Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-02-06
March 300 Miles
Across the Rhine
From a Langdon Print Shop
With the Marines Into
German Territory

NSAAA i |
The Democrat is given the follow
ing letter which owing to delay in
the mail service between this country
and Germany, only reached here in
the past week. The writer, Francis
Rowe resigned position in the
Democrat printing Office to enlist un.
der the stars and stripes in the U. S.
Marines for service with the Ameri.
can. forces in the war:
Christmas Day, 1918
At Honnigen. in Germany,
Rather long time between let.
ters. but you will have to excuse me
as we have been pretty busy over
here until lately. Since the armis- !
tice was signed my division was as
signed to the army of occupation in
Germany.
On November 18th we left France
and have since then been travelling
through Belgium, Luxumberg and
part of Germany. We are now To-
Gated on the Rhine, about twenty
five miles from Coblentz. Of course
l have no idea how long they will
keep US here, but am in hopes that
it will not last long after the treaty
of peace has been signed. On the
trip enroute from the sector in
France we occupied at the time the
| war stopped to our present location,
| we had a pleasant and uneyentful
march, the people treating US in fine
| shape all along the way. Even the
| Germans Of this part Of the country
through which we travelled, seemed
overjoyed at seeing us, and from the
way they acted I would think that
they are more than glad to realize
that the war is over.
Since coming overseas our division
| the Second, has seen plenty of ac.
: tion. The division is composed of
:, the Fifth and Sixth U. S. Marines,
the Ninth and Twenty Third Infan.
try, and the Twelfth, Fifteenth and
Seventeenth Field Artilley. We saw
H service in the Verdun sector in March
and April. This was not very ac.
tive sector and used more or less in
giving training and experience to
T. men on their way to where there was
q real hard fighting to be done
10 1t Was on May 3Oth-Decoration
# Day that we could really claim to
have "gone over the top for the
first time, northwest of Chateau
y Thierry. Here the Germans had
broken through the French lines and
had strong hopes of reaching Paris
- on this drive, teing at the time
- within tifty-one miles of that city
;. when the marines stopped them.
= This is where the United States Ma
= rines made history. The battle, as
!. you have read, took place in what is
y called Belleau Woods and for several
:, days was hard fought, but the Ger
:, mans were stopped ald made to re-
treat to a distance of several kilo-
!. meters in tic direction from which
II they had come. These woods have
% now been named by the French after
the marines.
y On July 18th we took part in the
Rheims. Soissons battle; and during
. this regained several thousand acres
~ of French territory. This may be
~ styled as the start-off of the big
y drive, or the allied offensive. We
y next took part in reducing the Saint
Il Mehiel salient and from there went
:, to the Champagne sector, staying
- there about two weeks. In this drive
{ we took part in the capture of Mont
Blanc After this we were ordered
d to the Argonne forest. taking part in
n the famous advance which dates on
It November LIST This was the scene
9 of cur fighting from that time on un.
r til the declaration of the terms of the
o armistice on the 1lth. Since con- ing
over here l have away had good
d health up to Thanksgiving Day, when
j. was sent back to the hospital for a
e minor trouble. OF course life here
n has not had the pleasure here that
it did back in the States, but what
It it has lacked in pleasure has been
It made up in excitement, as back
8 home we did not have to dodge the
4 high explosive shells, shrapnel and
q hand grenades, or wear gas masks
10 and steel helmets.
= Looking back at what has been my
J. part of experience in this war, how.
k ever, I have Jared not too badly and
q have cause to thank my lucky star.
!. AS to this country from my view
point, have yet to see place in
Europe that can compare with any.
n thing seen in all my travels in the
e good old U. S. A,
|, TODAY heinp Christmas Day I can