Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-22
Grand Forks Soldiers Haze Had
Baptism of Fire; II. ~. ZOl-
finger Writes Of Trench
Experiences
Experiences

Expe1
Grand Forks soldiers OF the 1s4th
infantry. which. reached France some
months ago. already have received
their baptism OF fire, according to an
intensely interesting letter which ].
H. McNicol, president of the A. p.
Clifford company. has just received
from four local men. The names Of
Captain O. G. Holm, Lieutenant r. p.
Hanson. Dune McNicol and r. Q.
Zollinger are signed to it. The letter
was written by Mr.. Zollinger. former.
" a member Of The Herald editorial
department staff and later business
manager of the Commercial club. 1t
was written on three different nights.
the last after n German patrol a
attempted a raid of. the trenches.
But the letter did not come
through in its entirety. The censor
has taken out large bits of, evidently
tho most interesting part to the re-
cipient.
The first Of the letter was written
on March s. Parts of it are given
here:
since our arrival here our biggest
problem has been mail. No mail for
weeks, and the good Lord alone
knows when a. complicated system OF
disbursement will have become sum
sciently u~nravelled to award all Of us
each confidently feels is his due. We
can stand the bombs. the hand gren-
AIDES. opposing patrol parties and the
various Vaccinations Of the enemys
attacks, but mail-ah! Me! That is
Q different question. Nothing 80
heartens us as the mail. on these rare
occasions when a half dozen letters
arrive for a company Of ESQ men and
each man holds his breath. expectant.
confident that his name will be the
next to be called. For 244. on an av-
But nothing blooms with such oatic
fragrance as hope deferred. We are
confident that tomorrow will bring us
u due"
On March 6. the soldiers wrote. or
rather Mr.. Zollinger wrote for them,
a follows:
"A clear starry night has given
way to a foggy morning. Unless the
fog disperses. there will be no ap-
preciable program of activity for to-
day. However. the fog is a perpetual
riddle. No North Dakota m%eteorolo-
Eist, skilled in wiring cryptic weather
Indications to Washington. may pro-
phesy whether we r going to have
q bumper crop or not. Give US the
crops without the bumps. We need
'em. And we rave told the general
that North Dakota would be theer at
-(deleted by censor).
THE morning issue Of slumgullion
has stated famshed stomachs-we
nearly said hearts. But there is no
such animal. Hearts is a misnOmer
which has no place in modern war.
They are left as the peculiar adjuncts
Of the good folks at home, %un-intoxi-
Gated by the pangs and emotional
Elories Of war. But give us this
morning the good old tiple x branch
Of hens eggs %disbursed at 80 cents
over the counter by Bill Nye-God
bless him-and we shall be happy IN
deed-come what may.
wild rumors Of the enemy's com
ing activity may have fruition after
all. The greatest preparation rs 60
ing on, and though popular discussion
IL forbidden we shall meet them wher
they come, II they do come. like Am
orleans Of the old sod. with credit to
/; our-(another long sentence deleted)
under twenty feet Of earth is tt
write letters to the folks back home
In speaking OF gas attacks. thu
writer avs:
"Paradoxically, gas IL the most
dangerous and at the same time mos
harmless. il proper PREPARATION /
maintained. Of the enemy's forms o
attack. Great u~neasiness was fel
along our sector all morning. Hast!
references to- watches. humidity o
the atmosphere by delicate instru
ments and reference to small hags In
dicating the direction Of the wind
was maintained by the STAFF until, nm
ally. a gentle ten-mile wind-as winds
20 IN this country--nnally was follow
ed by the general si<nal Alert! b,
the captain. This meant the hasts
DOMINIC Of our gas masks. A moment
later hillows Of all but intangible vel
low gas were seen coming in the d.
rection Of our sector, filing depres'
sions and shell holes with its deadl,
content. In a moment we were IN
quilted. Rapid firing ceased to thy
regulation e minute. Every man
to demonstrate the discipline Of gu
organization. stood stock still from
the moment the signal was given
Gas. it must be understood. Is operat'
ed on the heavier than air principle
Without the mask. which. Intelligent
soldier almost entirely immune from
danger. all would speedily become
engulfed and surocation would in
simultaneously follow. 1t is a dread
full death. However. the attack wa!
not without its humor-and humo'
spells the soldiers salvation in tn
trenches. Two prominent Hebrews
acting according to a preconceived at
tack. rapidly retreated to the sancti
~ Of the dugouts to the rear Of tn
line for the reason that no "a mask
could be found which would At thei'
faces. Exemption claims for thes'
men. for this already hav'
gone in to the-(deleted by %censor).
On March 9, they wrote of thei
baptism by 4lre. Here is the &C
count:
We have Just passed through gu
hrst crucible of FIRE. and will en-
Aeqvor to give o a line or W o.
cur experience. To start with, "
1fS Sle9--E ..4".. .#