The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-08-22
thick Branscombe Sees Aer-
ial Combat While Enjoy
ing MONDAY Feed.
VISIT SANDY GILBERT
Severely Wounded in Battle;
Able to Sit Up; Can Use
One Hand.
Allied Planes Pour Hot Lead Into Ger
man AirbOat While Chick Takes on
MONDAY Chpw-Writes Interesting.
" Of Havoc Worked by Shot and
Shell i'm War-Swept France.

MONDAY CuQW-WFIt0S Antor0StiHS-
E of Havoc Worked by Shot and
Shell in War-Swept France.
Chick Branscombe, Grangeville
boy now with Headquarters Company,
146th Field Artillery on the fighting
front In France, has written to his
bomefolks brief but interestingly de-
scriptive letter telling of his impress
sions while in the battle lines over
there. Chick is a member Of the regi-
mental band, playing first trombone,
and it appears from his letters OF late
that the band boys have stacked their
Instruments for the time being and are
now actively engaged in finishing up
the big job in the quickest possible
time. The letter t., which will be read
with interest by Charley's many
friends, is here reproduced:
France, July 30, 1918.
Dear Folks 1T has been about
three weeks since l wrote you last and
we have moved four times since then
and as you may have surmised we are
now on the front. The country
around here locks like somthing had
struck it, too. The towns have nearly
all been shelled and some of them are
completely demolished; nothing left
but heaps of stone, with few wells
standing; and even the outlying build
ings and farm houses have come iE for
their share of bombardments. Some OF
the towns have not been hit so hard
but they all show the marks Of heavy
shell fire. Some of tie places have
been shelled by both sides, tho from
the looks Of things it is plainly evident
that the American artillery has been
doing good and effective work. The
roads and fields are plentifully mark
ed and in many spots are literally
honey-combed with holes. The main
tholoughfares are big, wide roads lin
ed with old shade trees from one tc
two feet IN diameter and very pictur
esque once, but you should see then
now. There is hardly one that has
MT been hit somewhere and in places
they are moved down till they lool
like the pickets on a fence.
The country all about is Uttered
with equipment of both sides. Guns
ammunition, helmets, blankets, an(
personal property of all description Il
scattered everywhere, which all Lends
to the picture of destruction and desc
lation.
These German machine-gun nest
seem to be pretty difficult places t.
take. | was through one a couple o
days ago. 1t was small hill, thickl,
wooded, and additionally protecte'
BY barbed wire entanglements. Tn
hill itself was all cut up with trenche
and dug-outs and had ample stores o
ammunition and provisions. The wa,
different articles of. clothing an
equipment were scattered aroun
showed that the Huns had moved ou
IN hurry. 1t seems strange to Sc
German sign boards tackled up abou
the country. Everywhere we go som
Sign of their recent invasion is visible
just finished dinner and while w
were eating an aerial battle took plac
right over our heads, in which thre
Boche bombing plane. The Germa
machine, after it was hit, was brough
down in good shape by the two Gel
man officers who were running 1t an
landed about two miles from here. o
allghting they set fire to the machin
and started to make getaway, br
were captured a few minutes late
and placed under guard. This is th
MIST machine / have seen brough
down and it was quite a thrillin
sight.
Have been swimming several time
ID the Marne river but they have pt
stop to that and now l probabl
won't get another dip until the war
over. l received a letter from Wal
Davis recently in answer to one whi6
wrote him about three months ag
ne Is lieutenant on the u. S. s. N
vada now and we'll satisfied with b
lot though he would like a little mo
excitement than he has been haviI
lately. He said he met Homer Eime
few days ago.
our band has not yet been assign'
70 any definite work and l don't kno
whether we will be held together
band. SO far we have been on-d
TAIL, helping the ordnance and supp
eompanies and doing odd jobs. Lo
10 all, Charley.
- =. a