Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-09-05
Our Soldier Boys.

W. Harry Rudy writes that he has
left Syracuse, N. Y, and on August 20,
was at Newport News, Va. He says:
eve are leaving Newport News to.
day, but have no idea where We are
to go. Understand we are to take
10 days. rations, and il that Is true,
must be going on a long journey.
Wish we were going to stay at this
place, for it is a fine camp. Lots Of
airships are around here p%atrolling
the coast. My neck is already lame
from looking up at them. We are
having roll call this morning, but so
many airships came along and the
boys were SO Interested in them, they
had to wait until they passed. You
have no idea how many troops are
being moved. Some are leaving for
France and some are just coming,
The people here are sur patriotic.
On our trip here we came through
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washing
ton City. Got into Richmond about
shutdown. The Red Cross met us and
served US eats and smokes, which
came in good place, as our rations
were getting low"
Fred Dixie, Battery L, 10th Field Ar
tiIlery, wrote on July II. Says he is
not drilling any more, but from July
ii to 20 saw active service IN the
front. He did not receive any wounds,
but got a mouthful of gas. He is over
the effects of that now and is feel
ing fine.
Louis Favez, Co. E, LIST Army Head.
quarters Reg, is now doing police
duty at a big French port. He writes
on August Z: 81 have just received
the two bundles of papers, also the
package which you ordered two
months ago from Scruggs through
their Paris store. I thank you very
> much for the papers, but as for the
} packageI cannot tell you in writing
how much l appreciate it. The things
! were all in fine shape. Everything
= here is about the same. 1t rains al
/. most every day. would not know
what to do without the Y. NJ. G. A.
Almost every night they have some
sort OF nice entertainment. Several
times we have had people from Paris
who sing and play for us, then again
the band gives US a concert. We also
have two or three movies a week.
| seldom get to 60 to Sunday services,
for l am unusually working, but | go
! when | get the chance. The other
day l was off duty and I went for a
walk along the docks and while l was
watching some French sailors work
ing on a torpedo boat the ommander
came on board and asked me If |
wanted to "a aboard, which l certain.
ly did. When he found could speak
9 French he was delighted and showed
me all over the boat. We had a very
r pleasant chat in his cabin. | would
r like to tell you about the boat but
( cannot. The time sure does fly. !
have been over here now five months.
e had a letter the other day from Rus.
sell Riggs. He is W here some.
where and seem to like it fine. Also
had a letter awhile back from Bill
n Curry and enjoyed it,"
=, Sergeant Jerry Wick, II Company,
If 13Sth Infantry, has been selectedf for a
special instructor in this country and
IT is now at Camp Dix. In q letter
p written from France on July ID, he
describes some Of his experiences in
:. months Of waiting We have had our
v first crack at the Boche. l could
hardly believe it one night when we
It marched up the line and found our
selves in the trenches with the Ger.
h mans only a few yards away. The
first time we were only q few days,
n but 1t got very tiresome toward the
Is last, for while you are in the from,
lines it is impossible to remove any Of
your clothing, not even your shoes
20 One must be on the alert at all times
l. and you even have to sleep with your
equipment OH. While not OH watcl
you stay in dugouts, and it 10 not ex.
actly like home In one Of them. We
,e were relieved, but after q few day
,e were put back again, The sector
re had was quiet, and the worst l had t.
worry about val the artillery fire.
remember one morning Don after WI
were first up the line the German ar
Of tilIery opened up on my sector ant
believe me they made 1t mighty uu'
re- pleasant for awhile. The whole ter
rain around the trenches is just on,
q: shell hole after another. Then . biz
'. raid was planned on the German
I'd trenches and u company was pick
r. ed from the whole division for tht
n, job. We were brought back behint
g. the lines and given . rest for . few
days, meanwhile planning for thu
X. coming attack. We rehearsed ever!
day, and then n afternoon We wer'
n: given the once over by a number o
high officers. They lined 10 up ant
a, after . little speech told US the mex
L. day we could attack. You cal
3. imagine just how we all felt and Their
v, was 4 pretty quiet bunch Of fellows II
our billet that evening. The next do!
r. the boys got rid Of al valuables the,
n. had, wrote farewell letters to BE- mail
o, cd In case-and got all ready. In tn
afternoon we started back to tn
I'd trenches and Just before dusk took nj
4 position In dug.outs IN q from
E. line. You know Ia front Of both line
Of trenches there 10 just worlds 9
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