Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-09
on R ;. Us
OUR COUNTRY'S SERVICE

The following letter was recently
received by Mrs. b. L. Blakney OF
Maple street, Fairfield. from her son,
Herbert e. Blakney, who is In
France.
At the Front, Sept. 20. 1913.
Dearest Mother:
Will drop you a line or two this
morning, before dinner. 1t is now
11.30 and dinner is at noon. Well,
we have moved since last wrote you
and this finds us in a woods about IL
kilor1eters from our last home. Here
we are living in huts made by the
Bocfae, and it makes a fine home for
US. wonder II you can imagine our
SUR ouneings by my descriptions.
We are In a deep wooded ravine,
which runs about parallel TO the old
Eoche front line about two kilometers
back. The steep side nearest the line
is terraced and nestled in under the
hill is . veritable village Of dugouts
and camps. This is where the regi-
mental headquarters were located
and most OF the officers stayed sack
here.
This hut was electrically lighted
but now we have to resort to a kero-
sene lamp. The Boches have been
here for four years you see, and this
sector~was called the repose sector or
quiet one. Before we came here
there had been hardly shot fired
since a big battle q couple OF years
back. Oar attack was complete
surprise to them as they were caught
by our terrific barrage. Our prison
ers numbered over a thousand and
the supplies taken were surprising.
This country is mass of Boehe
war material. There were auto
trucks, wagons, horses, a large num-
Der Of guns, commissary supplies
such as flour, jam. beer. potatoes,
bread. dried fish, etc.
All sorts of personnel irinkets and
souvenirs they left behind them +
looked over more than IS packs all
made up ready to put on and found
razors, silk handkerchiefs, cigarette
cases. boxes of good cigars and every
conceivable thing. You can imagine
the excitement in looking these things
over.
We are at present attached to our
supply company and having some
fine feeds. This noon lit is after
dinner now we had some fine hot
doughnuts rolled in sugar Gee. but
those things taste good over here.
Wish you could see what was and
has been No Mans Land here for
four years. Both front lines were
located in a thick wood which was
net work Il tienches running every
where. and between the two the trees
had be'n cleared of brapches and
foliage and most of the tree trunks
were battered by shrapnel.
1t looks almost as if q hurricane or
some sort of inferno had struck and
there is such tangle of barbed wire
that it is almost impossible to get
through. The morning things start
ed. there was a wonderful barracc
thrown over py our batteries. which
by the way were very numerous.
Well. they followed it as it slowly
rolled along and before it had cleared
the front line dug-outs our men were
at 'he stair tops calling the fright
ened Boche to come out. They are
tickled to death to be our prisoners
but, their officers had been telling
them that the Americans kill. all
prisoners. They advanced so fast
that in one town they did not have
time TO move a thing. There was n
key of beer for each man. bread and
jam and all kinds of fancy cookies.
The boys sure did have a won derfuI
time. OF course we did not figure in
this attack. rs we stayed back with
the supply company, just our luck.
Taik about your souvenirs. there
arc some fine ones floating around. /
have gas mask, helmet, and Aus
TRAN canteen q shell that l engraved
myself, already to send.
Have heard from Ike Orcutt n
couple Of times, and he says he has
been in our vicinity several times
and he is going to drop IN and sur
lrise ME some of these days. We
shall be glad TO sec him. You would
be surprised how often we run into
the boys. ] expect to run into Hook
L1dd one of these days for his outfit
is in France not far from here they
say.
You need not worry about me now
Tor we arc behind our heavy artillery,
and that is cut Of the zone of fire
usually
We have a nice little fire burning
here Tin our rnom) now and SpranIrc
is III the othe" room reading while
SIT mere writing by lantern light.
How is this ink, good? II is Boche.
so II ought to be. We have had to
bury different ones lying around hero
or we could no. have passed within q
mile of them. That is where n gas
mask comes in handy They are
also mandy when one finds a nest of
wild honey.
We have done a great deal of hik
ing and it does "A fellow good. When
sst home ] expect that will have
10 take jaunt to Watervilrc and
PACK before breakfast to get up an
appetite. Can you beat it? ] see
pm Jones every day. Haven't seen
steve Abbott for Il long time
we got pail last night for July
ana August. Would like to have q
8hance to go touring France on nv
own hook. Could have q pretty good
time on that amount
Well. dear, must else now and go
TO bed as 1t is after 10 and | have
been all day writing this. | forgot
TO mention a card from Mrs. Giro,ix
] hank her for me
Lots md lots Of love,