The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1919-02-07
INTERESTING LETTER
FROM FRANCE

Mrs. Frank Steffen of northeast
Of town recently received a very in
!, teresting letter from a nephew in
France, and very kindly gave same
to The Tribune for publication.
This letter describes things in the
sighting zone in a different manner
ethan any letter we mad ever read
before, and we publish same for
the benefit of our readers:
Bantheville France, Dec. 8.
Dear Aunt Sally:
Your most welcome letter of Nov.
9Th received, and was very glad to
hear from you, also to know that
you are all well. Tis now over
four months since I left New York
Harbor and since then I've seen
and learned great deal. July
8 LIST was the day we left U. s. A.
and our trip over took IL days. At
night our ship was kept in darkness
and we wore our life belts day and
night. The day before We landed
the subs did their best to get US but
we being we'll protected they failed,
instead one sub was sent to Davey
Jones Locker and maybe two. There
were some thing like 20 to 25 ships
all told when we entered Brest,
France, Is were our submarine de-
stroyers. rest troop ships. The
weather over was quite favorable
with the exception of a day and
half when the waves washed over
eek At Napoleon Barracks
4 (Brest) we helped build hospitals
for ten days. Then took. train
for. eastern France. A five day
journey brought us to Gondrecourt
not far from Nancy. Here a mar
row gauge train took us to Sorcey.
Here our first work on the railroad
took place. When the Metz drive
came off we were at Void not far
from Sorcey and our company built
stockade for the prisoners taken
in this St. Michael drive, at a place
called Pegney. On about Sept. IA
we started for this front on foot.
A five day Cor night rather as we
hiked nights and rested days) brot
US to Aubreville not far from Bar
Le-Duc. The rain fell quite hard
three nights out the five and we
were obliged to sleep in our wet
clothes. We soon got used to sleep
ing that way and pay no attention
to it. AS we came into Aubreville
at midnight the shells began falling
around us. The roads were lined
with trucks and wagons hauling
SUPPLIES and ammunition to the
front. We pitched camp in an or:
chard lust out of town and toward
morning were awakened by the
alarm ''gas." This was the first
gas alarm I had heard but a second
or two and my mask came from
under my head (always slept on 1t
or had it close). A short time the
recall sounded and tho the shells
fell went back to sleep. All next
morning the shells fell on this town
and we being between the town and
Fritz they all went over our heads.
We stood under the trees during
the forenoon watching the shells 60
over our heads and see them burst
upon the town which was located
below us In a hollow. Soon they
began falling short of the town and
only short way from US. At noon
one fell near the cook house send
ing earth where we we're standing
and this was enough to convince us
it was time to move from there,
which we did at once.
= We lay in camp for few days
awaiting the big drive to start. On
Sept. 26th toward midnight it be-
gan, The most awful laundering
and roaring one ever heard. The
sky was sheet of flame, rockets
could be seen shooting thru the fog.
Soon the large guns mounted ON
railway trucks began talking TO
Fritz and each report made the
earth tremble. They were station
ed only hundred yards from our
tents. Sleep was impossible. The
28th we began our march to real
front or what was the front line
trenches only short time before!
The march lasted all afternoon and
toward evening we came upon the
hill over which our boys had gone
the day before. The sights of q
battlefield stared us in the face and
made some Of the boys sick. 1t
was enough to make any human
being feel that way the first time
one runs upon such a sight. The
first boysI saw who had payed the
price was named stephens from
Minneapolis. He fell before reach
ing the front lines. In this woods
We began our work Of building q
railroad to connect the French rail-
way with the German. A week to
ten days and this was done. The
was very bad. ratned all
most every day and night. The
heavy artillery was located below
our camp and banged away all night
long. Later on We broke camp and
moved about eight kilOs to the
woods Just below Montfauco on Here
we were to repair = railroad also
but the first day was enough to cons
vince US we were IN the Il wrong
place. Fritz sent She Ills all around
Us and ny night his aeroplanes drop
ed bomb The com mpany moved !,
back to our old camp IN the Argon-
ne Forests below sheppy. 4 sWas2t
sick and 20 was my pal II We being
unable to make the hike staid tn
the WOO odsss;un the folloWing day.
That night the artil llery men we're
shelled out Il and came running thru