The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-01-16

wei, known Butler boy, heads let
ter to his mother, Mrs. John Murph,
under date of November e, as fol
lows:
Dear Mother
Have been pretty busy for the las
few weeks and haven't found mucl
time to write. but now have a little
time and will try to tell YOU all
know. We are now allowed to write
almost anything. guess you pco.
pie at home have forgotten about the
war by this time. 1t sure ended
quick. didn't it? What do the States
think of the lanks now:
Have been in France almost sin
months and have never been allowed
to tell anything. so here go some 81
my experiences that thought yol
might want to know about.
We left Hobokcn, n. J.. June -
and arrived at Halifax three days
later. Left Halifax July ! late in the
afternoon. While in the harbor
there one of the officers told us that
the subs were within 10 miles of thai
place We never met any until al
most to England. Had quite little
excitement. but did not get good
view OF it. of them One OF the de-
stroyers sank one three miles away
from us.
We arrived at Liverpool July Is
and marched through the city and
took train Immediately and arrived
al Southampton the next day at 500
d. m. liked about six miles to the
rest Camp and back to the. wharf in
the afternoon and embarked for
France. Arrived next morning and
liked about six miles to the rest
camp at "a Harvc. Here we stayed
box cars, with 10 men to car They
are about half as big as L. S. cars.
Tra>e ed , l.. days and landed at st.
Afghan Meyers camp Lett there i'll
a few days with six other artillery
men to join our respective organiza-
tons.
In France one has to change trains
in almost every city. Well. at a
pretty big city named Vierzon anoth-
er guy from 0maha} and myself
missed Our train. We didn't know
where we were headed for or any
thing. but did not worry. Consulted
the american r, I. O. at the station
and we're sent on to Limoges. about
So miles up the line. Arrived O. H..
but our comrades were not there
We set out through the city. with all
our equipment. which included pack,
barrack bag. overcoat. raincoat. etc,
and weighed about 100 pounds. BY
the aid OF French woman we were
directed to an American artillery
school We were given good quar-
lcrs and had swell eats. We stayed
there in a labor detail for about two
weeks. 1t was in this city that'l met
Walter lynch.
Left August headed for the camp
at LeCarneauN. and passed through
Rcrigenx and Bordeaux. We found
out little later that we were on the
wrong train. We rode quite a bit,
and when the train stopped found
that we were no nearer our destina-
ton Well. we just climbed on the
next train going back in the other
direction and thought we'd just stay
on it and see where it went. Found
ont by changing that we could get
to LeCarneaux. Stayed there few
days in the F. A. R. r. and trans
fcrrcd to the band.
Friday. August 30. I and four other
replacement musicians were sent to
the .,l5th band I sold my picolo to
the chief of the +. A. R. r. band as
needed little money and would
have no more use for the picolo.
Was given brand new flute in the
'l5th. This camp is about 80 miles
rom Spain and about 7 miles from
he ocean 1t is big camp. but is
in the woods. 1t was in this
lamp that the French turned ma
chine guns on some Russian soldiers.
killing about 1900 OF them. saw
he cemetery.
Left this camp Sunday. October 6.
headed for the western front. again |
II the French side-door. Pullman. and
rad pretty nice trip. Got a slight |
glimpse of Paris, travelling around |
The citv within about 5 miles OF it.
Saw the Eiffel Tower plainly, but
hat. is about all 1t is the tallest |
.ower in the world. Passed lots Of
German prisoners. who smiled and |
oked with the Americans. Wcdncs.
lay. October 0. we unloaded at n |
title village called Bologne and
we're billeted in stables but which
we're pretty good. We stayed here
i've weeks. and on Sunday. Novem-
ser 10. get orders to leave for the
ront next day. On the way we Went
through several big towns and no.
ticcd that every window displayed
he French tri-color and occasionally
an English and L. S. flag. and when
we passed groups of Polius they
would yell. "Le guerre fini!' So we
,new the war was over. as this was
the day the armistice was to be
signed. Gave few loud yells and
sped on. Arrived in little place
that night after travelling about Is
miles. Were cold and tired and hun
cry. but were soon fed up and went
to bed. Stayed there a day or so
and then fell in one morning about 9
o'clock and started on IS mile hike.
1t was on this hike that l got my
first glimpses of what the Germans
had done. Barbed wire entangle-
ments as far as the eye could see.