The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-01-23
GOOD LETTER.
Hickman Boy I'm France Writes
Interesting Letter.

Dec 20, 1918
Editor Of the Hickman Courier:
Dear Sir. While looking over a copy
% the Hickman Courier. which We APP
nreciate very much. we saw quite a
list of Fulton County boys names In
service over here. As Tom Bivens'
name and mine were in the list we
decided 10 write short article telling
~ our experiences over here Leav-
ing HobolSen on Aug. II. We had quite
a nice trip across the POND We had
fms. weat Their and neither Of us were
,sea-sick. although we OF course were
feeling a little blue Saw no suhnia-
RINGS. although IL was reported that
one of our ships SINK one the second
day out Quite a little excl eIiient was
caused one day by ship of our con
WOW firing three shots al some suspi
eious thing they saw. OF course at
the frs; shot we all thought -suhina
rine~ and grabbed aur life belts. hut
nothing happened. One day we saw
a mine that had broken loose from its
moorings. but as IL was harmless we
pas~ed u without any notice. We saw
many Irye fish and were especially
amused at the antics of the doiphins
and fiving fish of which we saw quite
| a number They were about four feet
/ iorg and We could office them playing
away on. jumping clear ont of the
water and swimming az great speed
| they would soon be out of sight Also
noticed great quantity Of sea weed,
and one day Tom Bivens and "A num-
her of the boys saw a whale. At night
| the moonlight on the water was beau
tiful. the moon as il came up 'hrow-
| ing "A path of light across the water.
a. IL rose higher in the heavens the
pathway grew wider and the destroy
ers in our convoy passing back and
| forth through IL made a picture we
shall never forget. We landed at
Rrest. France on August 26th after
a twelve day trip on the water. and
we were sure glad 10 feel the ground
loncc more under our feet
After our landing we marched 10
n rest camp taccent on the rest ask
any Of our boys who have come back
what a rest camp i. then you viii see
/ why we say accent From the rest
camp we were put on the train and
sent To a small French village called
Pimelles. our train was all pullman
coaches-boN cars-and the view from
them was fire We were packed in
them forty I'm a ear. Spending three
weeks az Pimelles in gas training we
were sent 10 French training camp
for further intensive training ON
Il October 9Th we left the camp for the
front. our first front was the Metz.
! We were billeted at Montaville. a
small village about IA miles from
Metz. We were at Montaville abou'
Three days when the Germans found
out we were there and began Smelling
ms Tom Bivens said that the g. l.
leans sounded like the bells that Capt
4 n ii 20. s~fx I'm
Iwhen he was on the boat on the Mis-
sissippi. only he would have liked Il
have heard the bells on the boat very
(ssuch more than@.ti,e spuu9 ~of tis
shells After being At Worthwhile we
l were moved to another front aisont 20
miles away This time we were quar-
tered In "A town called Bouillonvilis
which only short time Before had
Iheen held by the Germans While
there we SAW "A German airplant
lbsougi,f down by one OF our men. II
Twas one of the most thrilling exre
ricnces of the war Tor us. The Ger
IMAM plane was flying over our line.
Iabouf mile high Our air craft gun
Iwere firing at him. the shells were
bursting all around him. First we
would hear the report of the gun. then
the report of the shells. and would see
close To the plane cloud of smoke
The fire became too hot for the little
Frifzie and he started back home
when from the clouds above him one
of our planes dropped down and cut
! of his retreat. In less time than II
takes TO write this story Of the battle.
all was over and the Kaiser was mi
nus one man and plane We were at
Il BouilIouyiile until the day the armis-
tice was signed. although some of our
company had gone to Jaulny where
we are now billieted, which at the time
was about one kilometer from the Ger
man front line trenches
Il There are several Kentucky boys i'm
our company and we are all anxious
TO be back in the Blue Grass country.
i and we think IL will not be long before
we viii be over there instead OF over
here.
We remain as ever, Yours truly,
i Matt Berger and Tom Bivens. Mo
4 tor Amb. Co. &c. A.EF., APO 1913.
We are also enjoying good health.