The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-08-20
BOI.E FIGHTER WRITES
OF ITALIAN CONDITIONS
H. G. Butler Gives Interesting Snap
shots of Horrors Of Warfare as
Experienced During Aus
trian Drive on the Paiye

H. G. Butler, who left Boise earl,
last sprng to enter the Italian arm,
service as truck driver, has writer
Boise friends from Roncaste, Italy
under date of June 20, stating he il
in the thick of the Italian drive or
the Austrians. His letter smacks well
OF the Italian successes in their re.
cent advancement, but has a touch
OF pathos as he refers to the footsore
soldiers, the wounded and the towns
people who were driven from their
homes during the Austrian advance
ment on Italian territory.
His letter reads as follows:
Experiences Real Warfare
II have been here at the front for
several days, having had a very safe
and pleasant journey. l spent in all
some three days on the Bonnie Isle ,
me three or four days past have
been very interesting. The Italians
have pushed the Austrians back over
the Piave and are still hurting them
back. Right where we are now To-
Gated was the front trenches, or al
most so, of the Italians.
The house where we sleep had
the end blown off by shell. A bit
further south, the battle ragged.
Three nights ago we had 1900
wounded Austrians and Italians
here. We treat them all alike. The
night following, $50; and the next
night fifty. Today has been very
quiet as the front has changed. l
have not taken truck as yet, owing
to the fact that l have not learned
the roads and highways sufficiently
up to the present writing.
Canteen Does Good Work
Il am working now in a canteen,
where we make hot soup and milk
coffee and pass these out to the
soldiers and the line of
weary, footsore fellows, who in ever
lasting lines, trail up and down, back
and forth to the front. Poor fellows
they need the stuff and all seem very
appreciative. Several of the wound
ed have died while in the ambulances
Or in the temporary hospital at our
1ext door. Some have heads
faces half blown away shy |
arms and legs and generally smashed |
Up.
For days the doors and windows |
lave ratified, night and day, with the |
booming of the guns. Great focks
# airplanes sail overhead and CAP
i've balloons are always in sight.
Ne have gas masks always ready,
no ! have not had to wear one vet.
Everybody left this burg a few
lays ago, but they are now straggl-
ng back. They come incarts drawn
" the littlest donkeys you ever saw,
" wagons hitched to yokes of milk
ows and oxen and dogs. In fact
hey are driving almost everything
hat will drive.
1T Is a sad almost sickening sight
0 see them trying to start up house
eeping again with their pitiful little
torres. Hundreds of the women are
arefoot and from the looks Of their
eet have been so for a year or so.
Cigarettes Play a Part
Inc passing out of cigarettes is
bout one-half our job. The doctors ,
rescribe the little coffin nails" the
rst thing for the most severely
ounded. l have seen a whole line
troops, tired and footsore and !
'oking most detected, made to pick
p their heels and hug each other as q
ley go trotting up the road singing, /
giving each one Of them willy lit +
e puff stems y
Only a little way up the road, a v
rs shell just dropped and everybody 9
rs on the masks" g