Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-09
OUR BOYS
Write from
OV Err TIL E r E

! Augusta, has recently received the
| following interesting letter. from his
| brother, Myron d. Haskell formerly OF
Augusta, now with the 103d Infantry
Band, American Expeditionery Forces;
France. Feb. Is, 9lS.
| Dear Brother:
| Received your welcome letter last
night. Have been quite busy the last
few weeks. We are in the trenches now
/ and have had fine luck so far and hope
things will go on SO. / got up at four
this morning and went out with COM
pany to work on trenches. | was their
First Aid man. l had most a whole
doctors kit with me. Did not nave any
accidents, only one man hurt his finger
and l did it up for him. Expect to be
some nurse when ! get through. Had A
good band rehearsal this afternoon. Am
living in small dugout just large
enough for two of US. have two cots and
an old oil can which we use for stove.
| The dug out is made of iron and about
! four feet of stone piled on and around
it. Played a concert last night in a
cave. 1t is made in a large hill and is
| from 20 to 40 feet in under ground 1t is
very large place. II has electric
| lights but is a very easy place to get
lost in for a few minutes. The Y. NJ.
G. A. has a place in it which is very
handy for us. The country is in very
! bad shape here. the fields are all full OF
| large she'll holes. anywhere from six
| to eight feet deep. All there is left Of
the towns are a few walls standing. The
Boche las the French call the Germans)
when they were driven back, destroyed
everything. They even cut down all the
apple and other fruit trees. There were
four ladies came up to place the other
day to make visit to their old home,
they had not been back since they were
driven out. They were a sad bunch.
They all went away crying. have
seen some good air fights. They are
very interesting. When the French and
| the Boche meet over our heads there is
something doing. They open up their
machine guns and the best man wins
In all that ! have seen the French have
got the best of it. One afternoon a
Boche machine came over and set IL
French balloon on fire, the men came
down i'll parachute and landed safely.
/ There is a lot of noise at times but am
getting used to it so can sleep as well as
ever place while hiking. Here ali theru
was left was a part of an old church
so the band stayed in that over ni~ht. 7
slept on the floor of the altar and slept
| fine as we were all tired after hiking
with our packs on our backs. Our pets
thick for comfort. AS | Law reading the
| X. J. last night | counted 10 of them
coming in. After ] went to sleep one
of them jumped upon my feet. I gave
a kick and he made such a noise that it
woke the other fellow up. | am feeling
/ fine and have gained 10 pounds since
arrived in France. only weigh 10 now.
find you all well.
(Signed) Your brother, Myron.
! Miss Anne NJ. Quinn. who has many
friends in Augusta, and who has been
on the staff of the Gouvenor Hospital
. in New York City. writes to her father
John w. Quinn of Augusta, telling hin.
some interesting news. Although her
letter is not properly classified under
the above heading. still she is in the
service now and doubtless may soon BE-
over there She writes as follows:
New York City. April 3, 1918
! Dear Father: As | have not heard
from you thought I would write and tell
you the latest news. ] have been ac-
cepted into active service. Wired them
today in Washington. ID. G., that
would be ready by May 1st. Wanted to
go before but as they are very needy of
nurses here have waited over a month
| What do you think of it? Hope it is
| for the best. How l would love to 60
down to see you, but do not see how
can. Dear me. ! am so excited over it
can hardly take time to pack and eat
| 1t seems my long wished for desire has
come for | often thought how | would
love to be a Red Cross nurse and to be
able to have my name put upon Uncle
Sans record Have not the least idea
where ! will be sent, only hope and
pray God will allow me my health to
the end. then | will come to you ana
how proud you will feel to see ana
know that Ann and Mark have done
their duty for our country. .
Mark looked fine and told me Augusta
is forlorn looking place since the
young men have gone to war and to
know that the Augusta boys are in the
front line trenches. Hope l will meet
some of them and be able to soothe
| them if needed. Give my regards to all
| nquiring friends. Love.
| (Signed) Daughter, Ann.
As result Of suspicion and a protest
it should be stated that these letters are
not written by any officer Of the 56th