The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-21
llHNG. BOND.
ASIFIRIN6 LINE.
FOR SIX MONTHS.
Got a Dose of Gas But
Thinks BE Played in
Rare Luck.
AsF0RMER FAIRM0NIER
Writes About the Part AM
erica Played in the
FORMER FAIRMOnTER
Writes About the Part Am

M 6. Tough, purchasing agent OF
Ehe Hutchinson Coal company, former-
n editor OF The West ViTgtntap, re-
Scefyed the following very interesting
letter from Major John G. Bond. VINO
has seen some very strenuous service
for many months in France. Major
Bond, Adfutant General OF West Viz
Rfifa before receiving his commission
as Major In the A. e. F., was formerly
4 resident Of Fairmont, is graduate
LOT the Fairmont State Normal school'
R6s once principal OF the East side
1ibIfc schools in this city, and Tor
soIne time served on the stan or the
west Vfrginian and later worked IN
4he same capacity on The Times. He
Is wei known in Fairmont and has
kmany friends here who VIII be glad 10
fsfear what he has been doing over
There" and more than pleased to learn
that he has survived the hard ser
vice at the front and will likely soon
be home again.
MAJOR Bonds letter is as follows:
CHERBOURG. France,
December 1, 1918.
I Dear Myron C.:-Your letter OF Oc-
f6bar 3lst has Just reached me and
: assure YOU that I am glad to hear
something Of what is going on back
home. The Spanish 6u certainly has
: been getting in its work. Over here
It has not bothered US so much. Along
the front we had but little OF it, though
the French people In the cities SUI
Tered until the armistice was signed
and then they seemed to forget It.
q had to leave the front a week be
fore hostilities ceased because SJt
AID fhaf llTIid
1<one win do well to avoid I'm
bout over It and don't exect any last
e effects but IT'S terrible stuff and its
= Dem o I'D make available aid
: might say successor-to his Satanic
Majesty. I came back from the front
for treatment and was given place
at this port, which, as you know. is
one OF the important old ports OF
France, Just across the channel from
England.
BY the time you get this letter win
be gone from here. We expect to
abandon this port since no more
troops.are coming over and they VIII
{ be sent home from other ports. hope
that when we clean up here will get
orders to come home. I've had enough
and since the fighting IS over want
to come home. For six months l vas
On duty right at the front and had
u the eXerfence any one man needs.
NIn fact few Of them get as much as
did and still get away whole. Just
little luck, / suppose. Except for the
gas, was not touched, though many
men, smaller In size, were killed or
wounded within few feet OF me.
There's no telling where the bullets.
shells, etc, viii fan. II they hit you
It's q quick finish; If they don't, you
Just go ahead. And after the first
few you don't seem to give d-n.
But-BUT-it will be many a day be-
fore lose the feeling I have against
sfhe Hun. I doubt II ever do.
It's sad about Frank Mower and Dr.
Sands. But It shows that there are
dangers at places other than in the
theatre of war.
The war had great finish. Few
thought It could be done so soon But
those OF us on the ground could see
Sc coming for several weeks. The pris-
oners We captured reflected it. They
Just could not stand up when It was
any one say the Hun can't fight tell
him said he IS either ignorant or a
gltar. Individually and when facing a.
bayonet he viii wilt. But as an organ
r1zatton they are not to be played with
or Sneezed at.
Z OF course we played big part Not
on such big front but our coming
gave the discouraged French and Brit
fish new courage. Let no American
boast that America won the war. We
he1ed and we helped a lot. But to a
person who has been here and has
seen what the French and British have
been up against for more than four
syears-has seen how bravely they
held out In their darkest hour-ir
seems bit egotistical. If not IN fact
foolish braggadocio, to say that we
did It we played an important part
We helped them to win it. And It was
Q great victory.
! when know my new address III
Aend you card.
Sincerely,