The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-12-26

best ever, and are looking forward TO
the time when we return TO you all,
but only little while longer must
cut this out or ! will have writers
cramps. We are waiting for things to
get settled, and hope they hurry II
.up. Take the best Of care Of your
selves. Your loving son.
WILLIAM.
Letter From Lieut.. Jesse G. Bixby OF
the Signal Corps A. +. +, to his
Father in Arlington. VI.
Tours, France, Nov. "a, 1918.
Dear Dad
see by the "Stars and Stripes the
Army newspaper published for the
soldiers, that all of the boys should
drop letter to Dad today, although !
suppose that there will be many a dad
that will receive no letter for the boy
has made the supreme sacrifice Of war.
I am sorry, in way, that ! never had
a chance to get to the front, but after
our general was here one day and
made a little speech l felt as though
II was doing my bit as much as the
rest, but not suffering the hardships
that my comrades have undergone.
The general said: Boys, don't feel as
though you were not helping to win
this war by being back here in the
S. o. S., for if it were not for you
boys the boys at the front would fare
very poorly"
feel that | have done my share OF
good work by staying here and keep
ing the lines of communication open
Every night and day | have been on
hand to keep the men | have under
me doing their best; but it was unnee-
essary for they had the right spirit
have sat at the test board day after
day to watch for the least break IN
the line of communication, for knew
what i. meant if failed 1t was up
to me and to me alone until 1t became
more than one human being coulo
handle. Now | have four comrades
doing the same work for me and
feel that | have done my share.
don't get on the road much as have
two men within call with motorcycles
ready to dash away at moment
notice. They are the most faithful
ellows ] ever saw. Night or day, rair
Tor shine, they are off at the word o.
command without a murmur. have
several others along the line awaiting
the word, but some of them are ten t'
hundred miles from my station
Thus you can see it's no small part
have been playing in the great game
never before had the opportunity u
tell you my story from the time lei
New York October 3, 1917. We wen
to Halifax first, where we picked VI
nine more ships. Then we started t'
cross the many miles of ocean that la!
before US. For Ia days we were ou
Of sight of land--way up in the Nortf
Sea Oh, but it was cold! We reached
the coast of Scotland and perhaps thai
rocky shore didn't look good. But Il
the meantime, when we entered TN
danger zone it was necessary for tn
bows who came with me-19 Of them
to stand watch on top Of the whee
house, as all of them were semaphor'
or telegraph operators and exper
electricians. Their duty during th'
day was to communicate with tn
leading battlehip by semaphore. A
night the telegraph operators signale'
by fashlight.
4 We landed in safety at Liverpool
Eng, October 17th. From Liverpoo
we went to Southampton where we re
NAMED three days and eventually lef
for LeHavre, France. Arriving at lie
Havre October 22nd we put in tw'
miserable days in camp, cold an
rainy. We made the trip to Paris il
one Of those comical French trains
will tell you what | saw in Par
when | reach home.
In December was sent to 81
Nazaire to inspect our telegraph an
telephone office. From st. Nazaire
went to Brest. You will easily fin
these two places on the map, as the!
are both on the coast. ate m.
4 Christmas dinner in Brest and, beliey
me, was a lonesome boy. Order
came 10 move our headquarters y
Tours and | was one Of the first u
leave so as to have things ready TO
the officers when they were ready 7
move. We did the job 0. n, move'
into a large hall and began putting Il
our electrical apparatus. 1t was pu
in charge of the long distance com
munications. October oath they say