Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-03-20

mated to get uT', jump into my stock
ing and call the roll for fear some one
would get too mach of the Xmas spirit
and t'atl to get up.
1--WE left New York May 20, sait:ng
on theI British ship Saxonia leaving
the doc X about 4::i0 with everyone be-
low de ok on account of spies. The
mornin, . of the third day saw us in
Halifax harbor in a very thick fog.
We laid there three days and on the
morning of the third sailed out past
the city o,:IIaltfax, plainly viewing the
damage d one by the explosion of the
Mont Blan c some months before.
"Soon as leaving the harbor we
joined a lar re convoy of sixteen ships.
We were Il he largest ship of the ron
voy and headed the column of the left
section. On June 5 we landed in Eng
land. While, three days off the coast
of Irelad, we picked up IL destroyers
for escorts through the danger zone.
On the evening of June 2 about 4:3O
o'clock, two subs were sighted. The
fleet scattered and the escorts went 20
work. Depth bombs, a few shots and
there was one sub less. The other re-
treated and all was quiet from then
on. However it was close for some of
us.
"On June 5th we landed at Tilbury
Dock, London, going directly to our
train. Then we rode through London
turned south and went to the city of
Winchester near which, was a rest
camp. Was there two days and again
taking the train, went to SOUTHAMPTON
taking the channel boat that night.
and landig in LaHavre. Two days
later VIC took the trai for Anglers,
passing through Rouen, lie Mans,
Tours, etc. We remained there until
about the middle of July then went to
Camp De Onecadon neal the village of
Guer just south of the city of Rinnes.
Here we studied the famous French
75c, receiving our hours, fired our
| problems and were gone in four weeks.
We left for the front by train and
travelled two days and nights taking
| our first position in front of Fritz Just
/ behind the Alsace city of Munster and
| it was a busy time but nothing to what
was in store for US.
"The st. Mihiel drive opened Sept
| ember 18th with a barrage starting at
! one o'clock in the morning We were
| the reserve division of the First Army
| and followed in the wake of the advan-
| cling troops until seen that we were not
needed. We were then diverted west
| and north travelling both day and night
| Der oath.
eve spet one day trying to rest as
i both men and beast bad to use all sur
| plus strength in this hike. the biggest
made in France by any division. The
night of September Is we carried ami
munition, etc, set our pieces, figured
range, timed the barrage, etc, all un-
| der fire and suffered some loses.
AT II p. m. September % the first
| guns opened. We withheld our fire
until 4:30 a. m. September 26 and at
sunrise the d~oughboys were at them.
We fired for some four hours, starting
at a range of $500 meters and ending
at about 5000. Then it was up and
! advance and we were soon in newly
taken territory and we lived in five
days of He'll and death lodging. Some
were not lucky and went West
"Gas shells, bombs from planes,
machine guns, high explosive shells,
day in and day out but nothing could
turn a man back but death. They said
| they could end the war this fall, mill
tary critics to the contrary, and they
| did. October 1 we were relieved and
went back for rest near the city of
Bar lie due. After a few days rest, we
started out again and here we are just
| five miles from Verdun. We arrived
| here October II and held the line until
| the armistice was signed. Our hiking
was so severe that when we arrived
here we had only about 80 horses left
| out of 120. The men all walked the
| distance and the only thing that kept
them going was the determination to
| do and to whip the Hun. The forti-
tude of the men on this month of cruel
| marching in cold weather with no
| shelter at all was wonderful.
A most Merry Xmas and a very
| prosperous New Year to you all.
] With Love,