Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-18
CITY'S SOLDIERS
DISPLAY NERVE
lieutenant Martin Writes
How Men of 10th Infan-
try Bore Hardships
ARE MEN, NOT BOYS"
Members Of Old Third Regi.
ment, n. G.. P, Smile at
= Wounds

"Just a little bit. about twenty-three
days. of Hun hell'-that is the intro
duction Lieutenant George w. r. Martin.
Company A, 10th Infantry. gives to his
letter, written from hospital in France
to s. Thompson Tomlin, 219 South
Fiftieth street
Lieutenant Martin is a son of Mrs.
M. ]. c. Martin, of Narberth. and for
rnerly was a member of the old Third
Regiment, n. C. p. When the war was
declared he was in California as sales
man. He came back to Philadelphia to
be made a first lieutenant under Colonel
George f. Kemp. He is veteran OF
the Spanish American war, and thirty
nine years old
His wound. received while walking
back and forth along his line Of men.
encouraging and instructing them. Is
entirely healed. he writes hut adds that
1t will take some time to mend the
muscles, which were torn by a fragment
of shell.
IL "Real Show started July 4"
His letter in part follows:
without going into what went be-
fore. I'll start with July 4. We had
been in action for about two weeks .
but the real show started July 4, at
about 2 a. m.
"Just picture us asleep under the
stars in an old orchard artillery action
as usual. when suddenly the bugle
sounds the call to arms Men wake
silently: formations are in silence and
we move out in silence. in long. snaky
columns of files that fit into the shadows
and are impossible to see at greater
distance than few feet. The In
fantry moves forward, using whatever
cover possible, and along about dawn,
which comes up as cold and unChari-
tableIas a church congregation. We are
in position fairly well concealed, but
which we at once set to work to make
better
1--WE had no hand-to hand fighting. in
fact nothing but 'strafing by the Hun
artillery for about a week or ten days
and then Fritz started his drive,
crossed the river at several places, and
the war was on.
stopped Prussian Guards
'Our division stopped the pick Of the
Crown Princes forces, the Prussian
Guard divisions However, we paid for
il; but the purchase price was little
compared TO what we obtained in
prisoners. guns. etc.
TO tell the truth, Tom. | have lost
all track of days or dates. things moved
70 fast after the halt in their drive,
because we put on a drive of our own
and we certainly went some. We kept
the Hun moving so fast that he left
vast stores of ammunition, and his mill
tarr railroads and rolling stock
at Is needless to say that our men
behaved in a manner which makes me
proud. l am line officer Of infantry
There were times that we moved so
fast, taking one position after another.
we got SC far ahead of our artillery that
we had to make all our assaults with
out its support. But the assaults were
always made, and a position once taken
was never lost. We went so fast that
our food could not keep up with US, and
we were indeed lucky if we could get
one meal day-frequently it was one in
forty -eight hours. And let me tell you
1t takes CUTS to go into action with
m empty belly and work and fight the
way our men did. 1t sure does.