Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-16
OUR BOYS
OUR cQuNTRY'S SERVICE

Miss Dorothy Ward Of lis Bangor
sti eet, Augusta, recently received the
following letter from her cousin,
Private George r. Caswell, Company
NJ, 103d Infantry:
Somewhere in France,
June %, 1918.
Dear Dorothy:
Received a letter from YOU today
and was indeed some glad to get it
for l haven't heard a word from the
states for over three weeks. Just ar
rived from the trenches today and
believe l was some glad to get out
here where the bullets were not so
thick as they have been for the past
few weeks. l do not know how long
We are to stay out this time but
probably longer than ever before.
We are now in a city larger than the
one you are living in and you have
heard of it a good many times by
reading the papers. l can not tell
you its name for that would be Civ
ing valuable information. Most of
the fellows have gone down town to-
night but l am going tomorrow, am
staying around the office tonight so
the clerk can go. | have been told
that they are having moving pictures
in this town but | suppose that they
are French ones.
Saw Norman Boynton today for
the first time for nearly three months
He is well but had been slightly
wounded with small piece Of flying
shrapneL
At this last sector we have been on
I had the greatest experience of my
life yet. 1t was not in particular very
dangerous, but there was plenty of
excitement. One night | had charge
OF a patrol that went out to No
Mans Land and buried three dead
Germans. On another occasion we
went out and fixed the wire in front
Of our front line trench All of this
had to be done at night time when it
was real dark. otherwise the Boche
might have thrown good many
shells at us.
! OF course you know that Emmons
| Boynton has been killed in action.
He was behind the lines a short dis
lance but the Germans were shooting
at an observation balloon and piece
of flying shrapnel bit him on the
head, and ! have been told that he
died shortly afterwards in a hospital.
Some of the fellows of this Com
pany were sent to the hospital a few
days ago gassed. They are not very
dangerously i'll however and most of
them will be back with us again in a
few days.
\ y Mt ~ oh ~.
OF duties as commanding officer of
this company, He is still with this
| regiment but do not know what he
| is going to do. Most likely ne will
/ land some better job. A lieutenant
whose home is in Massachusetts, is
now commanding this Company.
! 1t is my opinion that this Company
will be taking a long train ride before
! long and by the time YOU receive this
! letter we will likely be in a different
part of France. have great hopes of
seeing Paris within the neyt month or
two, but may get greatly mistaken.
| do not know whether we are to get
leaves or not but if VIC do | shall
make a bid for one.
! 1t certainly is a great relief for us
! to be in this town to say nothing
| about leaves. After steady strain
! of hardships and movements. we at
/ last are able to rest quietly and
peacefully for a few nights. This
camp reminds me a great deal of
Camp Reyes. it being about the
same distance from the city as the
one in Augusta was. The entire
Regiment is in the same camp for
Sc ems homelike to go out into the
! streets and see the fellows from the
! other companies that you know. We
are staying in hillets. or great long
! barracks, and the only trouble with
them is we have to sleep on the
floors, but we have straw. so WHY
kick?
| Well. Dot, ! suppose that things
back in Augusta must look rather
queer with all the young fellows
missing. | saw by X. J. where
there We're over 400 local boys on the
Honor Roll of Augusta. | never
knew there We're so many young peo
pie there.
II you find any news or items in
the K. j. or Boston papers that you
| thlnk would interest me | wish YOU
. would cut them out and send them to
me in letter for my X. Us do not
come very regular. Sometimes there
are six or eight copies missing in sue
, cession, SO you can see that l do not
get many news after all.
am we'll and in the best Of health.
so are all your friends In this Com
pany Write often for news are al
ways welcome, Remember me to all
! the folks and tell them that think of
| them all often.
As ever,
Your cousin,
GEORGE o rAS.rrr-r