Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-06-20
TOURING THE FRONT
Somewhere in France,
April 27, 1918.

April 27, 1918.
Dear Mother:
Am writing this at Bouzy. which
name I wouldn't like you to pro-
nounce. Might make you sound
drunk. AS for why we are here
thereby hangs a tale. Orders came
from headquarters that we were to
do no more flying until we received
our new machines, which have TWO
guns on and since they would not be
ready for eight or ten days we were
sent out on a personally conducted
tour of the front, three men to
party, and one auto to a party--so
here we are at our first stopping
place. When we started we had VS.
sions of going in the trenches ana
seeing all such interesting thines,
SO you can imagine our disgust
when we were left sitting around this
place two days without doing a
thing. The commandant of the esca-
drille was very nice though, and
thoroughly explained to us how
''regloge" directing artillery by air.
plane) work was done.
These planes are biplane (two men
machines) and since the observer
CdIElCS d gull VIC WClC lldSAA
ested to know how well and at what
angles he could shoot. Having dis
covered, however, that it is rather
difficult to shoot at an attacking
plane, we have more hopes OF
bringing a Boche biplane down here
after without much danger to our
selves.
There are three Americans here
who are training to be observers and
81 Nf l. laA oh nil lnt
take them 100 meters over the
trenches and how close the shrapnel
comes is very amusing. Learning
that we flew "chanuse" planes, they
wanted to know if shrapnel reached
us at 5000 meters. We remarked
that it did, and they sure were some
surprised, being under the mistaken
notion that their range was not so
great.
The Flood Was Nothing
Speaking about the 40-day flood.
/ have not seen the sun for thirty
days and. to-day is the meme
chase" 1t don't rain, you know, just
low-hanging clouds and fog, which
prevents flying and don't serve to
improve the spirits. Yesterday, de-
spite the lowering effect of the sky,
things began to happen, for we were
given an auto and lieutenant for
guide and started out to view
Rheims, visit batteries and go in the
trenches. For the latter we were
given gas masks. That sure was some
interesting trip, and l understand
now why it is so difficult to find roads
which are marked on the maps, for
every road is "camouflaged," and
that very cleverly. We had some
chauffeur, too, whom, judging from
the way he took sharp turns on one
wheel, must have driven a taxi in
Paris. Speaking about the dangers
of aviation, it had nothing on that
ride. After passing through numer-
Gus towns, camps and some times a
beautiful chateau, we came to |
Rheims. Hundreds of times have I
flown over this city at different at
titudes, but never had chance to
see how much damage actually was
done.
Now was actually in the town on
foot. 1t seemed entirely deserted and |
! don't wonder, for the way most of
it was knocked about was a crime. |
All around the cathedral nothing re-
mained but piles of debris and shells /!
of buildings, and the surprising part
of it was that the cathedral had
escaped so lightly, for there seemed |
to be very little damage done. 1 i
when 1 sneered at the value of one
old cathedral, and why such an
awful row was being made about its
destruction, but having seen it, see
the reason thereof.
The Cathedral
For even to my unlearned mind it |
was a wonder to behold as the |
architecture is beautiful and how
they ever made or hoisted the num-
erous statuary in place is a mystery. |
Walking around the central part of
the town we noticed the enormous |
theater with nothing standing but
the pillars, the bank, ditto, post Of
flce-in fact, everything within a |
radius of the cathedral was simply |
knocked fiat. The lieutenant told us
10000 shells were thrown in here
on one day, so we could see why so
much fell over.
Next we visited a battery. There |
were two, one false one to fool the |
enemy and the other actually with |
the guns. And the false one was so
we'll made it even fooled our lieuten-
ant as for the actual battery. After |
seeing how they "camflouage" 1
don't wonder 1 never can find the |
Boche gunners who make it so un-
healthy for me. 1t was right beside a |
road, but even then, didn't see it |
until it was shown to me. We were |
then shown the different caliber |
guns and how they worked, but un-
fortunately none were fired for our
benefit, and you should see where |
the men live-in a cave 25 feet un-
der the ground. l looked down the |
hole which was their front door and |
thanked my stars again that was
an aviator. for it looked like the en-
trance to coal mine. And yet, this |
branch OF service isSsupposed to be !
the softest in the afmy-excepting |
of course, the aviators. We next vis- |