The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-26
LIEUT.. MULROY NOW
COMMANDER OF COMPANY
Minot Soldier Tells Pitiablc Story of
Belgian Refugees Who Passed
Thru His Line Red Cross
Work is Needed

VOEk Is 1<ccueU
Lieut.. William Mulroy, 357 Inf,
wrote an interesting letter to his
brother, M. F. Mulroy, manager of
the Russell Miller mill of this city,
under date of Nov. 20, about a week
after the armistice was signed. He
says in part:
'Just few days ago received two
letters you had written last July, still
interesting tho it is a far cry from
the days when the Boche at Chateau
Thierry had the whole world shivering
with fright. Your different endeavors
to dope out where have been have
been amusing and astonishingiy ac
curate some times. Last winter when
l was at Gondrecourt you thot was
at Toul. You never guessed it when
was at Langres but right away You
thot of the Toul sector when I went
in the line. That was nice cushy
front and the st. Mihiel affair was !
Marathon race. After the session
over there, we were moved to the Ver-
dun sector where the fighting was
mean and where we ended up on Nov.
II. There was something prophetic
in your letter that Nov. IL was to be
great day for all war organizations.
It was. am still far up north and
from the latest dope, the division is to
be part of the first army of occura-
ton. Altho new as divisions go over
here, surely it has earned the honor,
as we have been in the line for three
months, under continuous shell fire
with the exception of week spent
in moving. For nearly ten days, the
only items of interest in the Ameri-
can communicates, were advances
made by this division. l secured
promotion just before the wind-up and
am back with Company F, command
ing it. The Captain is gone and
there is only one other officer, Sec
ond Lieutenant The battalion is
billeted in a town we took the last
few minutes of fighting (probably
Stenay). 1t is quite a comfortable
change. have quite large room,
comfortable stove. have my meals
brot to my room and am as far away
from war as if it never occurred.
There is song which you have
heard with the chorus ending, 4 don't
know what this war is about, but bet
By Gum, I'll soon find out. Being on
the line where the fighting stopped,
the refugees, both civilians and pri-
soners of war, passed thru our hands
and the company has an examining
post to take care of them. They
come in groups, all pitiable. Today,
a family came along, four of them,
two of them pushing a large hand
cart, another baby carriage loaded
with their property, and bringing up
the rear a little girl Of say nine or
ten pushing another small hand cart.
You need to be strong hearted in
deed not to be moved by the sight
of that young girl pushing a load
many times too heavy for her. We
have a big rough-neck farmer SER
geant who was standing nearby and
he unconsciously echoed the words Of
that song in saying, 4 never knew
what this war was about, but by G.,
we don't do anything like that back
in our country. All Of the clothing
the American Red Cross can get over
here will be we'll used. The refu-
gees, particularly the Belgians, are in
bad shape.
"You have read much about the Ar
gonne forest and the Meuse, SO you
know there was not much chance of
my writing from there This letter
will reach you about Xmas time, and
I hope with the terror Of war remov-
ed, you will find it an enjoyable one
You can rest assured that probably
Somewhere in Germany, will be en-
joying it.
"P. S.-Since writing this, / have
received your letter Of July 49,"