Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21
ELMER SHARP GETS
TROUBLESOME HUN
IN LIVELY FIGHT
Frederick Soldier Has Thrilling
Hand-to-Hand Encounter
With Bochc.
WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE

Rev. and Mrs. William W. Sharp,
formerly Of Wilmington, now OF fredcrica.
have received letter from their son,
Elmer, written at Chamburg, France,
sunday, November "a, which says:
We landed in Glasgow. Scotland, alter
an uncventful tnp over. Sure wac glad
20 have something solid under foot and
able 10 500 % her things The water, water
everywhere, docs not appeal to me. We
entrained NJ Glasgow on tho toy, thcy
cali railroad here But what they lack
Ia size they make up in speed seventy
to ninety miles per hour Did not take
rs long to make the trip through Scotland
to Winchester. England We campcd
there about y week supposed To be rest
camp, but they had us working most OF
the time We were more then glad when
the orders came 20 leave for Southampton,
Eng. the seaport where we embarked
for the trip across the stormy English
Channel The ship was crowded and
most everyone sea-sick ! fortunately
had a little money and paid for the use
Of one Of the mates cabins and slept the
whole trip over, about seven hours. We
landed al Cherbourg, little seaport on
northwestern France. Prom there u was
one rcst camp after another for about three
weeks We Travelled in box cars, stop
ping about every three days. Then q
tventy-mle hike 10 tho little town of
Ioueycncourt The French towns are
queer. the richer the person the bigger
the stable refuse pile in the front yard.
We were in this little town for about s
month for final intensive training for
tho front II sure was some excitement
when we finally left for the Alsatian
front IN tho NOsges mountains, very
dunct front, but we soon started things up.
There were RAIDS, etc. My signal work
kept me on the GO. shellhre continually
putting the lines out OF commission.
Several times We encountered a patrol
and had 10 drop things and scrap.
got my first and only Hun there. Ont
repairing line one night bumped into a
Hun cutting the wires There were some
lively dolngs FOR about five minutes il
seemed a century 70 me missed my
first shot at him and did not have time
for n second ono We had il out hand To
hand ! am still on tho Job he is finished
We were Just a month IN the trenches.
Went 10 Ssnlexures for q rest Our next
orders took US 10 the Argonnc forests
Had an awful hike felt like a combina-
tion ot mud-pen and pack-horse by the
time We stopped. On the go every day
for thirteen and fourteen hours. Had
some Job trying 10 catch the retreatins
Huns We advanced almost to Sedan
before we were relieved The news Of
signing the armIstice sure was welcomed
Believe me, We sure earned the rest we
src now having
"It IS almost Thanksgiving | have
aire cause to be thankful Quite
number of US were given ten-day passes
Fine eats, real beds, and nothing to do
but eat and sleep. Believe me, ] sure
need both. Our last advance almost
ruined US. lost twenty pounds in
month time. / am going TO make il up
IL the next ten days Hope 70 be home
soon, some time in January. If one can
believe al we hear | have much to tell
YOU; viii save il until reach home. Big
dinner and masquerade planned for the
18th. ] intend 10 enjoy myself