all 1t Is the most complete ruin
one could imagine.
"In another town of several thous-
and people there were a few houses
that had not been touched by shell
and everyone had been entered by
the boche and the furniture hacked
and mirrors, china and pictures brok-
en- and destroyed.
"The German soldier has shown
himself to be the vandal he is and
his officers are even worse for al
lowing him to commit the crimes
he has.
Sees Big Air Battles
Never day passes but we see an
air battle and it is common sight
to see an airplane dart out from a
cloud and set fire to an observation
balloon. In every case I've seen, with
one exception, the observer has land
ed safely with his parachute, and
that time the parachute itself caught
fire. 1t is a favorite sport of the
boche aviator to fire on the observer
and parachute while in the air.
I'm clear days the line of battle
is very plainly marked by long line
of balloons reaching as far as you
can see. and we see some very lively
air battles about them.
Sees Roy Townsend
II saw Roy Townsend day or so