Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-12-24
Silence is Heard
When Battle Ceases

Letters are beginning to arrive
from the boys overseas which have
been written since the armstlce was
signed November IL. These letters
are a source Of much relief to the
anxious parents and friends when
they get word Of the safety OF their
boys who were known to be IN the
war zone Among these letters IS
one to A. l.. Lamb which he received
last week, written by his son, Prl-
vate Armlne l.. Lamb, who Is with
Company B, 3l3th Infantry. This
letter was written from the front and
dated November lG, and contained
the comforting news that he had
come thru without a scratch. In
relating his experience at the time
hostlities ceased Private Lamb says.
"On the eleventh month, eleventh
day and eleventh hour firing ceased
and we rolled over on our packs,
which had seemed to have grown to
us, and breathed a sigh of relief and
prayer of thanks TO God for giving
us respite at least, for as yet we
were not certain that II was peace.
But we were glad for the time to
listen to the most wonderful silence.
and the only silence | have ever
heard, II was actually so silent one
could hear il.
We had been advancing for sew
eral days, and for over two weeks
we had been under heavy artillery
fire, until, unless we could hear our
own guns booming, which was mu-
sic. or the whine and explosion OF
the enemy's high explosive shrapneI
or gas shells, we felt as tho some
thing was wrong without the noise.
And now for six days we have lived
in peace,
HWhen word came over the wire
to cease firing We were within lVo
yards Of the Boche lines. There had
been a heavy fog all that morning
and we had crept up that close There
we're a surprised bunch Of Germans
when the fog lifted, and they saw us =
so close, but the Yanks fired rue
last shot from the big guns.
THE fog lifted about thirty mill
utes after the war ceased, and OLD
Sol came out for the first time ~
over a week as II 10 celebrate. The
Germans started coming down the
road to shake hands with us. Can
you beat It? And we had just got
thru peppering each other with ma
chine guns, automatics, one pound
ers, heavy artillery and everything.
Most OF them were mere boys, and
happy-say, happy Is no name for
the smiles on their faces. They said,
To HI with the kaiser. Let him
do his own fighting. We start ol
home tonight in trucks, and gdsa
they did. some of them. Those who
stayed TO hold the lines gave us fire
works that night-star shells, flares,
rockets and every signal they had.
We had driven them back rapidly
the last few days. and the dead
Boches we passed in our advance
showed how" .
The young soldier stated further
In his letter that he could not tell
what front they are on. but he Is
certain they will soon be Home
ward bound" He had not been on
the front month. but he has had
his curiosity satisfied, and for the
sake Of humanity he hopes there will
never be another war.
ut is getting cold. here.' he
said in conclusion, land been so for
some time. We are comfortable.
tho. living in huts and houses built
by the Germans who have been hero
about four years. They had things
'ixed up comfortably, all right, cleo
lric lights, stoves and water piped In
,lose. They did not foreste the time
when the Yanks would rout them