The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-26
German Prisoners Captured
Mere Lads, Hoyes Writes.
Yanks Gave Them Bread and
Sent Them Home.
TELLS OF The BIG DRIVE
TOpekan's Letter Full of Inter-
esting Incidents.
Howard Huffman With Former
Secretary of Y. NJ. C. A.

A letter recently received by Topeka
friends from George Hoyes. who is
with the 35th division as a Y. NJ. c.
A. worker in France, tells of a raid
by some of our men which resulted in
the capture of a large number Of pris-
oners4 He writes:
Fritz must be about all in. Our
men lately brought in a bunch Of pris-
oners, and they were mere boys, from
IL TO IA years of age. Our men gave
them each a loaf of bread, turned
them loose, each one carrying note
which read go home to your mother
America is fighting men--not boys. )"
II yes occasionally meets some To-
peka men, and the pleasure OF these
men in finding someone from home is
fully equalled by his delight in meet
ing a fellow townsman. Among those
he has recently seen are Howard Huff
man, who is helping him for short
time in his work, and DR.. Arthur
Buff. who is dentist for the regiment
which Hoyes serves.
An Important Front.
"I am writing tonight in my billet"
Hoyes writes, "by candle light. My
billet is a little room with dirt floor.
and my canteen is in the same room. l
am now on one of the most noted
fronts of France, where history has
been made and where more will be
made.
Howard Huffman, of Topeka, is
with me, assigned to work here for the
ipresent, as I have been made distribu-
! ton secretary for this area for short
time, and he drives a truck for me.
He was chief lineman for the Edison
company in Topeka before coming to
France.
L 1--WE have no conveniences at all, of
course. We shave at the pump, stick
ing our trench mirrors to the trees
with our knives. and do our shaving
with cold water.
Il expect Henry Allen to be-here
tomorrow. We have left the old sec
tor in the vosges mountains. bag and
baggage. DIR. Arthur Buff, a Topeka
dentist is here as dentist to the regi-
ment. am going to have him look
after my teeth. too.
Saw Air Fight.
To-day I saw a fight i'll the air be-
tween a French and a boche plane.
The Frenchmen were killed, but they
got three boche first. The war news
is good these days. The Hindenburg
line is broken and it looks as tho
the supreme effort would take place
soon to put Fritz out of business"
A second letter from Hoyes. writ
ten on September 25. was scrubbed on
an old ticket record. He explained
that he had no stationery and no way
OF getting any lOr q Wnlle
II have been busy all morning" he
says, witnessing wills and signing
them prior to the big drive that every
one thinks is about to be pulled off.
You know how anxious l was to see
front line service. Well, l have sure
ly seen it. and would be willing to do
some quieter work. but I have no
complaint when I think of the boys
in the trenches. We sleep and eat
just when we can and slop around in
mud almost to our knees, but there is
no sickness to speak of, altho the
weather is wet and cold.
THE drive now on will show how
strong Germany is. You will be hear
ing some good war news soon, think.
When / think that this is the greatest
military drive in all history. l am glad
that 1 am here. 1 have n f1rst-aid hit,
which was given me, so that 1 may
help some poor wounded fellow If
find him first.
On a Long Hike.
I'VE hiked thru the mud about a
hundred miles last week, and then
rode for twenty miles in some big,
heavy French trucks without springs.
We were twenty-four hours without
food. and we have to sleep whenever
we find favorable opportunity. Lots
| of times we lie down where we hap
| pen to be, in the fmud, to get few
WinkS. ! saw a young fellow so much
| in need of sleep that he threw down
| his blanket in the slush. spread over
himself another blanket and his rain
| coat, and slept deeply with the rain
coming down on him in torrents. One
night after a long hike we slept in pup
tents One night we slept in barn.
and the night before we walked all
night. I keep right along with the
| troops. marching with them whenever
| they have orders to move.
u saw Doctor Morrison of Topeka
few days ago, and 1 have seen lots
OF the old Topeka Y. NJ. c. A. boys
who are carrying Y. NJ. c. A. member
ship cards that have my signature on
| them.
"In spite of the hardships and ex-
posture we have. We don't get sick.
There is very little sickness in our
camp. And the men get up from
these muddy, wet, slushy sleeping
quarters after their long walks, fresh
and fit