The Republican journal., 1919-01-30
Col. Ashworth's Own Story.
Lieut. Col. Arthur Ashworth of Bangor
Visits Belfast Under the Auspices of
Company F.

"A large audience of inv ted guests wer,
present at the Armory in the Opera Hous,
MONDAY evening to listen to concert q
patrlouc selections by the Belfast Banc
and to hear Col Ashworth give his thrill
ing war story first hand. Capt Orrin j.
Dlckey presided, and with the speaker on
the platform were Mayor Clement W.
"escott, City Clerk c. s. Bickford and
Lleuts. K. |. Hammons and B. K. Allen
capt. Dlckey welcomed the audience, re-
lerred with pride to the Co IS distinguish
ed guest and presented Mavor Wescott.
After few brief remarks of appreciation
OF our soldiers accomplishments at the
opportune times and their high morale
under degrading environments, he ex-
pressed hls pleasure in presenting one
who could speak from personal expert
ence on this all absorbing topic of the
times
Col. Ashworth spoke for an hour and
the majority of his audience, particularly
the thinking and imaginative part, could
nave listened until morning. If the his
tory of this terrible conflict is ever told it
Will be in chapters such as Col. Ashworth
presented. No one man or group of men,
regardless of talent, will ever compile the
history of such world war as the armis-
tlce has brought to close. To take d
sentence here and paragraph there from
his fascinating and awful story would
give no adequate credit of its WORTH and
even verbatim report on a printed age
would lack the graphic touch and the
manly personality of the patriotic man
behind it,
Col. Ashworth i'll his Introductory re-
marks disclaimed all qualifications of an
orator, but said he was business man
and a soldier, and preferred to give his
story as such, which is exactly what is
most pleasing to the general publc-a
business-like review of the conflict and
its coSt-principally in human life and
comfort
At the opening of his address he paid a
tribute to the National Guards, now an
actual necessity, and urged his hearers to
give their loyal and willing support to
our own Company F., now we'll officered
and drilled.
The speaker left his home as captain
of the Bangor Machine Gun Co. and took
his hearers from Augusta to Westtield,
where his company became a part of the
103rd Infantry. After short stop in
New York they had rough trip to Liver
pool They had thought they had receiv-
ed training at Westfield, but on their ar
rival in the war zone realized amid un-
sanitary conditions, destitution of food nd
all personal comforts that they had not
made beginning, Their trip to France
was a rough one. The men were crowd
ed in the ship like sardines. When they
arrived in France there were % or 80
French officers who looked them over.
A hospital train had just pulled in and
the men then saw for the first time that
which made them realize the seriousness
of the conflict they would soon be in.
On their trip in the trains over the coun-
try for two days and two nights the men
went without food. They arrived at a
village in which the conditions were
very unsanitary and Major Ashworth re-
ported his men for billets, barns and
stables in the most filthy conditions with
out beds or heat, and, worse still, the
men were unable to buy anything to
help out their situation.
/ The Machine gun company marched six
miles and started in its work with the
/ French soldiers, receiving orders which
I few could understand. 1t was cold and
there were few stoves. The men would
cough badly at night, but at reveille next
morning there would not be six men ab-
seuI. He snaL especially Of the rocket
! signals Every officer had to concentrate
and watch the sky and as the signals
were changed every 10 or Is days, il
meant hard work for the officers
| Major Ashworth was put in charge of a
battalion, The men then went on and
! they were assigned to caves in the ground
which had been dug by the Germans. &C
or 80 feet underground and fitted up with
electric lights. The men were sandwiched
in with the French under command of a
French colonel and French general. Or
their left was canal and they were but
35 yards from the Germans.
The next morning they looked over the
top and saw sign in front of them.
"Hello Yanks," and they answered with
sign upon which was written go te
H. you Dutchmen." The gas soor
began to come, and the Germans knew
how to put it over. The best way te
avoid it was to move forward toward the
front line. After the men had been there
week the Germans came over. The
Maine boys with the others surely fought
and held their own with smiles
Later the men marched to the Tou
sector, where the Germans, located on Z
mountain, were at great ADVANTAGE II
being able to get an observation for Il
miles around. The Germans came owe,
strong and there was fierce fighting. anc
the next morning there was the renort