Gunnison news-champion., 1919-01-31
RALPH CONKLIN TELLS OF
EXCITING TIMES IN BIG
FIGHT WITH HUNS

Jussey, France, Dec. 10, 1918.
4r. and Mrs. B. H. Conklin,
Canon City, Colo.
Dear Brother and Sister:
! received your letter last night,
and the box Of candy and was certain
ly glad to get il. l got . letter from
the folks the other day. They mailed
It the same time they did the pack
age, but the letter got here first.
was reading your letter last night and
about all the nice candy that was in
the package, and was raising the dew
II because It did not come, when one
Of the boys came in and said there was
. package at the Office for me. I sure
didn't lose any time getting there.
There are five Of Us in this room, and
four Of US got Christmas packages
and we sure had "feed."
Mess is just over. We had y boiled
dinner-meat, turnips and spuds, with
one piece Of bread and one piece of
hard tack.
We left the States on June %. We
were q happy lot when we passed the
Statute of Liberty. and believe me, we
will be q lot happier when we pass il
coming back. Everything moved fine
until we had been out at sea about two
hours, then things began to move up
and over the top rail. l came on deck
where the boys were lined up along
the rail, and on seeing one vacant
place, walked over and joined them,
and believe me, ! tried to heave up
the soles of my shoes. Ny! but I was
sick, but it only lasted u couple of
days and then l felt fine. Was on the
water twelve days-ten days out of
sight of land. We landed at Liver
pool on July 10th, and got off the boat
about noon. From there we took q
train across the greater part of Eng
land to the English Channel; boarded
a boat and crossed the Channel after
dark. Some say we had battle with
sub, but il we did, l knew nothing
of it, and didn't lose any sleep be-
cause did not see it.
Well we got to Veurhe and stayed
one night there. This place is not far
from the front. The next day we went
to Bearde in box cars--took two days
and one night. This place is not q
real camp, but as they did not have
room for US in the big training camp
we stayed here for about thirty days,
then went to the big camp called
Meccou, seven miles from Vannies.
Was there nine weeks training.
went to q machinc-gun school for
three weeks, and had to learn to tell
the difference between three kinds of
shells on the darkest night. This was
done by putting the shells in our
mouth. There Is sure q lot of work
to one Of these guns. The gun we
had could shoot 400 times q minute
and we could write our names with it
too. II was used to shoot down air.
planes, altho we did not get to bring
down any, as we did not get o chance.
You asked il / was in active SER
vice. l was not, but ! got to see
some real action. Some of US boys
were detailed to take some horses
up to the front. After we had covered
a part Of France gathering horses up
that the army had bought 1t sure was
awful. We could see them fighting
and men were laying all around us
with only O little dirt thrown over
them, until they could be given q
decent burial. There were German,
French and American boys all there
together. At the head OF each theer
was q stick, and on it would be hang
ing the helmet.
The Germans, in using their ma
chine gun, did not shoot high, the bull
let's would hit YOU from the hips
down, unless you were trying to crawl
and II you were. you were sure q
goner.
After we left Meccou we started fol
the front for what they call the Tou
sector, or advanced zone. This triI
took us three days and two nights
We arrived there November IL, II
the vening. and Of course, were toe
late. - fighting had stopped at II
o'clock that morning. Some Of thu
boys Q few days ahead Of US, said il
was continuous roar day and nigh
there in the trenches. We stages
there about three weeks then moveC
to where we are now. It was a 60 mile
hike, took three days and half, ant
haven't been worth q darn since
It took al the snap out Of me. Have
no idea how long they will keep u,
here, but hope it won't be long.
With love to all,
Your loving brother,
PVT. RALPH H. COUKLIN,
Bat. C, 18th H. F. A.,
American Eff, France.