Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-04-02
HOME FROM FRANCE.
DEBORAH Wednesday on Fur
Tough.

Private Martin S. Williams, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Sigvart Williams of
East Broadway, this city arrived
home last Wednesday morning from
the Base Hospital at Camp Dodge
on a fourteen day furlough to visit
his parents and many friends here.
Martin was one of the first men in
the draft to report at Camp Dodge
for military duty on Sept. 5, 1917.
He became a member of the 351
Inf. Co. H. where he stayed until
Nov. "a, after which he was trans
ferred to Camp Pike, Ark. where he
became member of the SAG Inf.
Co. A., where he stayed until June
IL, 1918, when he was put in
Casual company and sent across. He
sailed from Hoboken, n. j. June 20,
landing at Halifax, Nova Scotia,
June "A, and sailed from there on
July in a British convoy of IS
ships. On the way their sub chaser
sighted a German submarine and
sunk it, somewhere along the Irish
coast, They landed in Liverpool July
10, took train to South Hampton
and sailed across the channel for
La Havre, France, arriving there
July II, where they rested for two
days in an American camp from
where they took the train for the
classification camp at st. Agnew and
were classified and sent to the I'd
Div, Co. F. 8 Inf. stationed in Nancy
for few days waiting for replace
ments, and left there for the front
on Aug. 4. They relieved the French
in the Lorraine sector and. held the
lines there for several weeks, where
they got in contact with rats and
coolies. Martin says they had some
time too-that is the rats and coot-
ies-as they were good and regular
as any soldier, always on guard. As
soon as. the soldiers would try to get
little sleep the rats would dance
turkey trots over their faces and the
coolies would bite, but such is
soldiers life and no complaints were
made.
When his company arrived at Port
Su Sille, town that was demolish-,
ed by the Germans they did patrol
work in No Mans Land every night,
and had fairly good luck as rule.
They lost no men, but afterwards
they We're relieved by the SD Div.
and went back of the lines for a lit
tie rest. During that time. some of
the men were decorated for bratery
by General Pershing. A few days
later they left for st. Mihiel where
| they had a great celebration every
day with fire works until they went
over the TOP on the 18th day of
September and smashed through. the
German lines, advancing S1a kilo-
meters, captured 5000 Germans and
some artillery and machine guns.
They also captured the town of
Theicourt, relieving a lot of civil
ina prisoners who were very glad TO
get out. 1t was near Theicourt that
Martin was severely wounded in
| both legs, which stopped his career
as soldier, but not before he had
done his duty in routing the Ger
mans. He was wounded by shrapnel
and laid on the battlefield for Ia
hours before he was taken to a first
aid hospital, and later he was taken
| to a base hospital.
Martins wounds were severe, but
| fortunately he is able to walk, with
the use of cane, and with good
care he will enjoy complete re-
covery in time. He is fine fellow
and was glad to go out and fight for
the best country on earth. He is one
off the boys of whom this city and
the country is proud of and We are
glad to know that he was able to re-
turn to his home and friends, after
doing his duty on the battlefields of
France.