The Yale expositor., 1918-10-24
OUR SOLDIER BOYS.
Letters From and Items Concerning Yale
Boys Who are in the Service of
Their Country

/
Their Country
Somewhere in France, Sept 28, 'l8
James A. Menzies
Dear Sir:-I received copy of the
Expositor Of July 25th, and L wish to
tell you how good it seemed to get
hold of Yale paper. 1t is over two
months since l left the states and II
certainly made me feel good to get
some Yale news.
see that some of our Yale boys are
falling on the battlefelds now. 1t
seems to wake us up to the fact that
there is war when some of the boys we
know fall.
saw the name of John Shoefelt in
q Paris paper. 1t stated that he had
died from wounds. My folks wrote
and told me about Tom Magner.
l haven't seen Yale boy since l
first landed. am the only one in the
regiment from around Yale. There
are some of the boys not very far from
here, but it is impossible to go over
aud see them. Each regiment has its
district and we are not allowed out Of
our district without pass, and passes
are as scarce here as prune trees are in
Yale.
There is Lieutenant in the COM
pany am with, by the name of Hirsh-
berger, who spoke about knowing you
and your son. He is secretary of a
jewelry concern in Detroit and travelled
through Yale for a while and seemed
to know quite few business men
in that city.
Well will close for this time thank
ing you for your kindness in sending
me the Expositor, | remain,
Yours truly,
Jas. Is. loft, Med. Dept, 340th Inf,
Amer. Exp. Forces, A. Z. +. 7S9
Via New York
*s%
The following contains extracts from
letter written September 20 by Serg't
l.. j. Menzies somewhere in France to
his parents:
Since writing you last we have been
drilling hard and are getting down to
real work. 1t is becoming more and
more interesting to me every day.
When l first got into the artillery, L
had never given the subject of the fir
ing of big guns much thought. i'm
agined that when a battery saw the
enemy they set their sights on the tar.
get and let fly. But modern warfare
is certainly different. Mathematics
play q great part. All the firing data
is figured out by geometry and algebra
and the Captain aud Lieutenants have
to be up in all branches, of mathema-
tics. Very seldom do we see what we
are firing at. The guns are all aimed
by the commands of an officer some
distance away.
L remember you asked me one time
how L could stand the noise of the
firing. So far it hasen't bothered me a
bit. can stand right alongside of the
guns without any cotton in my ears.
Now l have some extremely good
news to tell you. On Tuesday 1 was
appointed sergeant. AS you know, l
have been helping the supply sergeant,
and when the original vacancy occur
red, Capt. Baxter appointed me as am
munition sergeant. 1t is my duty to
keep the guns supplied with the various
kinds of shells and fuses, and see that
the ammunition is kept in good shape,
and make q daily report.
know that you will be as pleased as
| am to think that have been advan-
ced. Sergt. j.. j. Menzies,
Battery O., 329th +. A.,
Amer. EXP. Forces, France
Grant Holden has received word from
the. hospital physician at Bloomington,
Ind, that his son Rex has been very
sick with influenza, but is now on the
improve.
-
Word reached Yale last week that
Holland Walker had died of influenza
at one Of the southern army camps.