Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-08-15
Life in France
A Soldiers View
Writes on His Gas Helmet
Vivid Picture of What
Sherman Calls Hill

Written while sitting on the steps
OF picturesque old church, "Some.
where in France Jos. H. Godfrey,
who is lover there with a detach.
nent of the signal corps writes quite
a letter of interest to his parents in
this city under an early date in July,
and which has reached here during
the past week.
1t is some life over there he re.
marks, and incidentally makes men,
tion of the fact that he is using his
gas mask as support for the writ
ing tablet that he is using. OF course
there is not much4news that is allow.
ed to filter its way through from the
western fighting front to the folks
back home as to what ia happening in
these days CT active fighting since the
big July drive started. But the letter
is descriptive of what this beautiful
country has been transformed into by
the pillage aud devastating ruination
Of towns and villages by the enemy
The shelling of the town after night
fall and the air raids have been daily
experiences where his present head
quarters are located while running
telephone line of communication
from the front to American headquar-
ters at the rear. The line traverses
a mountain, on one side of which can
be outlined the armies of the allies
and their German enemy, while in the
opposite direction is to be seen large
vineyards with grapes ripening, cattle
in the fields and small patches of
growing grain. Al of the able bodied
men are to be found in the fighting
line on the side Of the mountain first
viewed, while on the other is found
women both old and young, along
with mere children and their feeble
grand parents carrying on the work
which has thus ruthlessly been inter-
rupted by the war. The scene at
eventide from the mountain top he
describes as being one of grandeur,
such as he had never before viewed
in his life. Towns dot the country
less than five miles apart. The women
work up to the age Of ninety and the
hours of labor that they are putting
in under the. sweltering sun of southern
France would be enough to put dozen
or more American women to shame.
The company that Godfrey has been
with since leaving Camp Dodge and
other American. cantonments for
France have all been up to the front
and their. experience includes motor
cycles, horses and motor cars. Among
the things noted in the small towns
through which they have passed is the
simple faith and piety of the people.
Each evening after the labor Of the
day is endel these old folks in com.
pany with children, many of them
from three to five years old, vending
their way to the village church to pray
for the soldiers who are fighting for
home and loved ones. And this is but
an instance Of what is done each even
ing at sun down in every town and
small hamlet in France
He tells of having frequently met
of late Ray and Leo Wild two Camp
Dodge boys from this county, who are
now at the front and quartered nearby.
At the time he wrote they were both
up at the front and likely to remain
there for another week or so on trench
duty. But he had just heard of both
being we'll and thou ght it best to send
word home, as until they went back
to the rear they would not likely be
writing.
Joe and his opal, who are working
a line. through from the front line to
headquarters are stopping in village
and are billeted with French family,
composed of the grand parents, the
wife of a soldier at the front and a
seventeen year old daugher. He tells
of the house and farm buildings be.
ing all under one roof and how on 6
certain evening coming home he foune
large load of hay backed up in front
of the only entrance. There was moth.
| ing to do but store the hay away among
the rafters of the building before
attempting to get inside of the house.
On the load climbed Joe the ole
man and the girl, while the grand
mother and wife of the soldier under
took to take care of the hay as it wal
taken off the wagon. He complains
that his book of French words doesn'
give the right kind of words to carry
on cpnversation with the ,irls ant
that an he is too busy and tired al
nights to sit up taking lessons, ant
will to give it up as bad job The
admission is made, however. that there
are some very pretty y,upg girls il
that part of France. The letter which