Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-12
HAS HAD VIVID
WAR EXPERIENCE
Ralph w. 'SRed'' Biddle, Was in
Argonne Drive and Other
Thrillers Abroad.

That Ralph W. ("Red'D Biddle. for
merly Of the B. & NJ smelter engineer
ing forces during the zinc plant construc-
ton, has been in some of the famous
battles of the world war including that
of the Argonne, was hit by shrapnel and
was in the company that escaped a mined
bridge, is brot out in several letters he
has written to G. B. ("Cap'D Boynton
cf the engineering force at Ithe .smelter
He has come thru without permanent
injury.
About the time the United States de-
clared war on Germany Red acconpa-
MED Cap to the latter's ranch at Eagle
Butte, where he was to assist in raising
wheat. lii July of that year he left for
overseas with Company G, 363rd infan-
try, 91st division, from Camp Lewis.
Some Experiences.
The following extracts from his let
ters will interest Great Falls friends:
October 6, 1918.
Dear Cap: Well, Cap, will drop you a
few lines. | know you will be wonder
irg what we are doing. Our division
received very nigh compliments for the
work we did. We went over the top
about $50 in the morning. The boys
were all in good spirits and we ran the
boches SO fast they would turn and hoI-
ler "Comrade' Took lots of prisoners,
they sure were tickled to be captured.
| came thru the seven days and nights
III good shape | got hit with sharannel,
but my equipment saved me from cuts,
but put nv watch out of commission.
We are out on rest now and are sure
living high, laying about eating sweets
and smoking cigars.
[ suppose by this time You have the
crop all in. / hope III be home BY har-
vest time. Well. Cap. this IS rather
short, but it's getting dark SO will close,
wishing YOU all luck.
Second Time Over.
Somewhere in Belgium, Nov. {, 1918.
Dear Cap: Your most welcome letter
was at hand yesterday. ! reckonzit seems
like old times TO you now. I'm glad to
hear YOU have the horses yet, as realize
what it would be TO get a decent price
for them.
Well, we took our second trip over the
tcp last week. This is sure pretty
country and the Belgians are fixing up
as we advance The Germans at certain
places made stand and put up quite
battle. And at night the boche planes
trains, SO you see we cant hase any
lights or fires that show. All trucks and
G; RS run without lights. You can imag-
ine how nice that is.
The Germans had planted most of this
country to turnips, cabbage and pota-
toes, SO YOU see We have lots of turnlpS.
The rifle in one hand and turnip IN the
other This is Il very good vegetable
country. the soil is sandy loan.
Well this is about all for this time, 50
will say goodbye. hoping this war will be
at an end by the time you receive this.
In Argonne Drive.
Somewhere in Belgium, Dec /, 1918.
Dear Cap: Your welcome letter Of oc-
tober 9th is at hand | suppose you
have received my postcard, stating that
NE were on the front lines when the
armistice was signed. 1es, we were to
follow up our barrage at 10 a m. and
the news came to cease hostilties about
e a. N. And the helmets. etc, went UP
IN the air oh. boy At the present
time we were holding hill we took from
the Germans the evening before. We
went thru the gas and machine gun bui-
lets, They saw we meant business, so
thew retreatcd. The Belgians were the
ones that were happy though.
The one great thing we now look for
ward to is getting home. Our division is
booked for going home as soon as pos
sible, | understand we get new style
uniform. somewhat like the British uni
forms.
Well, / figure We did pretty good over
here. We toured all over France and
now we haven't 50 very much more OF
Belgium left to tour. ! hope the salt ar
doesn't make us sick when we get to IT.
| suppose you read Of the great Argonne
drive Our division got very htgh com
nliment on the battlefield III that drive.
The morning of September 26, $50 IA.
M, we started. and were relieved oeto-
Der 3 about S p. nj. by another division.
That was one happy time for US. 50
YOU see we get our share Of happiness
It's hard to say when or where we Will
he on Christmas aud New Years.