The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-12-24
Sergeant Ray Sapp Gives An
Interesting Account OF His
Activity In the Great War;
Took Part In The Parade
Given For The King Of BEL
giulm.

Nus Uccu dCtINC oCiNiSO HI oONOio'
of the battles along the western front
and who was one of the first American
soldiers to enter the city of Brussels,
has written most interesting letter
to his mother, Mrs. Charles S. Sapp,
East Burgess street.
Sergeant Sapp gives an account OF
his activity in the war ever since his
arrival in France.
His letter follows:
Post .Roosbekc, Nov. &c. 1918.
Dear Mother:
The censorship has been lifted to a
certain extent and ! may now tell you
what we have been doing and where
we have been. We landed at Glas-
gov, Scotland, on Wednesday, July TO-.
Rode through Scotland and England
on the train and had fine trip. Left
Southampton at 8 p. III. July II and
were in the harbor at CherbOurge,
France, the next morning. Stayed
there at an English rest camp for a
day and kft there in box car on ev-
enine of July Ia. Through st. Ter.
min and st. Denis and made circle
around Paris and arrived at Bourmont
ner Neufchateau on July '16. Got off
trim and marched to little town NAM
cd ROsiers-stayed hre' one day and
the motor section started for the coast
after the ambulances. Went through
"Langres." "Nevers". "Dijou" and
Tours" and arrived at st. Necair" near
NANTES" on Sunday, July 21. We're
here until Saturday, July 81, assem-
bling our motors and on that day start
ed back on our trip to the interior.
Passed through "Angers" and on down
the beautiful valley Of the Loire to
Tours"--there to "Bourges" and "Nev.
ers." We drove through the mountains
for one and a half days. through "Bil-
ly," "St. Benin" "Autri" and "Dijon." :"
Stops at "Iss-surtil" (big U. S. rail
head) and got gas masks and helmets.
Our orders were mixed up here or we
would have gone direct to Chateau
Thierry." Passed "Langres' again
and came at last via 'BOurbOnne,"
"Darney and "Epernal" in the town
"Baccarat" Our division was holding
this sector which was a quiet one.
We stayed around here until Sept. Is.
getting accustomed to things and
then went by way of Ltneville,
Nancy, Touland Bar-le-duc to a woods
just west of Verduni near little town
named Recicourt. On morning of Sept.
rs our division (37) lead the assault
against the German positions which
they had held two and half years.
Walter and | were both stretcher-
berers as the roads were SO bad II
was almost impossible to use the am
balances. This was Il tough week and
! was shaken up by a shell but was not
touched. Got out of here on Oct. 3,
and went to town named TrOusscy
(near TouD where our division took
over the st. Mihiel sector which had
just been taken from the Germans.
Our infantry ran into lots of gas here
and as the Huns had plenty cannon in
Metz some of our boys had quite excit.
ing experiences. Left Oct. II and went
to FOug (near TouD and stayed a cou-
pie of days and Oct. 10 started for
Belgium in G. M. C. ambulances. Pass
cd Voice. Legsy Barbecue and Chal-
ROM one night spent at Meaux just II
kilOs.out of Paris. Passed quite close
to Chateau Thierry and saw many
lines of trenches built by the French,
to stop the Germans in spring drive,
which had never been used. Went
through Marseilles, Crcil. ClcrmOnt
Grandirlle. Polk Abberyille, st. Omcr
and the first big town we sw in Bel.
GUM was PrOprehngc. Drove right
through the historic battlefield Of
Ypres and over Pascheudale Ridge. II
was some sight and on to "A town call
cd Stadefr stayed until Oct. 30 and
came up to DeDtcrghern q kilos be-
hind the linc) and on Oct. 81 in the
morning the drive started. The Hun
held strong position here and the
French had been unable to move them
but our division started aud kept them
going till they hit the Schelt River, Il
kilos away. The Germans had much
artillery here and resisted iiercely and
we were all glad when IL was over
and each fellow who came out o. X.
considered himself lucky. We are not,
yet allowed to tell any losses we may
have sustained. The roads were fine
here and Walter and were with the
motors which were used clear up to
the regimental dressing station about
15O yards behind the dvancing infan-
try. We thought we had seen some
shells In the Argonne, when our diyi-
sion took Montfaucon but we had no
conception of real accurate work by
the enemy until we got here. The