White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-27

49,
. Gust as soon as the Yanks .
. came near it was 'Kamerad' .
. and to the rear-happy to get .
. out of the scrap. .
.
Bristling with sparkling epigrams,
Tom Smith has written a letter to
his father, Arthur Smith. manager
Of the Ely Securities company, de.
lineating his experiences on the bat
tie line in the European war zone.
The letter follows:
France, Cept. %, 1918.
Dear Father:
/ am In excellent health, In fact
/ couldn't feel better. Believe me,
it is a wonder that more men are not
on the sick list Tor we have been in
the rain and wet, sleeping in woods,
no covering except tents and those
are usually wet from the last place.
1t has been raining a lot lately. The
morning we went over the top we
were wading through mud up to our
ankles and wet through to the skin.
However, the weather turned fine un-
til the lull In the attack came.
I don't think the Hun will last
long for he will break his neck look
ing around to see what place we will
hit him next. Poor old Boche, he Is
done In"
/ think 1 have rambled along on
common ordinary writing and have
not touched on the most interesting
experiences of my life. The recent
attack. Yes. l was in IT, MY pla-
toon was the left leading platoon OF
my company, which was in the front
line of the support. The battalion in
front got going so strong they
wouldn't relinquish the front line.
but about noon we filled in a gap and
advance in the front line capturing
the town in front of us.
l never had such an experience or
sight in my life. The preparatory
artillery opened up very early In the
morning and it was a beauty You
could hear the crack of the smaller
guns close by and the booming OF the
big guns in the rear. The sky was
ablaze on all sides. / was SO busy
preparing my platoon to go Owe that
l had no time to get nervous or ex-
cited. About time to over, or rather
when we started over, machine guns
both Boche and ours, formed a con-
tinuous rattle. The guns were still
going boom boom, only there was an
increased number of smaller guns.
The Boche got wcrrier and sent up
all kinds of flares, etc. In all 1t was
a wonderful sight. Just after we got
over there was a little artillery nre
from the .Boche, but 1t was not very
heavy. / guess our guns did him up.
We just kept on going and five MIN
utes after we started over prisoners
we're starting to the rear with their
hands high and making as mucn
speed as possible. The Huns maze
no resistance whatever except for a
little machine gun and artillery work
Just as soon as the Yanks came neal
it was 'sKamerad' and to the a
happy to get out of the scrap
There are lots of kids and old mel
in the scrap. 80.
Just before entering a town winch
lay in our sector we encountered .
little direct fire from two batteries
of SS-cen. guns. They are calieo
the "Whiz-bangs" and are wei
noted, only l would say 'Phls'
bangs" After going through yh'
town and taking a position on the
top of a hill, they also opened up a
fairly short range. They kept smell
ing the town quite a bit, but ! nae
passed that. Our casualties wei'
very small.
Now / am well back OF the iin'
and will probably go back for tram
ing and rest and maybe a furlougn.
Well, Dad. l guess ] will quit io'
this time. sA