Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-31
STORIES OF THE WAR
Gernnan Priseners and Cuqeuts.

The following letter, from Private l Lawrence ". Bowers (Broekline High School class of 1917) of Isatterl 4, Ieast Field Artillery, to his mother. is dated September r, and Rras eonse- quently written after the drlve at St. M;hiel. which it describes:
 Dear Mother:
 "Of course you have heard about the second big drive that our division has participated in within the last two months. We are very aatiy called shock troops. lust when we expected to get our furlolgts. we were hustled off to the front once more and our leaves are a long dis tanee of yet.
 This last drive has been most sIler cessful. I ain writing this letter in a German officers dus-Sut He had 8 wonderful place here, in one corner of the dug-out, which is about 10X20), he has a writing desk Eiih an cleo tric drop light suspended from the ceiling Along one side of his room was his bed, with a fine feather mat tress on it. The walls were covered with pictures of German war triu- gnpl7s.
 "The Huns have built some wonder ful cottages in the woods here You see they regarded this part of con- quered France as their own for good and all. They had bniit railroads here, had wonderful cemeteries for their dead in all this was a little Ger many We have been eating Ger man 'blutwurst for few meals. Our rations have been pretty scanty, but with the addition of soIue of Ger many's we are well taken care of. We captured all sorts Of tooty, from German spiked helmets up to whole trainload of supplies and troop train.
 You ought to see the large number of Boche prisoners that were filing down inc road leading to the rear. I saw a German major, who was march, ing haughtily at the bead of the bat talon. This whole battalion had been made prisoners while en route to the l front 10 help ward off the big allied ] drive We have German wagons ga l lore around here, drawn by German | man horses Our horses are being fed with Hun grain and hay.
 I "It has fained necessarily for the l last two weeks, the mud is fierce. Our preparations had to be made in spite 1 of weather conditions,
 'I will never forget the barrage l that started the drive. We had beer 1 preparing for a few days or so be- ] 4OfEs -pIl 0tii1E IES1biS1tlS i1d0 bSSu i getting ready for some time.
 Then one morning about one O 1 clock, in the darkness of night, rain 1 ing torrents, the whole heavens were l suddenly lighted up with q great blind ing flash: then the deafeniug roar oi | the guns and the noise Of the shells | rushing through the air. It was awe inspiring. That was the start of the 1 big five-hours rolling barrage. We are well in former German territory
 now, and still the shell holes of the big guns are everywhere.
 From the top of the hill here you
 can see for miles. Last night we coult see the burning villages for a Ions
 distance. The towns were burning 1 fiercely when we came ui, with tht guns. The German artillery have re treated away back, leaving most o
 their guns in the gun pits
 We are having Hun pea soup fo
 mess tonight. We. have 8 German ga
 alarm, and when we hear the gons
 we know that mess is ready. There goes the gong now
 Twelve planes are passing over head now, bound for the German
 lines.
 Young loving son. II "I.AVTEENC+F