Rock Island Argus., 1918-02-16

Three Rock Island boys will soon
be in France with the Twelfth COM
pany, Second regiment Of motor me-
chanics.
This rs according to q letter from
r. c. Smedley, former secretary OF the
Rock Island Young Mems Christian
association work, who is engaged in
association work at Camp Hancock
near Augusta, Ga, The Rock Island
boys in the company are.
Otho 2. Kline, 4291i2 sixth
avenue
Grover Aud. 1912 Sixth avenue.
Charles Kimbel, 1904 Four
teeuth street
Mr. Smedley's letter is appended:
This morning, I had the pleasure
OF running into some Rock Island
boys, while on a mission which car
ried me into a remote section Of the
camp. AS I was hurrying down a
company street over in the second
regiment of motor mechanics, / was
accosted by q husky private who call
ed me by name. had to ask him who
he was, and discovered that il was
Otho e. hinne Cf B0ck Island whose
home Is out about Forty-thiTd street,
and whom / knew back in the days
when I was in the Rock Island \ NJ
C. a He is in the twelfth company.
second regiment, motor mechanics He
told me Of the presence in tae same
regiment Of Grover Aud and Charles
kimbel, EhCm J did not ger 20 see
this morning for lack Of time, but
whom I shall look up soon.
These motor mechanics are men Of
ability who are being prepared tC
serve as motor repair men and build
ers over there ! trust that am moi
be.raying any military secret when
say that any of the Rock Island friends
of the boys who wish to communicate
with them, or send them things. vii
do well 10 make haste about it unles.
they wish to pay foreign postage Th'
second regiment probably viii not b'
i'm this camp very many days longer
f. and when it leaves here. ( fancy tina
it will not have to wait q great whiit
before it will. al least get the smell
of salt water.
The section Of the camp 10 wbicl
.it is located is pleasant and attractive
and the men themselves seem TO b.
feeling well and in good spirits Pos
sibly their friends back at home ma
be glad to hear from them through m
visit with them.
~ am glad TO report the ConJiuU
ance Of fine weather. such as sou ma
DE getting I'm May, If yOu have goo
luck The daily maximum is abou
seventy. while the nights are just COG
enough 90 be comfortable SpTin
flowers are blooming and people ar
making gardens As consequence
of the fine weather, the men down her
are getting the finest kind of chance t
drill ont of doors. and they are rOunJ
ing up into splendid shape. The
must be months in advance of th
men iu northern camps, so far as pre-
uaratl0u for active service is concern
ed. Thus is demonstrated the VII
dom Of those who located Jde camI
far to the south.
"It is rather a thrilling thing
watch the men at their daily round
hayOHet and trench work They al
learning to suarl at each other
= bayOnet practice, a feature which
p greatly stressed by the French al
British officers who are here 10 sho
them how. and when yea get within
20 hundred yards OF banOyet squa
y0u imagine that you are appToachiT
dog fight from the sounds whit
greet your ears The men are linz
" up in TWO rows, facing each other, al
S as the commands are given, they drt
the bayonets and snarl; they maj
r. psrryjng motions at each other al
suarl. and finally. with one graz
r gargIe. they 90 at each other in
] fierce assault Of course, they Sc
'- 10 avoid actually hurting each otbt
S but there is an occasional black e
't or bruised arm as a result of
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