Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-10-11
SERVING As AN INSTRUCTOR
Ikey Brooks Has Returned to Camp
Sewer
BE WENT ACROSS WITH The ngTH
North Carolina Soldier Of Company
e, Talks About Experiences In Bel.
aiun, and Tells Of the Fine Work
the Americans Are Doing over

aiunn, and Tells Of the Fine Work
! the Americans Arc Doing Over
| There.
Correspondence Of The Yorkville Enquirer
Camp Sewer October 5.-Whom
should run across yesterday but Ser &.
geant Isaac E. Brooks Of Company f.
10th Infantry. 30th Division (my old
company and one OF the first real
friends | made after coming into the
army. He's back from Europe after
three months Of fighting with the gal
liant Thirtieth and has been assigned
to the Twentieth Division as an in
structor-come to show the boys pre-
pairing to go over, just how the
Americans and especially the Thir-
tieth, are putting the fear Of God and
right into the Germans. 1t was great
surprise to see Ike since had no idea
that he was on this side and he went
on to say that II was some surprise to
him on q night early in September
when after hard day at the front
line he was informed that he was to
leave on the morrow for the states.
LET me tell YOU. buddy" he said.
that's a great country over there and
all that; but when I got near this side
the other day and saw the Goddess OF
Liberty again. there was creepy
feeling that went all through me which
had never experienced before and IL
il had been possible would have hug
ged the old girl until she busted. even
II she is made Of bronze.
"Ikey," as we used to call him. Is
fine looking chap. His home Is In
Newbern y. G. and he's had six years
service In the army and navy OF the
United States. He's n veritable Ad-
mirable Crichton in many respects.
He's an artist Of no mean ability. and
a great athlete. and when he plays
certain selections on the plano II you
aren't made Of stone you'll come pretty
near crying. His three months over
there and in 1t. as member Of the
Intelligence Department OF the 18th
Infantry, has given to him a certain
seriousness and air OF calm delibera-
ton that he never had before. He has
the look OF a man who has been
through the valley of the shadow OF
death and has come out better and
stronger and wiser by reason Of his
Great Adventure.
Naturally I had many questions to
ask him about conditions over there
and about the old company and a lot
Of other things and he appeared to be
quite willing TO talk about almost any
thing I wanted to know. So for three
hours over cigarettes and coffee I sat
and listened and asked questions
while he talked.
within a month after we landed over
there the latter part of May" he said.
I'VE have been in Belgium practically
ever since we went over and we are
proud Of the fact that we were the
first American division in Belgium.
We have been fighting. all right.
Don't you forget that. Fritz is some
soldier and we have quite a little re-
spect for him. But since we have been
UP against him and have whipped the
stuffing out Of him time and time
again we know that we are better SOL
dlers than he is. Consequently we do
not consider that he has anything on
US.
1.-THE common opinion among the
French and Belgians Is that the war
will be over in another year and pos
sibly before that time. But much hard
fighting is to be done before It is over
We must lose many men and the
Germans must lose many men before
It Is over. We haven't done any fight
Ing as yet on the enemy's soil to
speak Of. and it's a cinch that he's
going to fight like the very devil when
we get to the point where the conflict
is being waged altogether in his own
backyard.
while Of course casualties on
our side have been pretty numerous In
way, yet they have not been very
great considering the large number Of
men engaged. For instance, up to the
time that left for the states about a
month ago, old "E" company Of the
10th had lost only three men killed
outright. or course there had been
number who had been wounded; but
very few Of them seriously.
"It's no picnic over there on the
battlelines. And let me tell you. II you
ever meet a lad from over there who
tells you that he went over the top
time after time and wasn't scared. why
you just tell him that Ike Brooks says
he's Altar and send him to me. They
are all scared. It isn't human not to
be. I've been over more than once
and take 1t from me could hear 'em
playin Jesus Lover OF Ny Soul" from
the time the barTage started until 1t
was all over every time.
THAT reminds me-" Sergeant Brooks
said with a laugh. of a little incident
that occurred back in August. had
had very hard day Of 1t and that
night British army officer came into
my dug out and said that he had just
received a number Of new draft men
whom he wanted to send on trench
raid that night with the view Of pick
ing up a German prisoner or two for
information purposes. He said he
wanted a nom commissioned officer to
go along with them Just to steady"
them. Would I go?
well. I didn't want to go: but I
managed to twist my face Into
sort Of smile and murmured something
about being delighted at the honor.
But I was wondering all the time who
the dickens was going to steady me.
Well, we made the raid and those
English rockies acted like old vets.
NJ . ,&,,n1o - nonhaa ond pnp-