South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-21
SOLDIER TELLS Of
LIFE IN FRANCE
Letter to Relative BreatheS
Sentiments of Loyalty
and Hope.

D. J. Campbell, sales manager Of
the Dodge Mfg. Co. is in receipt Of
! a most interesting letter from his
nephew. instrument Sergt. Floyd D.
McCutcheon. now with the 102nd
/ field artillery. y. S national guard.
somewhere ia France" The letter
was written Dec. 2S.
| After thanking Mr. Campbel's
family for the Christmas cheer sent
him. the writer. who has been in
France three months. speaks en-
/ Enthusiastically of the natural beauties
of that part Of France in which his
regiment is located, and tells of the
magnificent reception accorded the
/ american soldiers on and since their
arrival in that country.
Surprise French Officers.
I'VE are getting very thorough
! Training under French officers the
! letter states. Yesterday / had the
rather thrilling experience Of being
under the fire of our own guns. 1
was out on the range at a forward
/ observing post located in a dugout
IabOut 400 yards from the targets. 1t
was rather exciting to hear the shells
whiz about 80 feet over our heads
and burst on the targets, blowing
them to bits.
J Believe me, our boys have sur
/ prised our French officers by the
quickness they have shown in adapt
ing themselves TO foreign methods
of artillery fire. The Huns will GER
tainly get hot reception if they get
4 in rance of our guns. because the
boys are taking the training serious
Ily and go to their work as if they
meant business.
/ we are getting a full days work
these days. 1t is work from the re-
veille until retreat. We do not get
time to make our toilet until after
supper, but as il is all in the game
we are very well treated at that.
Three Turkey Dinners.
so far this week we have had
three turkey dinners. OF course
there are times when 'slum' is serv-
ed. but our cooks are men who can
make 'slum' that tastes like chicken
stew
4 am in the special detail branch
Of the service. We are really the
eyes. ears and brains Of the battery.
and commonly known as gold
| bricks / am in charge Of the whole
detail. It is certainly no snap as
there is a very great responsibility
attached to the position. but respon-
sibility we'll handled paves the way
\ for a commission, and l am always
on the alert for any opportunity
which will give me the coveted gold
and black hat cord of an officer.
Country OF First Importance.
The army can make or break a
man. and when il makes a man it
anything in the face and one who
appreciates the comforts at home
that he has put behind him to fight
for Uncle Sam and the Stars and
! Stripes. There are times when one
feels like saying, Oh. what's the
use, but when We realize that our
country is of more Importance than
our own personal self. we forget our
] grOuches and plug harder than ever.
Such is the spirit of the true Ameri-
can soldier, and il makes the Ger
man prisoners here look in wonder
and predict nothing for their coun-
try. When we get TO the front we
will make the Boches realize that
they are up against the real thing.
and il would be best for them TO
cult or else get the damndest beating
that anyone ever got i am perfect
~ safe in saying that the above is
the true feelings of our boys in
/ France"