Valdez daily prospector., 1918-03-27
THE HORRORS OF
 WAR DESCRIBED
Major George De TarnOwsky, With American Expeditionary Forces
 Writes of Experiences

The following is an excerpt from a letter written to friends in Chicago by Major George De Tarnowsky, and published in the Medical Mobiliza- tion:
 "I shall attempt to describe one scene to give you an idea of how he'll ish war can be. In order to reach some pill boxes, as the British call the small cement forts constructed by the Germans when they occupied the country, and which are used as dress ing stations by the allies, before the enemy could see us, I was awakened at half past five and given a cup of tea and a piece of'toast and started at with Captain M. c. as guide. We drove four miles in an auto and then got out. I gazed on an endless sea of mud and water. Roads were all des- troyed by shell fire and there was not square yard which was not rep resented by big shell hole full of thick, yellowish green water. The on- ly means of advance was over duck boards feet wide and placed on wooden posts feet above the water. This path was over five miles long, changing direction every 20 yards in order to avoid enflading fire. There was not tree left standing anywhere. Dead bodies of horses were every where. I counted "A in a distance of less than 500 yards. Bodies of Ger mans and British lie everywhere. Now an arm, now leg, now a head stick ing out of the mud or bobbing around in the slimy water. They cannot be hurried because if one leaves the board walk one sinks in the mud and is quickly smothered. The stench of the atmosphere is something awful. Wat CT has to be bailed or pumped out al most continually. large percentage of the men develop trench feet and am sorry to say my feet bother me considerably already. The mems feet swell up so horribly they are com pelled to cut their shoes off. It is most fascinating to watch the shells fall ing steadily along our lines for five minutes and then jump forward ano- ther hundred yards, and after an i'm terval again forward. At junction of one of these paths bunch of ''Tommies" came running at top speed. The leader shouted to us ito run like ell, they are going to strafe this ere point something 'horful."
 Run like ell we did and soon got out of range. At least 200 shells were fired at us. One may be hit at any mo- ment, but the chances are so inn measurably in ones favor that aside from taking every possible precau- tiOn one pays no attention to the noises around.
 "One of the most exciting scenes l witnessed near Ypres was a British sausage or stationary observation baflon, the cable of which suddenly snapped. Up it shot into the air and steadily drifted toward the Boches. We saw the observer climb out on the edge of his basket with the parachute strapped to his shoulder and jump in- to space. The parachute unfolded and he floated gracefully to the earth.
 A shout of joy went up when the telephone tinkled and we were in formed that he had dropped safely into the English lines. Another day I counted 26 airplanes fighting over Ypres.
 "The army is splendid. I saw regi- ments from England, Scotland, Aus tralia and Canada in different sectors. All were splendid looking fighting men, well trained and we'll seasoned. American officers are to be found in many of the British hospitals doing noble work. also met many artillery and line officers, ali eagerly studying this new method of warfare, and all eager to learn.
 "The officers are splendid lot of fellows. They were formal the first day, melted in the evening, and the next morning hailed me as 'Tarnasky' a sure sign with the British that you have been accepted as gentleman and a good fellow.
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