The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-02-01

The following letter has been re-
ceived by DR.. JAS. ". Meade. of Fish
ing Creek, from his brother, who is
with the American Expeditionary
Forces in France:
France, January / 1919.
Dear Lula and Doe:
l received your letter Of Nov. 26th
and was surely glad to hear from you
Your having mentioned about see
ing a picture of Z. S. Troops march
ing in Alsace, reminds HE of the
fact that a movie photographer took
some pictures of our Battalion, the
3rd Battalion, 115th INIT, Companies
l, X, L, and NJ, while we we're down
there This took place when we
were being reviewed by Major Gen
eral Morton during ceremonies upon
the decoration OF two Of the men of
X Company, for bravery shown dur
ing an enemy raid on our trenches,
on the 31st of July, 1918. These
boys received the Distinguished Ser
vice Metal. This also reminds me
that one of the men of the Ambu-
lance Company was cited 70" bravery
exhibited during one of our raids on
the enemy trenches on the 31st of
August, 1918. As it happens. the
dates are the same, except that they
are one month apart. The latter
raid proved mogs serious tran the
former for NJ Company, as we lost
one of our best Sergeants and one
private, 1st class, and few men
wounded, some shell shocked, others
right badly shaken up.
During this latter raid comical
thing happened, and, as a matter of
fact, comical things were always hap
pening. One of the shortest men
who went on the raiding party was
seen to suddenly fly off of his feet
and land several yards away, cover
ed up with dirt. One of the Ser
geants who thought that the fellow
had surely been killed by the shrap-
mel from the exploding shell, which
was the cause of this sudden flying
Of dirt and great concussion, imme-
diately ordered one Of the men to
get the fellows name from his iden-
tification tag. Suddenly, as though
he were rising from the dead, the
kid recovered from the shock, and
up he jumped, shaking himself and
saying: I'm alright, damn it; I'm
alright, damn it, so ahead.
This sector, the one in the lower
Alsace, where the above happenings
occurred, proved to be quite a pic
mic after we experienced our trip to
the real Western front, in the Ar
gonne, where the big guns were con-
tinually bombing. Any man can say
what he wants to, but if hu tells me
that he went intG the Argonne fight
and came out without being some
what nervous, III be tempted to tell
him that he lies, or has never seen
the Argonne. They say that Chateau
Thierry and the Argonne were two
of the bloodiest battles of the war.
I did not experience the former, but
deliver me from the latter if such
has to take place again. Machine
guns were as thick as bees, and the
sing of bullets mighty trying Shrap-
mel shells were another worrysome
thing. I'd rather hear the gentle
sing of far flying shells, however,
than when old Mars begins to put on
the breaks and let them come down
near you with a sudden slowing
down rush of air and mighty bang.
1 shall be very glad to get the
knives which you are having sent to
me. and shall try to get Eds to him
0. X. The box, Of course, ] have not
received as yet, in which the knives
are supposed to be packed.
Remember me to all the folks and
write soon again. Trusting that you
and Lula are quite well, and saying
that | am feeling alright now,
shall close. With lots of love,
Your brother,
ARTHUR.
Mr.. Raymond L. Wiley, this city
| has received the following lettel
Il; D,,i,-