The Coconino sun., 1918-12-06
SOLDIERS (ORh[R
 ITEMS OF INTEREST
 ABOUT OUR BOYS OVER - HERE AND "OVER THERE"
LIEUT.. ELMER DUFFIELD
 ON THE BATTLE FRONT

Since. Lieut.. Duffield's letter is dated Oct. 21st, and the armistice signed Nov. 11th, it is evedent that he came through safely in the thickest of the last battles.
 Over Here, 10-21-18.
 o. L. Hart, Flagstaff, Ariz.
 Dear Friend:
 A few lines to say hello and that l am o. K., but have had a little trouble due to bad water that put me out yesterday. Everyone in camp af fected more or less.
 We have recently moved from where we connected up behind one drive and are now about connected be- hind more recent drive. I leave camp at 5:30 a. m. with an engine to test out the German railway, narrow gauge, of course. Our little 20-ton steam engines are right smart little fellows but what a contrast to the 5000 class Wallets I used to handle that weighed 425 tons. We get them off the the track and on again with out much trouble but we had a devil of a time few nights ago with one which turned over on it's side but when we put her right side up she went to work and has been working double shift ever since. The shell holes are part full of water and it is almost impossible to keep the track level as the fills from hole to hole slip and slide this and that way. Ev- erybody lends willing hand and we keep going some way, hauling sup plies, food and ammunition. At place we have since left we were de- livering trench timbers pretty close to the front line, some 1-2 to 3-4 of a mile. It seemed to me we might save time by unloading on both sides of the car but the sergeant in charge said no, that machine guns were in position in the bushes at our feet. Did not want to throw the timbers off on the machine guns. Guess that is up front. We unloaded there several nights and finally moved out of the vicinity, but l since hear that a few minutes after we left the last night the outfit was gassed. have had my gas mask on 3 times. Twice for mus tard and once for chlorine phosgene combination.
 Before starting this letter to you this evening l wrote pages to Mrs E. H. D. and twice left the letter and went into a dugout to avoid hostile aircraft. The first time there was no fire but the second time bombs were dropped half a mile away and the machine guns played some. Once we could see the sparks from his gun so he must have been within IA of mile of us or so. Artillery is going all the time. We are now some distance behind. We were shelled Saturday. One can tell by the scream of the approaching shell whether it is coming close or not and if so it is up to you to flop on your belly and do it quick, and I can do it as quick as the rest. At first it seemed the part of cowardice to do so but it is not so considered. To ex- plain, one of our lieutenants was killed by shell explosion close by. Two artillery officers in company with him flopped and come out un- hurt. Our lieutenant would have lived had he Topped. There is one place where you are up against it to tell whether the shell is coming or go- ing and that is closely in front of our guns. My first experience was in front of battery of 75's and it was pitch dark and I was switching out some trench stuff. Shells were com ing and going overhead and I was wondering how long they would con tinue to pass over when Bang! went something just over the other side of the car. I tell you I was glad it hap pened on the other side of the car and l was wondering if the next one would come on my side when several more let go in rapid succession. I tried to hug that car of timber and 1 squeezed to the end and peeked around and saw a battery of 75's belching fire close by-100 yards to 1-2 mile. l will have something to tell you on my return about moving 6 of our trains at night by an ex- posed place through shell, rifle and machine gun fire. The outfit I am near quit me once but took the load on the lead train and ordered the rest to follow and they came out of it. Shrapnel was falling like acorns. Twigs and leaves coming off the trees. Chunks of dirt falling from contact shell explosions close by, but only one man was hit. When you can see chunks of red hot steel hiss ing in the mud l guess you have been under shell fire Now, Les, there is not another thing to write about or would gladly do SO. We see no news papers. No women. No towns with people. No stores. Just destruction. I wish I could write of something else. Oh. yes, we get lots of fine beef. We handle car after car of it in fine coin dition for the boys up front. Am get ting hungry for mutton. Another airplane, but this time ours. We have had lots of rain and cloudy nights but tonight the moon shines bright which accounts for the airplane activity. In the most dangerous places we work only at night and then without lights. You can imagine how tedious. Had a wreck with a French horse train and one brakeman lost his life. Now there goes more about destruction. Excuse me. Say hello to Chas. Bigham, Bill Hancock, Dan and the rest.
 I doubt if this thing is over before another 12 months. Some are plan
 M II