The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-11-01
WALTER ALIENS LETTER
FROM THE FRONT LINE
Continued from last week.


divisional relief and marched back
TO Mary. And on the 9th we received
a grand and glorious surprise Ga |.
real treat)-a BATH. yes. in the I,
river Marne. The first time | had
had my clothes tany of 'em) off |,
since the first of our travels. Seems L
like there was no rest though cause
j. that night we kicked all night 10
Charly Sur Marne. Understand now.
that We had left Belleau woods,
/ They expected a drive so we had to
work day and night for days and |
digging trenches too, wrote you |
letter from there. Won Hindenburg |
was there in 1918
On Sunday night. July 14th. we
stood ready to go at any time. Note. |
K.-kil., or 3-5 OF mile.
Orders came later so we left on
Monday. at 6 p. M. without supper.
Hiked 10 X. and the sun was hot.
Got in trucks and rode all night and
tim the next day. We left the trucks
at some woods IL X. behind the
lines at Scissors. Had not slept at
all for two nights and had not eaten
IA thing and hardly any water. The
woods hooked good to me. but we on
ly stayed four hours and started on
IL p. m now The roads were block
ed with traffic OF all kinds from am
unition trains to cavalry. so we had
to get along as best We could in the
mud and rain and my such rain.
We stopped at 8 p. m. just about
sun down and had little hard tack
and that internal canned meat and
water. Then we hiked all night. stop
: ping only once. Darkness prevailed
+ and we could see nothing but the
: fash OF lights now and then by
teamsters Ito tell whether they
were on the road or off) We were
tangled up with horses. mules and
y autos until II was discouraging to
J. even try 10 walk. Alas. at day break.
e all worn out, we left OR heavy
3 packs and by that we knew what
Il was going to happen. A few xii.
l. further then We ditched into the
n woods and occupied trenches only a
d few hundred yards In front OF the
IT Huns.
t. Our artillery was sending over a
1t terrific shell fire. I had few swal
a lows OF water but II only wet my
Is lips cause my clothes were wet
Ie through from sweat Just 10 minute.
n rest then the old whistle blew ant
Over the Top we went. We had NJ
ID ;rtenadcss ssr machine guns, just rife
d and the tTrrmnms Aad wvtrytrtnp
&. Somehow | forgot I was tired am
d. hungry and sleepy and thirsty
e. There was no time to think of sucl
,e things. II was fight and fight fast
A. For long time no one was hurt
d. saw many (buco) prisoners COMING
,e back. Then five Of US were detached
to to cross the road. get some informa
W tion and pick machine gunner on
III OF tree. We did both jobs wIthou
G. any trouble but when we came bacl
10 we could not find our companies.
ly So | joined n company of comb"r
N and went 10 picking up straggl!r
Is prisoners BY s a. IN. we eau@ht on
companies, or frst line way". IN
~, Joined. | found loaf OF German
r. bread and canteen OF COFFEE 30
AZ feasted Had 10 laugh at my self try
IN ing 10 fight and eat at The sam
n time We would charge about 10
yards and then iion To escape gu
sh fire. Well. it was when was Hoppe
". that | would Chew On the bread 40
,r drink the coffee It sounds funny 5u
-. It was serious then.
At g.3e "A. m. We had lust captui
jv ed town when q monstrous she
lii in our midst and wounded eigl
ly of Us. We used our fret aid kits an
then started in was helping q fe
nd low when a pound shell fell benin
us and finished one of his legs, Ha
- 10 use his underwear for bandagei
20 | eounldn't leave him SO ! carrie
aa him in spells of about ten minutes
re then rest until ! got him into Re
no. Cross station.
~ Well. now after a series OF aut
~ rides thrugh bombs from acceptance
on. through French hospitals and VI
an train | have at last arrived at Bas
=, hospital "a at Nantes. My wound
slight and healed UP but the shral
N mel Is still there and they must Ia
he II out | am perfectly well and b
ho goily I'm not hungry or thirsty
be Now. | actually think that the mi
ha rines will not have To fight an
oil more. They have done their bit .
Ige shock troops anu 'hefe are hi'e''
few left
.ye We expect long rest anywa
all The marines have been at the froi
=, constantly for four months or MOI
and you know the kind Of work th'
,ob have done Our General says v
IN have earned rest and he near
nj gets what he wants.
,rc Now. you would suppose that ! a
A., sad and down hearted but no. n
We are all happy and anxious TO fl
ish the war This Is some tow