Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-02-05
MANCHESTER men
return FROM front

nLIUnlv nUM nUlVl
ARTHUR WEST, WOUNDED IN BAT
TIE, ARRIVES HOME AFTER
LONG TIME IN HOSPITAL.
MUSTARD GAS ATTACK TERRIBLE
Earl lie Clere, Joe PentOny, and Lieut.
s. r. Beatty, All Home From
Overseas.
Arthur West, Earl LIE Clere, Joe
Pentoy, and s. r. Beatty, all OF whom
had been overseas for some time, ar
rived home last week and the mrs,
of this week and are now visiting
among home folks and friends.
Arthur West is one of the men who
was with Company H, and saw service
on the Mexican border. When the
Company returned from the border
he received an honorable discharge
from the service, but when this coun-
try entered the world war he enter
ed the service and was mustered in
to the army at Camp Dodge. AT
Camp Dodge he was placed in one OF
the. units composing the Rainbow div
lion, and when that division went over
seas he was among the men. Dur
ing one Of the battles in which the
Division participated he was severely
wounded, machine gun ball passing
through his limb above the knee, and
q number of pieces of high explosive
shell entering his lung. In addi-
tion to these wounds he also was gas
sed. The mustard gaAg says Mr..
West, is by far worsaathan wounds
from bullets OF. pieceSssof shell. He
was In hospital in France for many
months recovering from the wounds
and injury inflicted to his lungs oy
the gas. About two weeks ago ne
was released from the hospital and
sent to Camp Dodge, and while there
he was given 1 few days leave. He
will have to return to Camp Dodge
later in the week, and in a short time
will be given an honorable discharge.
Mr.. West arrived in Manchester early
last Saturday morning, and has been
spending few days with his wi1e
and friends in this city. aitstl I
I, m. il. sss ~
! I'd n son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
J.4iGAeutony, who was a cook In the
133rd Ambulancescondpa Of the
34th (sandstnrml Division. IL now at
the home OF his parents IN this CIV.
Zoe landed at Liverpool. England on
October 26tA. and travelled through
England in: side-door. pullman cars,
and In France travelled in ordinary
stock cars, fitted up for troop trains.
Nsrb1eCere, another boy who was IN
the,,Headasrtegss Department of the
aastAd d6anitav utfain Of the S4tA Div-
sion, says that J9er. was one ioh Is4nee sne
best boys In their units. ,Ha said tRat
when Joe got hold Of the grub" ne
would dish it up to the boys IN ex-
cellent style. Mr.. Pentony and Mr.. LIE
Clere were in the same division and
camps while in France, going over
seas together and returning on the
same boat. Mr.. LeClere tells US that
they left Bordeaux, France, on the
9Th of January, and landed at Hobok-
en-, New Jersey, bn the 10Th. The
first few days out the sea was very
rough, and most Of the boys on board
INDUCED in the, pleasant passtime OF
feeding the fish," About four days
before reaching the American shore
the ship caught fire at two O'Clock
in the morning, and all men were or
dered to prepare for the worst. Earl
says the water at that time OF the
night looked black and cold. and any
thing but inviting. Fortunately the
seamen soon extinguished the flames
and the ship reached port in safety.
On the boat were some six hundred
wounded and convalescent men.
Praises Work Of War Relief Organ
ixatiOns.
Earl LeClere, in speaking OF the
work of all of the organizations dong
war work among the soldiers, says tha'
too much credit cannot be given these
organizations for what they did 1ot
the boys. Speaking of the criticism
that is being made of certain branch-
es of the work the Y. M. c. A. mas
been doing in France, Mr.. LeClere
said that as far as his experience goes
he was unable to understand why the
organization is criticised. He tells
us that the organization furnished
very lavishly wholesome entertain"
ments of all sorts for the boys, IN
camps, at the front, and in the camps
back of the lines. He says that the
M C. A. took over the canteen serv-
ice of the army, and that many people
were of the impression that everything
handled in the canteen was TO pe
given free. He tells us that the prlc'
es he paid for things at the ~ can
teen were very reasonable ana tha'
he had no fault to find.
Mr.. LeClere tells us that the Y. M
C. A., the Red Cross, the X. c., and the
Salvation Army have all rendered
service to the boys in the camps al
home and abroad that can never Dc
measured in dollars and cents. the
recreation halls of the organizations
were always open to the boys. Wrl
ting material was always on hand fq'
them. and many mother in tnt
states received letters from her boy
ouly because that boy was able to gel