Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-01
LIFE ON THE
ITALIAN FRONT
"Jimmy" Hare, in Leslies.

The officers at the mess were most
agreeable and drank the health OF
the Americana. In my reply I told
them that I had seen the British and
the French fighting on their respec-
tive fronts in France. l had seen them
also in Saloniki, and the Serbs at
Monastir and / wanted to see h
Italians and their mode of fighting, so
that I could go back home and tell
the Americans how splendidly they
were holding their end. One Of the
two Czech officers present decided he
also ought to say a few nice things
about Americans. He wound up by
regretting he did not know the Amer
lean national anthem or he would
play 1t on the piano-until told that
1t. was the am air as the British. So
We all stood while two stanzas were
drilled out on a somewhat wheezy in
etrument. I made many good friends
right there, and let me go on record
as saying that, as a fighting man, an
oficer and a gentleman the Italian
can't be beaten.
Next morning we are all up bright
and early-the officers as usual and I
myself rather unusual-for the trip
up the mountains. But alas! It. is
raining heavily again. And the high
powered Fiat a takes most Of the
grades on high speed, skidding all
over the narrow road,- sometimes all
-FOUR wheels on the ground, sometimes
only two and occasionally no wheel
appears to hit ven the high spots.
sometimes IN such a ride you grit
your teeth az you skirt the edge Of
the precipices and push back with all
your might on the foot rest, as, turn
Ing many Of the corners. the driver
suddenly jams brakes down hard to
prevent colliding with mules, soldiers
or transports Of various kinds. For
the first few trips you marvel that you
reach your destination in safety.
Later you get used to it all, become
immune to danger or rather to
thoughts Of it Then you get to be a
regular devil yourself. rather like the
a!ap-bang idea of travelling. You
men decide II you ever return home
Tor the war, you will drive your own
car over the country roads a bit faster
nan you used to; yes, a good bit fast
Will go. Then you remember the local
speed laws and the local cops and de-.
cide a campaign must be made On the
lid. epoeu
Arriving at the lines the lieutenant
wnom the general had assigned to act
as chaperon said the first thing Ia do
was 10 get The gas masks, as no one
YVES allowed to go to the first lines
W1tnout one. We called at the depot.
and ne procured two. His was ~ an
English pattern now being eeneraIiv
adopted by the Italian army: he ravs
me the other, older native pattern,
upon my asking what was the differ
ence he said that the English pattern
was better because it lasted Longer
curing a gas attack, some 40 hour. r
believe. ! wonder why the old pattern
was considered good enough for ma.
maybe he thought I could mot snrviv.
anyhow. However, 90 far I'vA not Ma
occasion. to use It.
me colonel In charge Of the line
mere invited ne to take coffee vhich
was very welcome in the cold. wet ~
mosphere. "e' a.
Later I vas invited to lunch With
n colonel and his star in his Ans.
out He spoke a word or two OF Ens-
llsn and would suddenly break mt
wth "wine." dread" or "rlass;' anS
oeaned with Satisfaction when ? ~.
sured him he was TALKING Ene,i.h
there, "S Atatian
Our return to the lower level. vas
inade With brakes on ana even At thst
I looked over the edge into innnitv a.
several bad turns. -