The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-12-28

Madison people are soon to partic-
ipate in a real romance of the war.
Lieut.. Carl j. Nerdahl, of the navy,
in a letter to his brother, Martin p.
Nerdahl and wife Announces the
above interesting event and also
gives an entertaining sketch of his ex-
%periences in the world war:
Portland, Eng, Dec. 11.-My Dear
Brother and Sister: | just received
your letter of November 6 and was
glad to hear that you are well. |
suppose all the folks will be. glad that
the war is over. / am, but | am also
sorry that the Huns cheated us out
of our victory.
This past year we have been work
ing with the grand fleet; in fact, we
are the sixth battle squadron of the
grand fleet, and as such have taken
our orders from a British admiral,
Sir David Beatty.
We left Hampton Roads, Va,
about November "a, 1917, and on
December Z we arrived at Scapa
Flow, Orkney Islands, just to the
north of Scotland and about due west
of Bergen, Norway. This is the most
barren place l have ever seen. The
steep hills are wind swept and bare
of vegetation except for heather
which gives the hills a dark brown
appearance. At first you would
think that the place had on it's win
ter robe, but such was not the case
because we were there in July and
the place was just the same. | can't
imagine how the British stood the
place for four years. This last year
we have had quite a lot of duty at
the Firth of Forth, Scotland. This
place being about 10 miles from
Edinburgh, the old Scotch capital of
which Leith is the seaport.
Most of our duty was conveying
merchant ships from British waters
up around Norway. Several times we
have been in sight of the entrance
to Bergen. Our first trouble with
submarines occurred just off Bergen
while waiting to pick up a convoy
coming back. About eight torpedoes
were fired al our batttleships from
two subs, but as luck would have it
they all missed their mark. Some
were rather too close for comfort,
but after it was all over we all felt
better for it. After that we had sew
eral scares, but not to amount to
anything. Then also we must always
be ready to get underway within four
hours time and when something big
was on this would be reduced to two
and one-half and sometimes even to
n hour. Sometimes at night we
would be called out to get the ship
ready to go sout at nee A great
many times we would not get under
way at all. Watches were rather
strenuous at first, but after the
North sea was mined up better things
ing Our mining squadron did good
work and deserve a lot of credit.
| W. saw any of our torpedo
boats or submarines or subchasers
until we arrived at this place. All
their work was done in the channel
and down around France and Italy,
and by what / hear they all have a
record 1t is hard to beat.
During April we had two weeks at
Newcastle on Tyne, Eng, having
some repair work done and we were
given a few days leave which was ap-
preciated by everyone. There, of
course, / met Alice, and after that
things were indeed pleasant for me
at least.
On November IL when the armi-
stice was signed we all had quite a
celebration. The noise was SO great
that you could hardly hear yourself
talk. The British commander in
chief sent a signal to the fleet that
at Z o'clock that evening Gas per old
British custom) all ships under his
command would splice the main
brace" However, not having the
w~herewithal to splice it with the
American ships could not take part
in this ceremony. (This is permits
sion to issue two extra tots of rum to
each officer and men,
On the 21st we went out and
brought in the surrendered Hun fleet
an account of which I am sending
you.
On December 4 the American
squadron left the Firth of Forth
through a gauntlet of British ships
conveyed by the fifth battle squadron
and a light cruiser squadron, and put
to sea for this place. Bands played
and they cheered and we cheered nl
we could hardly talk for verify the
British has a huge fleet. The lins
of ships seem endless. After reach
ing the high sea our convoy turned tt