El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-21
.TELLS0F FIRST
TINE over TOP
Rhode Island Man Brings
Back Bodies Of Two Men
From No Mans Land
tWho was awarded the French cross
for bravery on the buttleficld-l

. tWhO was awarded the French cross
for bravery on the buttlefield-l
WoonsockeL r. T.. June 21.---Next
I Tuesday. Dec. Is. I leave for the
/ trenches"
A thrill passed through me as ]
made this short notation iu my diary
at Toulou. France. Dec. 13. 1914.
There was a strange silence In our
/ company on that memorable day, when
she news Of our forthcoming adven-
ture was made known TO us
All night I lay on my straw bed i'm
. Toulon billet I shifted on the straw
E. all night my head was feverish.
strangely, I saw pictures Of my happy
home iu Woonsocket
Z We left Rhode Island i'm company
with several other French residents.
f who. like myself left their dear wives
and children behind them 90 respond
20 the can Of their mother country I'm
danger Of the Hun invasion. when
shall we go TO the trenches we COM
stautly asked Of each other as the ship
/ left large stretches OF white foam be-
{ hind.
we shall never 80 TO the trenches
one Of my friends replied. -For the
war viii be over soon" That was I'm
august. 1914
How far he was right was soon to
find out
UDon arriving in France 7 was inn
mediately assigned 10 the 18th COM
pauy Of the fourth colonial regiment
which was united with the 18th army
corps of Montpelier. then stationed az
Toulon. the famous French military
naval port
on the goth of August. at s o'clock
En- the morning. the reservisrs, with
their knapsaczs thrown over their
shoulders assembled in front OF the
courthouse at bordeaux. where we
were given our passes and then set
free for the rest Of the day. We were
given until midnight to return 20 our
On to TouIon-
on the way 20 Ioulou 7 passed
through Toulouse. Carca ssone, Baz1ers,
places I had visited in 1906
I then went through Montpelier.
Mines Tarsacon. Aries and Merseilles- [
where stop OF three hours permitted
me to visit the city
on the oath Of August set this
down In my diary
Everything seems to indicate that
7 shall not go 20 the trenches especial .
IL since France appears 20 have many
more soldiers than she needs PATRIOT
ism is at its height even the socialists
and antf-socialists are eurhused by
the sacred flame OF the love Of their
country. The women are oVerLoWins /
with enthusiasm and devotion
The final events cannot be more /
cousoline and favorable FOR France
do not believe that the war VIII last
any length OF time
Ordered 60 Eerdun-
7 was soon 20 find out how badly /
mistaken I was then
For not only did 7 soon undergo a .
thrilling trench experience. but ir was .
the historical grave OF the German .
crown princes army Further IMAM /
this need not say
Ominously enough a strange mo- +
uotouy perVaded our stay iu the Lou- +
Ion barracks. where we dreamt Of the /
new life I'm store for us I'm the trench ]
es I spent many quiet days in ooser- .
vatious. T couversed with the peace /
fuI folks iu the town
AS the days for our trench expert I
ence neared. the military censorship I
became more strict. and number OF /
my letters were thrown away I'D some /
cases the postoffice did not allow the +
name of the city or town from Wnere /
the letters were sent % be stamped /
These precautions We're taken in order 3
that the enemy may not nave tne /
SLIGHTEST cleW 10 the situation OF the I
army corps. In fact, the censorship ]
was so strict that we could not learn /
much about the war from the trencn i
a short time before the memorable I
18th Of December sat down and t
wrote a Ions letter TO my friends. ~ .
Woons0cket I had mtsglFinE tnat I
that would be my last letter 20 my F..
family and friends
I wrote
1T is a pleasure for me TO write .
you today. especially since the sun I'D +
ali its glory arose this morning 20 +
salute a French victory aiter seven .
days OF gigantic Struggling Even .
at this moment the frelcA army ia .
pursuing the Germans
Not for one instant have the /
French been discouraged Iley all /
have absolute confidence in the 1ina- /
success. Today everyone believes lnal ]
the era Of decisive victories mas COM
9T- companions were thinking OF the I
Christmas bration-pernaps lne
last Christmas they would see CHRIST /
mas of 1914. a day before we were 70 .
make our grand entry into me /
soldiers Make Merry.
For several days the thought on the I
"a 81 auuroachinE Christmas seemed 10 J.
make our soldiers rejoice more anu 4
more. but the height OF the JOY was
reached On the eve Of the Z5th ar PIER
refffte. on the Meuse. only stone
throw from the trenches. Although
tile sharp booming Of the cannons ana
the burst of the shrapnel was heatu
very distinctly everyone was uup-
u.LuE over WIN JOY anu -AA-- A-.r --a
we would have welcomed mldnlght
mass. But as peirrefittte was only a
few kflometers from the front Dc was
considered unWise. We had 90 con-
tet ourselves with a delicious sup
per we'll prepared. Eight o'clock at
night we were all I'm our oarracSs-
After a few songs a merry making
we all Joined In "a good, restlul sleep.
20 dream Of home and the merry JOY
Gus Noel" 1913.
Attend Christmas Mass.
The following morning a large num-
Der Of soldiers received communion
al the morning masses. All souls were
especially united to God by this beau
tful act on plety. AT 10 in the morn.
ing the military high mass took place
IL was sung by an Impressive choir n
CT soldiers. The officers. the general T.
20 their head. were seated very near /.
the choir. The sermon, the most Won \
derful we ever heard. was terminated f.
by asking God 10 bless the French I
armies so the Germans might be /.
crushed once again as they were by /.
Clovis.
All of the soldiers were invited TO /.
partal1e Of the dinners prepared by the I.
good French housewives Thanks TO /
them. a tender feeling Of home came I
over us Our thoughts of the dear .
ones left behind were made less Bit I
ter
The next day "a beautiful sun radi- E.
ated brilliantly iu the frosty atmos- +.
phere. The sixth company. 10 which ].
7 belonged, was reviewed i'm silence. \
o. HHrH Ia Hns.a.