Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-31
GRAND RIDGE BOY
FINDS COMRADES IN
DEATH FROM SHELL
PERCY LEWIS WRITES OF FIND
ING MEN HE HAD JUST LEFT
LYING DEAD WHERE ENEMY
SHOT HAD FELLED THEM.

boy, who has been IN France loi 'o'
eral months 1t will prove very inter-
esting to his many friends.
Camp dAnvour, France,
Dear Charles:
Your letter received and mueh en-
loved. 1t came to me when at La
Vaibonne, having been forwarded
from the 18th MIG. battalion, which |
left Oct IA. for an officers training
school. The chances were pretty
good for a commission until the war
ended and It looked like a few OF the
more experienced candidates might
get them. | grasped what | thought
was an opportunity to return to my
organization, but now | am not sure
that I shall see 1t again. Possibly
YOU have seen in the papers where
the 5th division, my Division, is in the
army of occupation.
suppose you and Grand Ridge mad
a real celebration aitr the armlstlco
was signed even if yu did have that
premature one. Will us the next day
was made a holida, and 1t WASH I
necessary to urge my one to ceie'
brate, assure you. believe the MD
night affair there vas about oct. b.
On that day and 70 a week after we
were I'm the woods lot far from Yer
dun. awaiting developments. Then on
the morning of theta on the eastern
outskirts OF the Agonne, the fellows
made their advare. They encoun
tered fighting NOR stubborn than any
before. They ha taken their posi-
tons during the night, suffering a
few casualties. operations for them
were to start at o'clock and it came
soon enough. as ur truck train spent
the whole night Ding but few miles
because OF the hench trucks getting
stalled and blochng the road.
Shells hurst Nearby.
When we did trrive rather close ant
at a point wher the ammunition wa!
to be taken frward in our Fore
trucks the she's soon were burstins
all around us. The closest one, 70
me, was twent steps away, and 1t go
one of the feilMs. Then it is that on
looking on erertains none but tn
harshest opinin of the Kaiser. WheI
they had withdrawn their fire W
started transferring our ammunition
to the light tricks, getting it forwar
in sufficient tile. A short while after
ward, upon Advancing to the poin
where the kittens had been estai
lished in Orde to make distribt
tion Of rations whom should | Sc
but one of the asst fellows had hell
ed load ammunition. He was no.
dead, as was iso the fellow besid
him. They had delivered their carg
and after slepless night lay dow
to snatch lite rest A shell mad
a direct hit an, closed their career
AS | helped lift them into a truck [
be carried back for burial | though
how we all lonied for peace for W
had heard there would be peace thu
day, but not unil a promise of fu
PREPARATION had lren exacted. The il
juries done require full surrender. b
the time the orler came that eve
for departure of seven Of us for ii
school, the two Companies had suffe
ed forty casualties, some killed an
wounded. AS to how they have fare
In that region have not heard. TT
33rd, including tie Ottawa compan
was in that secto', and have hear
that the division suffered severely.
His Future In Doubt.
Some of the fellows will soon
back there in the States. | wou
like to be somewhere among the frs
but there is also the possibility.
course, that the contrary will By II
case. Upon arriving at the casu
camp at lie Mans, where there we
thousands awaiting classification,
was first assigned with The other sc
geants major to the central recor
office at Bourges. The sane day ii
order was rescinded for all. so in ii
army the future, In so far as your
cation Of station is concerned, is rat
err indefinite.
But have written too mrh alrea
about nothing but myself. Now abo
something else than war. How d
you people allow the isinguish
Senator Lewis to be defeaed? II
his name at least become to, great
handicap, or was it something els
The folks wrote Of how Grind Rid
and surroundings again wen over
top In the recent drive. Almost a |
per cent spirit Of loyalty, ion't y
think? The isolated spots of lu1
warmness really make the rest of [
community appear all the more arde
and brilliant suppose the lodg
too, are having their usual n lmber
social functions and so keeping
place on the map. Doubtless YOU h
good time Thanksgiving. We h
substituted for turkey and its acc
sories, bread, butter, coffee and "sur
But that, for me, was better than