Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-23
OUR :. BOYS
OUR CQUNTRY'S SERVICE

~hduuoCho VI augusta, ncW IN france,
doing his bit as a vetel marian. He
tells something of his experience at
the front with the 10od Machine Gun
Battalion.
Left our rest area n l o'clock one
night, and travelled all the next day
and night, and the next day, arriv-
ing at our destination At o'clock al
night and raining hard. Unloaded
IN the mud and started for the next
town. Arrived there about A. NJ.
and found it mass CT ruins. no
quarters assigned and no ba cgare,
cold, rainy and muddy Drs. Ford.
Plalsted and / found a house with
one room with three sides and roof
stole the canvas off cart belonging
TO the ------- Infantry, which was lost
and asking directions, folded the
canvas and crawled inside and sl.-pt
on the muddy floor about an hour.
'hen the cold woke US and we got up.
The next three days we slept in a
deserted Y. NJ. c. A. hut, and y,t orr
meals anywhere we saw them serv
ing any. After that W moved into
duSouts between the first and second
line trenches, where we either fed
ourselves out of tin cans or walked
ABOUT four miles for our meals.
Later the rest of the company moved
up and our meals were served Orr
quarters were very comfortable be-
Ing on side hill and " ell hidden.
On clear days many German
planes came over and We saw many
ar battles and a number Of planes
tan On the hill just above were
placed artillery and anti-aircraft
guns ana below us in the val ev the
observation balloons went up. 1t
was sight to see the observers dive
headlong from the balloons and then
! foat away on their parachutes
when German plane dropped from
the clouds on them. as they had a
way of doing.
ABOUT two or three nights 2 week
II favorable, there would be air raids
All raids over Paris passed over us
and entertained us on The way. 1t
would make your hair stand w lit
tie "nen YOU were .yiT. in bed with
only three or four sa ldbags over
your head and cloth in the windows.
and the bombs would explode, shak-
ing the hill, rafting the door and
, blowing the cloth win lows in and
out. and You knew if one hit vour
roof it would be of no use for any
one to look for You. You could also
hear the music of the shrapnel from
the anti aircraft guns
I went to the front line trenches
with Dr.. Ford, a dentist from Brewer
Nc. We passed throurh a ruined
| town where there was receiving
! station for the wounded. AS we
passed on we came to Il hill on the
furthe-' side where therc was o high
bank on one side Of tho road. and
steep bank dropping away on The
other. A shell came over and *
ploded and number CT men iumped
for their holes. We, Knowing no.h-
ing, therefore fearing nothing,
laughed at them and kept on going.
We had gone about 100 feet when we
heard another coming, and that time
we ducked for some reason. bu. there
was no hole to crawl into so we Jaw
fiat against the bank and the shell
burst enough to show. dirt on our
backs.
That was sufficient. we wanted
hole. so started on looking for one.
we Just got in sight CT one some
distance ahead when We heard
another shell coming. and right th,re
we began to scratch gravel. There
was French soldier about half way
between US and the hole. and he was
going some. but DR. Ford beat him
in. and was treadins on his heels.
We stopped there one and nalf
hours. The shower being appsrentlv
over we started on. On reaching the
TOP Of the hill. we had to pass for
about a mile along the top Of the
ridge in plain sight o. the German
mes. We were about hall way
across when she'll exploded about
100 yards behind us, having passed
over our heads. The next one landed
ABOUT 90 yards away. and no cover in
sight except a ditch with dirt thrown
Up about p feet high, for which we
Owed as another shell came On
coming out we found a telephone line
across the end Of the ditch only
ABOUT two feet high. which we had
gone under without knowing it was
there, 50 you can see we were fv;ny
low
IN reaching the tre-ches we ran
INTO some mustard gas sent over in
sheIls but it did not last long. We
remained in the trenches untr after
dark, not caring to 20 lack by day
i1sht' This is good sample of life
II mat region and it is certainly way /
anead OF this ! am now enjoying. as
II seems as if you were really doing
something there"
Lieut.. Maddocks is now doing duty
al a remount station. on what vas
formerly stock farm of 1900 acres,
winch accommodates a large number /
OF horses. His address is Care of Co |
q ll6th Ammunition Train, V. c. \. |
w., Am Ex. Forces, France.
Inc following letter written nv Dr !
req Gregory. a formcr Fort Fair
neid physician and son of Mr.. and
MIS- Neil Gregory Of Fairfield. 10 Al |
pert Crosby, Fairfield, will be 81 in |
lerest to the many friends of Percy
Crosby
Mr.. Albert Crosby,
Fairfield, Me.
Dear Friend:
nave tried since yesterday % s-on
you line but as I was verv husr
Will taka tbee. g. DoSE