Evening journal., 1919-01-06


Mrs. Naomi Hainesworth, OF No. 1924
Lancaster avenue, has received a let
ter from hsr brother, Private George
r. Hewett, who Is in France. Private
Hewett STATES that he is we'll and where
he is stationed is a quaint, old fashion
ed village. The ground is very DAMP
as though 1t has rained most Of the
| time. Before entering the service he
was a special officer on the P. and r.
railroad. Private Hewett Is a member
of Battallan A. 7th Trench Mortar Bat
taHen, American Expeditionary Forces.
Willard ]. Comfy has written home an
interesting account TO his family COW
ering his war experiences in France
from the sailing OF his transport from
Halifax in a i7-ship convoy, up to the
signing OF the armistice. He is in the
3OSth Machine Gun Battalion Of the 18th
Division.
On the way overseas he was In the
submarine watch and describes thres
submarine attacks as they were nearing
England as follows:
"On June 1, about o'clock, we pick.
ed up our convoy OF British torpedo de-
stroyers. IL was a good thing we did
for the next night at about $50 we
heard an explosion and the ship ratified
from one end to the other. / had just
finished supper and was washing my
mess kit. After the explosion / ran to
the side Of the ship and looked over,
got there in time to hear another exc
plosion and saw a splash Of water
about so feet high almost half a mills
away. 1t was caused by the destroyers
d Opping depth bombs as a submarine
had been sighted. The fight kept up
for about an hour. 1t was said they
sunk the submarine.
Everything quieted down until about
7.30, when a submarine was sighted as
its periscope came up about so yards
in front Of our boat. The whistle was
blown six times and a destroyer slot
right in frCnt Of US and dropped two
depth bombs on top OF the submarine
and we saw the oil and wreckage CONF
to the top Of the water. We know fOi
sure we got that one.
"a short time later we heard explo,
sions in back of US, and 10 was said
they had gotten another sub. We were
all ordered on deck ready TO take to the
lheboats If occasion arose. and we stay.
ed on deck until about 10 O'Clock.
ION reaching France they received
their equipment, and Mr.. Comfy saw ;
machine gun for the first time. He wenl
to musketry school for time. so az
to be instructor for a squad in the uss
OF the Enslish rifles issued. They he.
gan the jOu ney across France to th,
front about the middle Of August. In
one town they had the amusing expert
ence Of finding it difficult to convine,
the natives that they were American
troops. as the only American soldiers
in that region previously had been Ne
groes.
On their way to Join in the 81. Mihid
drive they passed places which "Jerry'
had left in a hurry and once found Cor
mon kitchens with the stew still e
the pots and food scattered around. On
i6 they relieved a divlsios
at the front and from then until iht
end were very much in the fight. Oncl
they were camped three miles from the
Delaware Pioneers. The amount Of
hiking they were called upon TO ds
whenever they came out of the fioni
line was a surprise to the boys. Mn
Comfy tells Of one narrow escape ht
lad.
ION our way back to our positions
Jerry saw us and put over a box bar
age Of high explosives and gas, ana
we were caught in t. we could not
move in any direction, so we had "a
ie down along the road. | had my "a!
mask lying on a bank alongside my
lead, and a piece Of snrapnel came
through the air and landed
n my mask. 1t tore the f1ce piece
visited the nose clips. cut a piece Oi
he metal tube. cut nlv blanket snt
up and hit me on tho chin
,ut did not cut IT, After we got bacl
o the first aid station there were onl5
our Of US left in the second plat son.
The next morning we went over thl
op at Bois de Losges. Every six yardi
erry had a machine gun nest and COW
red all parts of the wood with hil
Ire. IL was sure death to raise yuui
ead above the ground"
The letter continues with a series Of
marches, German 6irplane attacks dayi
n support, in reserve, at the front IL
est billets, and again hiking lorwart
With gllmpses of the retreating Ger
lans in the distance
The end OF the fi7hting found then
{ Marigny, with prospects OF sevcI
sys' leave at Aix-les-Bains, with al
expenses paid.
Edwin A. Gilbert, No. si3 Shiple!
treet, now in the Qua~termaster Co~pa
S. Army. writes to The Evening Jour
al from stone barracks at Camp di
aldahon, France. fourteen miles from
ne Swiss border. He wishes Whining
IN to know that Thanksgiving Day wal
roperly celebrated by the boys il
rance. His quartermaster detachmen
ad a Thanksgiving menu Of chickei
PUP, roast chicken, roast beef, BROW
ravy, mashed potatoes. apple pie, lay
: cake with jam. nuts, chocolate candy
pples, cocoa, coffee, bread and butte
nd cigars.
on, mother and all are the same
lease take the best Of care Of yourself