The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-04
LOCAL ITALIAN ..>;'
WRITES FROM FRANCE

! Among the many young men from tho
city Of Wheeling who have fought thu
good fight for human freedom ON :he
fields of Flanders was one james Leone,
an Italian BY birth. but most patriotic
was a shoemaker BY trade and before
entering the service was employed in
he Mccoy shoe. shop. In letter TO
: +. s. Honcckrr he tells Of his expert
,nce in battle. The letter is "a follows:
RI. $. Honccker.
Attorney-at-l.aw
Wheeling. W. Va:
received u letter from you Some
ago. and I'm really ashamed of myself
FOR not answering it till now. but
! won't let it happen again. so hope you
WIN forgive mr. and / WIN try to make
; I'm in the best of health, and am get
ting all can out Of the war Gamc rs
quite war after all. and hope it won't
hc long till We see each other again.
Well. to start with. when l left the
States the first place l landed was in
France. | would like to namc the post.
but it wouldn't he right, and know you
wall know the reason.
juincd III" l47th Field Artillery. took
! M tho c"urS" of 4 gunner on III" French
: SIS. which is Il quick-firing gun. ;he
J best firing piece I hav" Sc"n go far, and
have sccn quite number. have also
! fired 81 british point .. which Isl MISC
Il good gun. that is for long range. TIL,
; shells weight $50 pounds. We send
Fritz quite Il few OF these before break
! fast. as you know he has to have his
| Iron rationS.
Well. from there l volunteered for Tho
! tank service. which is three points high
| or than the aviation: For this train
ing l was sent 10 England. spent
, four months at the tank training sta
! ton. and l will say il is a great piceo
! Of machinery. One would be surprised
how much there is TO learn.
/ Her" are few things one has to know
: before going into action: The care Of
: the engine and repairs TO il: how 10 op-
; crate and repair machine guns and ak
. FOUNDERS: how to box compass, and
; driving.
; After I finished my training wae
| tank battalion. and it left for. Franco
! for my first trip over tho top. awa:s
! will say it was some trip. suppose
you have read abou. the drive on Seq
strongest sector tho kaiser had and il
was tho Hindcnhurg line
! When, our tank started over the top
! | thought the kaiser had every gun In
h, this sector. The machine guns wern
! about ton feet apart. and about every
; fifty yards there WAS nest of thcIh
. eight 70 nest: also anih- tank guns
, trench mortars and the trenches which
as deep. We sure gave the Hindcnbur;;
! lin" an awful hit, and I will call il q
/ home run. and ! don't think II will 20
! long before Fritz will be home. we've
stop tin the stars and stripes ara on
tho kaiScr's flagstaff in Berlin.
They've called this No Mans Land
! Tong enough. and | think Uncle sam
will let them know who the land belongs
| To-
We'll. when our tank was put out OF
condition NIL that WAS left for US In O.
nj ; u no
. from destroying il. WE took the ina
chine gun out with us and placed nur-
, EclH"% in trenches from which We could
7 Ecr IN" tank. oh yes. We also got som"
! cocoa and cakes and hot water which ""
, had III Il can on the exhaust pipe. After
! about fifteen minutes | walked further
down the trench and came across two
wounded Yanks and Of course | pull d
off tho first aid stunt and treated th"n9
! TO cup Of cocoa and piece OF cane.
! We could not get them To hospital just
! then because Of the German harrag", SO
We stayed under oovrr till everything
! was over and then started on our way.
After 7 started and Rot out on tn!
! road tho German airplancs kept us busy
! d"dsIng their machln" gun bullets II"
don't stop not even for the. Rcd Cross.
, Everything looks alike 10 him. After
all saw that tho wouDdch Yanks were
Mt n dressing station. From there had
10 find my hcadduarters. Evcry place
whore ! walked was under shell fire.
but God w;LS with inc. and I came ont
Of il without scratch. but will always
remember September 80.
And now as it's getting rather Int
will close. hoping this will find you in
the best Of health. Give my regards 10
Captain FruhInc and tn" young ladies
in IN" office; also including Or. Hupp
and family and other folks l know in
Wheeling.
Yours truly.
JAMES LEONE.
CO. T.. 3Glsi BAIT L. s. Tank Corps. u.