The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-23
Has Close Escapes From Trip
10 BIighty While Fight
ing Boches
TAKES PART In MOST
OF RECENT STRUGGLE
Praises Red Cross Highly
Tells OF Life In
France


been received by Water Works Secre-
tary and Mrs. Albert G. Faddis from
their son, Elton, who has just COM
pleted six months service on the wes-
tern front in France with the heavy
artillery of the American Expedition
ary Forces. Extracts from 1t follow:
well, here we are back on the line
again and this time we are seeing
some regular war. This morning the
guns in this immediate vicinity are
quiet, but a title ways off they are
bombing industriously. 1t s relief to
have them quiet down for while be-
cause 1t gets pretty tiresome hearing
them day in and day out. Fritz has al
SO been good to us the last couple Of
days.
Every day brings something new
and different and one has to keep his
eyes open al the time. I would like to
tell you of some of the things we have
gone through have seen some Of
my comrades have some really mirac-
rlous escapes, some that after they
are over, seem very funny. Those
Boche shells do some queer stunts
sometimes. I have had some pretty
close ones myself when out on the
telephone lines. Sometimes l think
that when | get back to the u. s. |
will never want to use a telephone of
any kind. l have put in some pretty
long days and nights on them here
Fritz seems to delight in breaking up
lines for us to fix.
I'VE are sleeping in village that
the people were forced to abandon
and consequently have pretty good
seeping quarters. Sweeney and I
have a real iron bed with springs. 1t
is minus mattress, but very comfort
able nevertheless. have nice ta-
BILE here to write on, but haven't a
large amount of time or paper. We
have Y. M. C. A. man, but he Is able
to get paper only once in a. great
while 1t seems almost impossible for
me to get chance to write to every
body I should
Letters are more welcome now
than ever and are the one big enjoy
ment and pleasure we have. Every
body is always wishing for mail.
guess it is because we are up on the
line and having such a strenuous time
that letters seem so dear. They Ger.
tainly make fellow feel better.
81 have been witness of almost all
the things you read so much about: air
battles, gas attacks, heavy lombard
ments, etc, and | wouldn't trade my
experiences for huge fortune, even
though some of them haven't been
very pleasant. There have been times
when minutes seemed like hours and
we wished we were somewhere else
but after it is al over we are glad we
want through It,
"The last few days have been fairly
quiet and we have had chance tc
rest wash clothes and do some badly
needed mending You would be sur
prised to see how accomplished have
become with the needle and | can al
so do a very creditable job washing
clothes, but haven't learned how tt
cook yet.
This is certainly being written II
relays but the relay system is quite
the proper thing here. Today is Sun
day though 1t is just the same as ev
cry other day. We were just talking
about what we would be doing il WI
were back home now and the majori
ty said sleep. 1t Is now 8 a. m.
"Was much pleased to hear of Floyt
Bartlett's promotion. ! read of th'
large assortment of wearing appare
furnished them and contrasted 1t will
our own. All we have is carried OF
our backs all the time except one sui
of extra underwear, one extra shir
and a couple pairs of socks. But tina
seems like lot sometimes and
I'VE are now sporting our first sci
vice stripes and feel very proud IL
deed Ii has been the shortest 81
months have ever lived and also tn
most exciting. especially the past fev
weeks
81 am certainly glad to hear Of a
the Knox Co. fellows coming owe
here. am always on the lookout fO
some one l know. Other than Joh
McLarnan, whom I see occasional
and who is getting along fine and lool
ing good, | have never met any on
!. from Knox county. ! have reason
believe that Milo Hadley and Ra,
mond Moore are near here and It