The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-11-15
INTERESTING LETTERS FROM
THE MEN AT THE FRONT
(GrecH-,:lc News.)
Corporal David w. Lyon.

Thirtieth Division is contained In a
letter from Corporal David W. Ly-
on, son of U. S. Marshal C. j. Lyon,
to his mother in this city. He passed
through thrilling scenes, killed more
than fifty Huns and was wounded
il action. His is one of the most
notable letters that has been pub
lished from our fighters in France.
1t is as follows:
"Somewhere behind the lines,"
October 18th, 1918.
My Dear Mother:
Received your letter that was
written on the 9th of September and
just got the one that was written on
the 14th., and enjoyed them both
very much. Mama. your son would
have answered sooner but we have
been on the 60 for about three
weeks-day and night-and really
haven't had time to eat a meal in
peace. I will tell you why. We have
driven the Germans ten miles in the
last week-I mean the 30th Division
has-and the 9th Division has still
got them going. They relieved us.
Mama, we have about forty miles
to go before reaching German soil,
but at the rate we are going now,
we will be there in about four weeks
Mama, we first went in and gained
about six hundred yards. We lost
our captain and two lieutenants and
some privates, but I came out lucky.
We went about two miles back and
thought we were going to get rest.
The 10th and 120th were to 60 over
the next morning about six o'clock,
and they did, but a good many of
them were knocked off, or went
West, as they call it. We were call
ed back to protect the fanks to keep
the Germans from coming up behind
our men, and that was an awful
night believe me-pouring rain and
falling shell holes all up the road
because they were full of them, as
they had just driven the Boche over
them and given them a good many
of the big shells; but we finally got
there and when we did we thought
we were going to have a dug-out to
get in, but had to sit on the railroad
all the rest of the night in the rain,
but we stood it fine and stayed there
two days and went out on the battle
field the next day where they fought
so hard, and it was harl to see our
boys lying out on the ground dead
shot all to pieces. Then we were
to relieve them, ard we did. Mama.
then we went back for two days rest
and shot back through the line where
we went over the top, and, Mama,
you can't realize how it was to seeI
your boy friends dying beside you;
and one of the most awful things|
that saw was two brothers who
went over the top together and one
Of them was killed instantly, but the
other one stood it fine and went or
through the battle like man. Mama,
hey were just as good as any two
boys that ever lived. One never
vent anywhere that the other didn't.
They were together day and night
lever left each other-That's what
makes it so bad.
Mama, we went over the top three
lays ago and they shot gas on us.
was gassed lightly, but it had no
fleet on me, but good many of
hose that were on my side fell out,
ut we went on. A big barrage was
curing all over the fie,d-shells
ropping all around me but didn't
.et me. We went ever on looking;
or Germans. We came to a viliage
hat the Germans had been IN foI
our years, but a. last we freed the
women and children that had been
prisoners for a long time and they
we're so happy ami as we went thru
,hev would run out their doors and
give us hot coffee, and were so glad
20 get out of the hands of the Ger
mans. We have a Frenchman in
our company that could talk to them
1