Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-05-01

during it's stay in the back areas
worked in the departments of Hautt
Marine, Haute Saone, and Cote Dor.
About the middle of June our regi
ment was sent to the front in lowel
Alsace which at that time, was con
sidered a quiet sector. About the only
activities there were the clashing OF
ours and German patrols and an ex
change of few shots between the bat
teries. Of course, the German shells
were constantly tearing holes in the
roads, which meant work for the engi-
neers with the pick and shovel or the
banjo and anchor as wescalI them.
We remained in Alsace one month
at the end of which time we were sent
to Chateau-Thierry. Here we were
put in reserve just after the marines
had driven the Germans out of Belleau
woods. Our infantry first went into
the front line on the Ourq river and
after about two weeks hard fighting
pushed the Germans back to the Vesle
and captured Fishes. The night be-
fore our division was relieved FTitZie
got. little the better Of me and sent
me to the hospital for month.
While [ was there, the division was
sent to the scissors sector and after
much hard fighting, captured Juvigny.
When / returned to my organization
the division was in reserve in the Ar
come woods shall never forget the
:rro+
The, Americans were launching their
first offensive On that front and the
b ggcst barraga in the war was staged
that night. I was still some kilome-
ters from the front, but could hear it
very Plainly. 1t wcs just one contin-
Ual rumble from midnight until 500
o'clock in the morning.
After returning to my company, 1
continued On the cid routine Of pick
and shovel during the day and perhaps
the same or road patrol at night. Tn S,
OF course, did not allo Wus much sleep
We could consider ourselves lucky if
we got twenty-four hours Of sleep per
week.
About the fist Of October our divi
son changed it's course from north to
e1st, and advanced On the Meuse. The
Infantry had crossed the river and had
extended their lines to Damyillers
when the armistice was signed.
Here we remai ned for fire days and
were chosen as one of the leading di-
visions Of the army of occupation On
November 16 our company started on
the hike and arrived here December 10.
Our division is to be relieved in the
course of couple of weeks, to be
sent home. But it has been rumOred
that the engineers are to be detached
from the division before it is relieved,
and attached to one of the army corps
for the remainder of the time that the
United States has an army Of occupa-
ton in Germany. | certainly hope
that this is all rumor and nothing else.
| returned only q few days ago from
a furlough to France. On my return
passed through quite a large strip Of
the country which had been pillaged
during the war. 1t was that part OF
the country from Nancy to Toul, Yer
dun and Sedan. That certainly was
an interesting part of the trip. A part
of the country was familiar to me, but
a great deal Of it / had never seen
before. What is more, a person can
see all of that when he is engaged in
warfare and think little of it, but on
returning there after hoStilities have
ceased will more fully realize the hav-
Oc of war.
All through that country, thousands
of German prisoners and American
"stevedores" (negroes) are at work
tearing out barbed wire entanglements
and opening and repairing roads. A
great many tourists have already ar
rived in that part of the country
Well, / must stop now as taps" just
sounded. / wish to say, however, that
in case / return to Baraboo in time
shall continue my studies in the h gh
school next fall
With best regards to you, the teach
ers, and the students of the Baraboo
high school, l am,
Sincerely yours,
RALPH KETCEUM.