The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-09-18
FROM LINOTYPE
KEY BOARD TO THE
MACHINE GUN TRIGGER
FRANCIS J. MAGIN, FORMERLY
LINOTYPE OPERATOR, TELLS
OF GOING OVER THE TOP.

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From pounding the keeps on the lin
otype in the Belding News office .
year ago to pulling the trigger on .
machine gun pointed at the Germans,
is the transition which has come into
the life of Francis J. Magin, now with
the American forces in France and up
to the middle of last November, en-
ployed in the News office. 1t was
like having a visit from the faithful
employe himself when we received his
letter and opened and read it. You
remember what we told you about
him when he left for the army last
November? Well we said that he
was mighty good employe and that
We knew he would make an equally
good soldier in Uncle Sans army.
Our assertion at that time was based
merely on what we personally knew
of him, but Francis Magin's mother
recently received a letter from the
boy, which had been censored by his
captain and before writing his cencor-
ing mark, the captain wrote the fol-
lowing words: Mother, he is a very
good boy" Then followed the cap
tain's mark.
Francis letter is as follows:
Somewhere in France, Aug. IA, 1913
Dear Brother Ed:
You don't know what pleasure your
letter brought to me, in fact / got Is
letters in that one mail. / also re-
ceived letter from Hub, Mart and
Lucy that day. 1t seemed like a day
of celebration for me. am writing
this letter as an answer to them all.
| get paper nearly every week and
yesterday | received the Trufant
Times. Ed, it sure pleased me when
| found that you and Hub had bought
the controlling interest in the Banner
and are now located in their place. 1t
sure was some place when | saw it
last alongside the old place and hope
the business picks up even more than
it has been coming.
Well, Ed, since / received your let
ter / have went "over the top" We
went over just after dark and believe
me, Eddie, it was some thrill. We
got away with it and made an en-
placement for our gun. We were not
disturbed by the Boche snipers but
they made it damn hot for some of
the other squads.
Say, Ed. you no doubt have heard
lot about this shrapnel that is shot
but you cant imagine what destruc-
tion it does to man and woods. The
only way you can get away. from it
is to dig a hole long enough to lay
in and deep enough to be below the
surface, and then of course he has to
make a. direct hit to get you. He
shoots over so many shells that he
now and then drops one right square
in hole and then it is good night for
a mr. wv xuh hn ho in,
They dropped them close enough to
suit me and it was lucky we got out.
Between shrapnel, gas, airplane
bombs and cave-ins it is one hell of
place up at the front. ~ After we got
back to a certain road just before
coming away two of my men were
nearly killed. They were sleeping
in hole dug in the side of hill and
the thing caved in on them. We
had quite a time getting them out
but we did so consequently we are all
together back here resting before we
go back to the front again. / only
hope we don't go back to the same
place. 1t has got to be finished pret-
ty soon so it don't make any differ
ence where we go as long as we finish
the thing so we can go back home
again to the ones we left. 1t will be
one grand and glorious trip back over
the old Atalantic and | don't care if
they pack the boat so full that III
have to stand up all the way over.
Say, Ed, started to write this let
ter using the cover of a German am
munition box fer my desk but / was
up to the commissary truck and
bought some things and brought back
wooden box that came straight from
the u. S. and am using it for my
desk now. have in it one can of sar-
dimes, five packages cf gum, two cans
of peach jam and some matches so
you see / won't get hungry right
away. Oh yes, / also have large
can of sausage which cost two francs
and 75 centimes. Do you know how
much that is? / could figure it out
in American money but i really don't
want to waste so much time.
Say, Ed, you remember that little
dictionary Charlie used to have in
the shop, don't you? Well, / have
got that with me and it sure is help.
It is so darn easy to forget little
things and / believe / make many mis-
takes that don't notice.
Well, Ed, give my love to all my
friends and relatives in and near Beld-
ing. will be glad to see them all
once again. / guess / will close for
this time as chow is nearly ready.
Don't forget to write again soon.
Goodbye for this time, your loving
brother, =
Francis j.
Cpl Magin, Co. B., 18th M. G. Bn-.
"A II