Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-29
OUR BOYS
OUR GoUN1RY'S SERVICE

received from Lieut.. Waman Hassett.
Company B, io3d Infantry, formerly Of
Rumford by DR.. G. E. Washburn Of All
gusta:
A. f. F., June IS, 1915
Dear Doc:
If the Boche will leave me alone long
enough III attempt little letter to you.
They sure have got the 1880 all ''riled
up this last "a hours. First they bombed
our towns from the air and shelled it
from the lines. then sent over gas. after
which they put down a barrage on our
front line and came over after it to
carry back the whole regiment, but the
boys had other ideas and sure did dam
age those Boche shock troops a lot.
One Of the Germans they took prisoner
gave the information that there were
500 came over each with four days ra
lions and so intended to stay after they
took our front line, but only half this
plan worked. About that number
stayed very still in front of our wire)
but the trench is still Yankee land
They just went by my Office with three
Boche prisoners and they sure did look
lonesome. There was lieutenant and
two privates. The officer was quite we'll
dressed but the privates show very
plainly that Germany must be hard up
for clothes and shoes for theirs was Of
the poorest quality.
We came to this position two nights
ago and il was son-of-a-gun of hike.
They said it was II kilometers from
where we started But they proved to be
the longest kilometers in France. OF
course you have read of that real Amer
lean railroad from the American front
to the sea, here in France? We crossed
that road on our way in and ii sure
looked pretty nice to us to see the wide
track and heavy rails after seeing so
much of the French system with their
narrow guage. / can't see" their rail
roads az all. Like in England you buy
a ticket get on the train and ride all
day and nobody looks at 1t. When you
leave tire train the ticket is taken in
side the station. I could tour France
| on nothing if I wished. their system of
railroading is so weak.
On every front we have been up to
now, there has been the same old
ways precedes the company TO the front
line positions ior the purpose Of recon
! noiterin~ and ascertainng the best po-
sition for certain platoons and this trip
! in. he got to the curve" lust as friend
Fritz began "straping" Il with high eX-
plosiVes. The skipper said he had all
ways taken these Dead Mems Curves
as jokes but he had a whole lot OF re
spect for that one That night when
the company came through there We're
fresh shell holes everywhere. This
regiment has been extremely lucky i'll
making their reliefs ] don't know Of
single occasion where we have lost a
man while relieving another outfit.
Our American aviators are looking
up and doing great work on our front
Saw the prettiest air battle that ever
was Yesterday, Neither machine was
DANA ged nor were the aviators hurt
but it wasn't their fault They ma
neuvered those ma chimes as though they
were a couple of birds and every time
one or the other got into position we
could hear their machine gun sputter.
The Boche did a good stunt TO get
damaged when he was seen to come
down very much out of control, but be-
fore he had gone too near the earth re
righted his machine and flew for home
as though a dozen Americans were after
him instead of one.
| 1t seems strange that the natives of
this town do not leave There isn't
much left of it. but they still stay and
carry on their farm work. Nine out of
10 Of the farm la borers are women
and the man is either too old 10 be in
the army or too young. This section OF
France is given over almost wholly to
the raising of grapes for wines. The
French drink more wine. do believe,
than any other nation going. The SOL
ders carry a canteen of red wine all
the time and tn women drink 1t in
place Of tea or coffee. 1t is very
cheap drink. only cost @ cents a quart
when we first came, but like every
where Americans go. they raised the
price and now it is As cents. 1t doesn't
bother me any, however, because I DIS
like the stuff, 1t is impossible TO get
spirits Of any kind here. Some Of the
officers in this regiment like rum or
cognac occasionally, but money cannot
obtain it for them believe a quart
Of real American rum or whskey would
ransom Alsace-Lorraine.
I have got to write and thank your
wife for some magazines she sent me-
write to Agnes and home also, so
guess I'll call this off for this time.
Yours,