Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-05
RosT. S. ROSS IS
 USED TO AIR RAIDS
Writes of Bursting sheIIs That Fell
 Nearby Him in France.


 Robert S. Ross. formerly Y. M. c. A. secretary in this city, and now doing war work under the association aus pices in France, has written the fol- lowing letter to friends in Schenec- tady:
 '.We are having a very interesting time at the front We are glad to be able to render a large service to the men and their appreciation is al- most beyond expression.
 We leased an old hotel which had been closed up for years for our head quarters. It is right across from the railway station and a very convenient place for the men. who are coming and going. Great numbers of them were served with hot drinks and lunches all through the first nights of entrance and at many other times. We receive our supplies from Paris and reship them by big trucks and small CT autos from the warehouse to vari- ous points on the front. Some of the roads are closed for day travel by the military authorities as too dangerous. Some cannot be used by the big trucks. so after dark the smaller trucks run up part way. After that the men carry supplies to the very first trenches
 There is plenty of excitement most of the time
 "The airplane battles attract con- siderable attention and it is great to see the work of the anti-a;rcraft guns. We get so accustomed to airplanes flying overhead that often we never think of looking up.
 Saturday the enemy attempted to Lombard the railway station and. shot good many shells into the town close to the station. 1 presume the French were correct in estimating they came from 12 to 15 miles. We'll, the near est that any came to me was about 100 feet, as I was turning in at the gate of our warehouse. This shot came down through the house just l behind me and knocked the front of the house into the street. scattering stone and mortar and iron work and dirt and dust in every direction. as well as the shrapnel bullets that came out of the shell and it's own pieces Another shot struck the wall of oul warehouse yard but did not reach oul l big trucks nor the goods. had gont to the warehouse to get my gas masl
 andF helmet as it seemed as though
 would need them. The FrenchmeI
 advised us to go down into the celia l with an arched roof, cave abri,' til the firing was over, so we did, anC
 stayed in about an hour.
 The great shells whistled loudl! over the top of the house and landed
 at both sides of the station but dit
 not hit the station nor damage thu tracks. Some came every five minutes About , o'clock all was over and ev.
 erybody went out. The official, thought, however that at midnight VI might expect another attack. Afte talking it over at supper time. we de cided to take the women workers ant as many of our men as would go am spend the night in little village
 few miles distant and return in tn morning This we did as a precau ton. but there was no further bonn
 bardment. There was danger that ou
 hotel might be hit and catch fire. had over 60,o99 francs, securities
 money and checks. which the ban } could not take on Saturday, so ha
 three men with he in an auto and kept two iron boxes with me on tn trip and all night at hotel in tn little village When I returned Sun day morning the bank opened up fo us and took my deposit of all thi l money, and I was relieved.
 l "The French got busy Sunday an l used their big guns and many air planes to get back at the enemy an : shut them up for a while. The boom ling and vibration of the firing, so reg ularly and steadily. sometimes almos r without moments intermission. ca } be heard for hours many days an many nights, though not so lou I where we are in headquarters but ths ] one can sleep through much of when well tired out.
 Coming in here Monday I was du , at s45 o'clock. but our train was hel up again and again to allow the pass 1 ing of troop trains and we did not gt , 1 in till 3 o'clock, Tuesday. While I va walking along the dark streets. on tn , way to the hotel. the 'anti-aircra $ guns began booming and were follow f ed at once by the loud sirens all ovt : the town announcing an air raid. IT i, night men in the hotel called son T of the guests and dimmed the nigl . lights. They commenced coming dow i to seek more safe parts of the buil6 I ing. I was tired enough to tumble ir I to bed and take a chance out of man thousands that anything might con | our way, and I was soon asleep ar ! did not get up till after light.
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