The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-12-20
TTfRFRON PALESTINE
MANKAT0 MAN LOOKING OVER
THAT FAMOUS LAND
FL. FrogIey, Soldier, Writes J.
c. Campbell of Little Giant
Company

r. y. rTOSley, du eluplOye VI the
Little Giant company, wrote the fol-
lowing letter to j. c. Campbell. gen
eral superintendent of the company:
Somewhere in France, August 81
1918. Dear Jim: Well, this is about
the first real opportunity l have had
to drop you line, as we are out on
rest most of us this morning after
doing a bit of extra work. am
writing this letter in one Of Jerry's
dug outs here. This was his front line
two days ago but our boys got him
on the run and the cavalry are still
chasing him, guess and hope they
will keep him or the go for a while
Just to give us fellows rest, for we
have sure been at it pretty steady
here these last few days and l have
had little sleep from running back
wards and forwards from headquart-
ers to the Battalion. / am just get
ting cleaned up bit after resting and
fixed up the machine to go out again
for another spell in the morning. We
fellows call this a rest when we get
a couple of miles behind the lines,
although you yourself would call it
booming night and day around here
and Jerry has been sending some of
his heavies over all day. but it's what
they call rest in the army.
Our rations here are not so bad
but some of the Yankees had bad
time of it when they first began to
arrive. All they were getting was a
couple of slices of bread with little
cheese. Ours was and is small enough
but theirs was smaller still, but it's
a big thing to keep going, to feed,
clothe and keep all these men going
in the field. It's beyond ones mag
ination to try and imagine what it is
like out here unless you come here
and see for yourself.
Right behind our cellar, for we are
in small village now, there's an
orchard. It's a mighty shame, but
there's about 400 trees, apples, pear,
plum and cherry, all have either been
shot away and what hasn't been split
with shells, Jerry has cut down and
there is not house here with two
sides to it, just here and there few
straight walls just standing there as
if they were guarding the remains of
the town.
Well, Jim, although we boys have
been keeping the guns supplied with
munitions and rations over the mar
row guage track, as that's our job, we
had to jump in and (censored) cou-
pie of weeks ago for about five or six
days as our division was waiting for
(censored) but we didn't do so bad
while (censored) we had just about as
many casualties (censored) as we had
when on our own job, but the boys
didn't like being couped up so much.
They like to be on the move little
more, but we are all right now back
at the same old thing. Just had some
new and lively remounts sent down
to us to help us out and they want
some handling all right. They must
have come from some of the Western
States for they sure are some bron-
chos.
We are having some nice weather
here now, just what we need to keep
the Hun on the run. How it has stop
ped from raining for a couple of
weeks has got some of us a guessing,
but it's a little too hot for me to get
around in. as the mud has all been
turned into dust and it fairly clogs
ones throat to ride a few Kilos and
the old engine just burns your hide.
She gets so hot on the legs. but
don't know how long will be dis
patch rider, for l expect to get a
transfer soon to the ordnance depart
ment mobile, that's If / am lucky
enough and that will be just what I
want to get some mechanical knowl-
edge of guns and trucks.
Well. Jim, l hope everything is 60
ing along fine at the shop now
Wouldn't mind being there right now
to get change of scenery, that is
the noise, but give my best regards
to all the boys when you see them.
Would like to drop them. all line
but time and tide waits for no man,
so will now close hoping this will find
you in the best of health and as lively
as ever. Yours sincerely F. j. Frog
ley.
p S. Just enclosing little piece
of sacking Jerry uses to wrap his
shells in. It's made of twisted paper.
He can't get felt. Regards to boys
also girls at the shop. Sap. F. J..
Frogley, No. 2503374 1 Battalion Can.
Rail. Sappers. A Company, A. E. F.
France.
Somewhere in Palestine. Well, Jim,
/ have arrived in Palestine now, but
the othe part of the Letter wrote in
France but never got chance to for
ward it, SO am finishing it now.
have seen many of the old ancient
places mentioned in the Bible, such
as Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem,
the Sea of Galilee, where Christ was
supposed to have walked upon the
waters. We had a pleasant trip across
the Mediterranean sea, no tin fish to
bother us and believe me it sure was
such a picture, the ocean so blue
quite pretty, and not cloud in the
sky. We were in Malta few days,
a pretty town also but much prettier
at night time with those Maltese
Gondalas gliding about on the waters.
We sailed for Port Said and down the
Suez canal. swan across it while
we were locked.
1t is a different kind of warfare
here to what it was in France, all
open fighting. but there is such lot
of suffering here with all kinds of
diseases, the Turks left behind and
we have to take every precaution,
especially with our water which is
neither too plentiful or any too good.
One bottle a day Is our ration in
water, not any too much, believe me,
would drink four of them day.
Well, Jim, / guess you must get
plenty of war news home and things
are going little better with I'VE