Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-24

Sergeant George Meredith Fey, 915
South Sixtieth street, reported gessed,
who served eighteen months overseas
and was unheard of for several months,
has written interestingly from Germany
to a brother, Oscar Fey, this city, of his
experiences on the firing line.
Fey is attached to the Ninth Infantry,
which, as a unit of the Second Division,
was cited by General Pershing with
my warmest congratulations upon the
splendid spirit shown, especially to those
men who declined to accept their status
as prisoners but turned and destroyed
their captors."
On October 0, during the Argonne-
Meuse offensive, Fey was gassed and
slightly burned about the body, but
went on with his unit. He had gone
through Chateau-Thierry. Scissors, the
Marne counter er-offensive, Verdun, st.
Mihiel, Mont Blanc, Champagne and the
Argonne without scratch. The pa
thetic letter which told of the soldiers
unusual experiences follows in part:
"At times before the armistice I only
existed. l was in a dream on tEe march
and asleep going over the top. Flopping
in a shell hole to escape shell was a
casual thing and many times I vel
coined death and that's why I faced
the enemy with the dry smile that those
of who weren't gun-shy wore. die
my best to destroy the boche, for
figured / couldn't dodge the bullets much
longer. I have been through some hard
ships. but they amount to- little com.
pared to seeing comrade ploweo
through to death with enemy lead. But
we got used to it all and sometimes
I 10. NV
roll cigarette in peace I can hear
them shout, "Over the top; give 'en
hell, boys!"
Enlisted Soon After War
Sergeant Fey is twenty-one years old
He enlisted shortly after the declaration
of war and was among the first to &C
overseas. He is now doing garrison duty
along the German frontier
William j. Lee, 126 Hermitage street
died Of disease, and Harvey J. Davis
629 Pierce street. died of an acciden,
or some other cause, according to the
! government today. One soldier from
here. Private Anthony Di Vito, 1741
South Hicks street, who was reported
killed In action some time ago, has re-
turned to duty uninjured. Two other
city men are wounded. There are 37G
in the casualty list for the country to,
day. including flfty-one from Pennsyl.
vania. Relatives of Private john
McNelis who foISaerly lived at 2344
North Twenty-second street, cannot bt
located. The soldier is reported to hav,
died of bronchial pneumonia in French
base hospital during February.
Private Edward ]. Ryan, 2141 Nortl
Fourth street. wounded August 8, ha!
returned to this country and is now
convalescing at Camp Dix. He is 6
member of Company D, Eleventh Ma
chine-Gun Battalion.
Private Thomas Philips, 81 Nortl
Budd street, taken prisoner at the bat
: tie of the Marne on July Is. has writer
to his father. Frank Philips. telling how
he with three other men from this city
were trailed by bloodhounds when the.
tried to escape from the boche.
The men with him were Arthur Perry
5421 Lancaster avenue; George Hoff
man, 124S North Fifty-seventh street
and Joseph Targalio, 1114 Christian
street. Philips, a member of the 1O0tf
Infantry. Company NJ, wrote Of being
captured.
Captured After Hard Fight
'rhere were only eleven left in IN!
platoon when the Germans surrounded
us at the Marne. We were captured
i after tney nau killed TWO OF tnlS NUN
ber. Deciding to attempt an escape,
with three of the boys from Philadelphi;
eluded our guard and got down th
Rhine some distance and were almos
over the Swiss border when we were re
captured and taken back to the prison
We We're put on bread and water die
for our punishment, but after Will
were able to obtain some food and othe
articles from the Red Cross"
Lieutenant Lewis l.. Eastwood. 703
Tulip street. Tacony. reported wounde'
Saturday, was injured August 1S. Lieu
tenant Eastwood is attached to Com
pany c.. Seventh Engineers, and ha
been overseas since August. 1917.
Private Ralph Leslie Melville. 172
Chestnut street, after escaping injur
during the war. died of pneumonia.
Private Charles NJ. Galena. fifty-thre
several months but recently returne
home. yesterday was handed lette
from the Red Cross saying. "Privat
: Charles Galena cannot be located"
The veteran, who had p two son.
George c. and Charles Galena, ais
wounded overseas, was amused at tn
letter. It came in reply to inquire
from his wife several months ago. Th
elder Private Charles Galena is now O
patrol duty in the Branchtown polio
station.
When gassed at -Thierry an
sent tos base hospital he found on
of his sons, George Galena, there sui
fering from shrapnel wounds. Bot
sons are still overseas.