The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-12-04
FORMER EMPLOYE
WRITES LETTERS THAT
TELL OF BIG DRIVE
FRANCIS J. MAGIN SAW MUCH
OF BATTLE AS DID ALSO
OTHER LOCAL MEN.

the letters which our old employe-
we hardly know whether to say en-
ploye or not, because Francis was just
ike one of the family-but before the
war he operated the linotype in the
News office and was an emplcye OF
the office and this week we are glad
to publish three Of the boys letters,
which tell more than he has ever let
cut about the war in his previous let
ters. His letters are written In a
hospital and are as follows:
Oct. II, 1918.
Dear Parents and All:
Here i am in a place l have never
intended to get into. am In an
American hospital and am coming
along fine and l expect to go back to
the company in week or less. Don't
think | have been wounded for /
haven't. l have just been gassed
and am here having my eyes treated
and resting. The first night after
bein& gassed was little painful and
I couldn't open my eyes for anything.
l had to be led around the same way
As we used to lead Grandpa but they
didn't let me fall.
/ got into the worst barrage | ever
was in while up at the front this
last time and that is when got mine.
The shells were going over so fast
and thick one couldn't tell which way
they were coming from so all we
could do was keep down and pray
that none would find US and kill US.
sure hllgged the wet ground that
morning all right and believe me when
those shells came over any one can
almost sink themselves intD the
ground by falling down. A hole in
the ground sure does look good to
soldier when barrage is going on.
After travelling in ambulances and
q bus and \ train finally arrived
at this hospital on Sunday night and
have been gaining ever since. This
is the first time l have been allowed
to write so don't blame me. l hope
this reaches you before long. l will
try and write again before l leave
here. I sure am getting good rest
here. / lie in bed most all the time,
and wouldn't need to get out at all If
I don't want to.
It sure il nice here and seems
little like home as two of the nurses
came from Camp Custer and one
worked in the Belding hospital last
winter and was trained in Blodgett
hospital, Grand Rapids. l wish Sar-
ah was here right now and perhaps 1t
is Just as well that she isn't here. 1t
is awful hard work and l hope she
will stay in the States for while yet.
have been getting mail very reg
ular until / came here and l surely
appreciated it too just got let
ter from Lucy and Victoria the night
before / went on the line and those
were the last | got.
Well folks. don't worry over me as
I am feeling fine, perhaps little
lazy. One can't help but get well
with the care of these good Red
Cross nurses, they are just great.
Give my live and best wishes to all
at home. Good bye for this time.
Your loving son and brother,
Francis.
Oct. 81, 1918.
Dear Parents and All:
Here / am still in bed. One look
ing at me at first glance might think
/ am sick but I'm not l am ready
to go back to the company but the
doctor don't seem to think so and
perhaps he knows best. like it here
and couldn't have got into a better
hospital but I'd much rather be back
where | know more boys than l do
here.
They have quit treating my eyes
but are still giving me some kind OF
medicine for my thy yoat as | still have
a little cough ard sore throat but
that is going away now so l VIII be
all right in day or two.
| don't know what you would do If
it wasn't for these Red Cross nurses
we have here, as one of them was
kind enough to bring me two of her
envelopes so l could send two letters
out and another one brought me about
a dozen the other day for which you
can be as thankful as | am. | was
telling you how much / would like
some chocolate and what do you know
about it, she brought me a full bar
of it that night when she came back
from her supper. Gee, but the nurs-
es are just as good to US boys as they
can be and when you give anything
to the Red Cross you can rest assur-
ed that you are doing something worth
while. They come around and say
Goodnight" and in the morning they
come to each one and ask how he
feels with a pleasant Good Morn
ing"
i have been wondering whether you
have heard from John yet or not. /
haven't heard from him but the once
when he was still in England. / am
= as liable to meet him "over here"
as / am to find a thousand dollars
and you know how lucky am.
/ forgot to tell you in my last let
ter that / received a letter from Da-
vid. wish you would tell him re-
ceived it 0. k. and that l will answer
it before long.
The sun is shining nice and bright
and / would like to be out in it but
there is no use of me- wishing any
thing like that. The only pleasant
thing / can think of is that supper
will be around in about an hour from
now. They even bring that to me-.
Well, dear ones, / must close for
this time, hoping there will be plenty
Of mail for me when I return to the
company. Your loving son and BROTH
er,
Francis.
Oct. 25, 1918.
Dear Sister, Brother and Niece:
n - - -