New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-09-30
SMASHING THE HUN
A GLORIOUS FEELIN'
Sergeant Luther Parker Writes Of
Offensive Against Enemy

An interesting letter has been re-
ceived from First Sergeant Luther
Parker of the 101st machine gun bat
TALON, A. +. f. Sergeant Parker
writes to former co-workers at the
Parker shirt factory telling of his
many experiences in the front lines.
The letter follows:
Il know it has been a long time
since [ have. written to any one at
the factory but again 1 put forth the
argument of being too busy to write,
and then too we're so fed up on mill
tary things that one has to get into
the mood of writing to write about
things that are a bore to us, but
which are of such interest to the
people back home.
We'll to begin with I went to a
machine gun school during the month
Of June and while there | had a
real rest for l did not have to be on
the lookout for gas. 1t does not pay
to be careless in that line as a man
is not doing his country justice unless
he is constantly on the alert. When
q gas attack is launched a warning
may be given from a nearby trench,
and then again a man may. be the
first to detect it himself So you see
when a fellow goes to sleep he first
puts out his hand to see if it is there
or still better to feel that it is
there.
TO be in a school is enough to
make fellow put on weight, and I
surely did. The funny part of it all
was the complete change when [ re-
turned to my company. They had
been transferred to a different sector
and were living in the woods. The
men had paired off and each pair
had dug a hole about six feet deep.
The bottom of the hole was covered
with hay and blankets were spread
on this. The men were living here
like naed g g4irifd R' Ass at and in
warfare to keep:"tlose to the ground.
A man may be- very closeSo where a
shell explodes and yet not be hurt if
he is lying down, but if he is standing
up he is sure to get hit
From the time I found the men
living in the hole we have been moved
several times due to the big Allied
push which will go down in world s
history of the example of Americans
ability to come back and take the
crimp out of William himself. 1t was
glorious feeling, this victory every
day, just drive and drive some more
You cannot imagine how beneficial
this drive has been to us, to the
French and to every Allied soldier.
We pushed ahead so fast that often
our men found half eaten dinners
| still warm, and Berlin newspapers of
| the preceding day We were tired.
| but excited and full of life, and we
| had them 'buffaIoed.'
| We'll I guess I will close now and
| Hhlsh TINS letter tomorrow, Sunday"
| september 3, 1918.
We'll Sunday came and I had SO
| much to do that / did not get at
| finishing this letter We have been
on the move great deal lately,
| travelling naostly at night. We ex-
| pected to get leaves of seven days but
| orders came again and we are now at
the front again. The Allies have
| Fritz on the run so we are willing to
give up leaves and give him another
| jab. This thing has got to end in an
| Allied victory, and it's got to end
| soon.
| Great things are going to happen
| in the next two or three weeks and
! I'm as hopeful as can be. We shall
| See--thats all. The spirit of the
| American troops is SO good that moth
| ing can stop them. Well [ guess
| Will close even though [ haven't writ
| ten all L intended to- but 7 have :
number of interesting stories to fol,
when l get back. Best regard tn all
| LUTHER"