The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-09-04
DETAILS OF BERNOLA TURNER'S
DEATH.
Rheinbrohl, Germany,
June 9Th, 1919.
and Mrs. NJ. Turner,

-, June bth, 1919.
Mr., and Mrs. NJ. Turner,
Elmwood, Okla.
Dear Friends: | received your let
ter OF May Is and was very glad you
wrote me, thus giving me your ad-
dress, making it possible for me to
carry out a mutual agreement be-
tween Bernola and myself, namely,
| the writing to the others parents in
ctro enc Of us fell in action.
Bernola and | enlisted the same
| day in Denver, We're in the same drill
section on Mare Island, went to quar-
ters and We're on the rifle range to-
gether. II was when Ed Overton was
transferred to some other detail at
quarters that we fell together. From
| chen on we were always together. In
fact, in the same squad, under the
same pup tent or in the same dug
out, as the case happened to be. eX-
| cepting the time ! was laid up in the
hosptll. Naturally, as the time went
| by we became more or less familiar
with each others past life, home
! folks, etc.
| He got n letter while in the lines
once, asking about his "bunkie." He
later showed me what you said, say
| ing he had given you my name. That
is why / had been expecting to hear
| from you.
/ Will try to tell you little that
happened before the battle of Cham
paigne, that you may better under
stand.
We came out of the front lines at
st. Mihiel about the 10th of Sep
tember and after two days in the
woods, waiting to be entirely relieved
| from that sector, | was evacuated to
the base hospital with diptheria. We
parted with the usual goodbye and
good luck" expecting to be together
in short time.
During the war in the hospitals it
was practically impossible to get
mail, so | heard nothing more of the
company, except rumors, until Octo-
Der 30, when | was again able to re-
join them.
1t took some little time to find
somebody | knew. They had suffered
very heavy casualties on the Cham
paigne front (49 men left in the COM
pany) and had been replaced by new
men from the states.
This is the story told me by the
men who were left after the battle
the men that went over the top with
him, also the first aid man who
dressed his. wound.
On the night of October / the 96th
company took up position in the
front line trenches, about half mile
northwest of Somme-Py, France. Our
position, which had been captured by
the French troops that morning from
the Germans, was a bad one. So on
the evening cf October 2 we were
g.. 49, N,lr
some outpost positions belonging to
the Germans in order to straighten
out the line in the preparation for
the big drive which took place Octo-
Der 3.
The order to go over the top was
given. We were met by heavy ma
chine gun fire from the enemy. A
number of the boys, including Ber-
nola, was hit by machine gun bullets.
Bernola was hit just below the
heart when about fifty yards from
our trenches. He walked back down
to the trench without aid and was
Immediately dressed by our first aid
and put on stretcher. He seemed
10 have plenty of strength. When
one of the men asked him how he
was, he said, ooh, am all right; am
hit pretty hard just below the heart,
but guess | will pull through all
right"
He was soon taken to the rear in
an ambulance and died before reach
ing a base hospital.
I am writing the Graves Registra-
tion Bureau of the A. f. f. to find
out exactly where he was buried,
which | will let you know later.
My home address is COS w. Michi-
gan Ave, Tampa, Fla. However, /
have spent mos tof my time at Ober-
lin, Kansas, where | will return when
am discharged.
| will more than likely be able to
pay you a visit on my return. / at
least hope ! will be able to do so.
Bernola was as brother to me and
hope that if there is anything that
have not told that you wish to
know, you will feel perfectly free to
write me- Sincerely yours,
ARCHIE M. VALE,
Pvt. A. M. Vale, 96 Co., I'd Bri., 9th
Marines A. p O. TO A. II. F.