New Britain herald., 1918-10-22
COMP ANY ] MEN IN
 BIG ALLIED DRIVE
Sergt. Callahan Pays Tribute to
 Work Of Private TOOmey

Sergeant Clarence J. Callahan Of Company 1, 1O2d U. s. Infantry, has written to James J. Toomey telling him of the work of the local boys. At the time of the writing the local com panies had just finished driving the Huns in their section back with great success, and the New Britain sergeant describes the work of Company I in the big push" Sergeant Callahan writes also to tell of the excellence of the work of Private Edward Toomey of Company I, who went away a boy, but who is coming back a man." Private Toomey is the son of Mr. James Toomey and was but IT years of age when he enlisted The letter follows:
 My Dear Mir. Toomey:
 No doubt you will be somewhat sur prised to hear from me and at the same time forgive me for not writing before. Like others, I have been put ting 1t off and off for the last nine months and finally I have felt so ashamed of myself that I decided to do it now. It Is is not too late let me thank you for the dandy trench mirror you sent to me. I still have it and 1t is invaluable. I appreciate it very much, MT. Toomey, and I can assure you that I will get hold of some Boche equipment and send it to you for a souvenir as I am sure you would appreciate one. Also to Mrs Toomey, l want to thank her for the knitted goods she sent me.
 Well, MT. Toomey, in a few days we will be in France a year. Has 1t not been a successful one? And has it not been an eventful one?. When we arrived in France we were a. wonder full sight to the French as there were but few thousand American soldiers here at that time. We were pioneers into a strange country with strange people. At that time there were no tobacco funds, there were no attrac- tions over here, there was very little of anything. and in fact there were days when mess call blew and there was no mess. Then the rainy season started and we were in mud to our knees every day, and Oh, so many other trials that naturally confront the volunteer. We did not growl or kick, but went ahead and trained from the day we landed to the day we entered the trenches. Now I look around and see big government warehouses filled with new and clean clothes, good eats, plenty of equipment, etc. There are travelling shows to give entertainment to the men when they are not in the line. Very seldom @ man goes a day without tobacco. There are clean bilIets for the men to live in and good parade grounds for drill. The United States ehas it's. own engines and cars, she has her own lines of communica- tion with the s. o. s. (service of sup ply) and everything that an army could want. What change in a year. What a difference for the boys who come over now. You will never know what the boys of Co. I and others un- derwent until statistics and statements of the boys come forth after this war
 We are happy and contented and filled to the neck with courage and ability to fight We have Q spirit that is only known in an organization of our kind.
 When we entered the trenches for the first time we were new and anxious to beat the Hun. We wanted to learn to fight him, and we did. Today we are feared by the Hun, he hates to learn that we are in front of him. I am not boasting of this division, I am dealing with facts. Un- doubtedIy you already know of what has been accomplished, especially within the last two months and no doubt the soldier that is within you leaps with joy. Honestly l have never been so enthusiastic over any thing as I am over this war. The men are always ready and eager to go lover" to lessen the eneny's strength. At present we are in front and have completed the big "push'' that started not long ago. We certainly made
 them beat it, and fast too. We took
 them right and left by surprise. We captured several towns that were in
 their possession for the past four years and freed the inhabitants ! (French) who have been punished i and persecuted by the savages. Some ! of the sights were pitiful I assure you. i l remember one town more distinctly 1 than the others. It was the second | town After an all night march ! through woods and underbruSh and i with the rain beating down on us, we 1 halted at a. m. and fell in an open i lot, below a burning town to sleep ! without so much as putting blanket ] over us--We were tired and hungry. ! We were asleep only three-quarters of ! an hour when we were awakened and
 told to expect a scrap. Without packs