The north Mississippi herald., 1919-05-16

German one. The steps went down
for eighty feet, and to show you how
efficient were the Germans, they had
concrete dugout. After we reach
ed the bottom it was as dark as
pitch so we had to use our fashlight
We found German bed sacks, far su-
perior to our own, and some German
magazines. In one room of the dug
out, we thought we had run across a
dead German, but upon examining
closer, we saw it was merely a bunk
with the blankets left on it. They
must have left that dugout in a
hurry, because we found some Ger
man ~ shells down there and in the
dressing station they had left lots of
medicine. That was one fine dupout
tell you. We saw the wires where
they had used electric lights-think
of that, and in one of the rooms was
stove where they had cooked. It's
wonderful all that stuff down under
the ground eighty feet! Those Ger
mans were fighters, l can tell you
The French must have been on to
that emplacement for the ground was
covered with shell holes, varying in
size from three feet deep to a place
big enough to put one third of your
house in. They were tremendous
There was a German o. P. station
observation Post) up in the top of
a tree near by, and the woods around
there was literally shot to pieces
Down at the foot of the hill, where
it was level, was the trenches and
they were shot all to bits where
these big shells fell short of the hill
side. We brought back five of those
IT'S, and got sign down there
We went into several dugouts, but
none could compare with this German
one. Efficient is no word; they were
artists when it came to dugouts and
trenches. Of course some of the
trenches have caved in now and all of
them are half full of water. But 1
saw it all, and l wouldn't have missed
that trip for anything. l saw the
places where they actually fought like
demons-all through the Alsace sec
tor for miles and miles and miles! Up
around Chateau Thierry they had
open warfare and that is what won
the war of course, but there isn't half
as much to be seen as the front where
/ was. saw the front line trenches
and all that there was. / passed
through towns absolutely shot to bits,
churches, houses, ETC., literally
grounded ! saw one railroad where
every Cross tie was dynarrfted, aud
one section of a bridge over which
they brought supplies, blown up. So
cleverly were they with their camou-
figaing that lots of times you were
right up on dugont before you knew
it, you couldn't see it ten feet away.
will tell you more about what I saw
when | get home. 1t was a wonder
full trip, and had rather haveseen it
all than to have had any other trip in
France.
| sent Mama a card Sunday from
the Rhine, but as it was stamped and
sent like any other letter from this
country by civilians, she probably
will not get it for month and half, |
and l expect we shall be back home be-
fore that time, as it was officially an
nounced last week that we fire no |
more schools after the conclusion !
the present one..I judge we shall leave |
Valdahon about the 18th of May, go |
to port and leave for the States about !
June 1st. They have stopped all pass |,
es to Besancon and to every other |
town within ten miles from the camp |
and no more Officers are allowed to go !
to Italy. The Greers, who came over |
with the first bunch, you remember,
are entitled to go on their second !
leave tomorrow, but must be back in |
camp by May 3rd. Unfortunately |
only one of them go, Hal. Yesterday |
James and Dickey Sizemore were
monkeying with one of those German |
TITS and got hurt. They had taken |
the nose off, which was lucky, and |
were trying to take the rest of the
shell to pieces when they nit a screw
and powder canal exploded. They
were rushed at once to the infirmary
and later to the hospital, and are get |
ting along fine now They are to be
sent to base hospital in Dijon to-
morrow. OF course it was a very
painful accident, but they are not hurt
bad. 1t is the same experience as to
have toy cannon explode in your
face like / did when / was kid.
Their faces are full of powder and
their eyes are burned, but they will
be alright and the doctor saws their
sight will not be effected. They have
bandages over their eyes now to keep
them cool of course. There are so
many wild reports which get out about
such things that want you to see
Mrs. Greer and Mr.. Sizemore and tell
them what have written you. Hal
wrote to his mother last night and /
think CharleySizemore sent word to
his father about Dickey. But you
tell the folks that / said the boys are
getting along alright and for them not
to worry about their boys. was up
to the hospital last night and again
this morning, and they are both cheer
full and feeling 0. K. They can see
as good as can, but their eyes are in
famed little because of the medi-
cine which they had put in them.
Neither one was rendered unconscious
or anything like that; in fact James
wanted the doctor to save the things
he picked from his face for a souvenir. ]
One of James hands is burned little
but il will not he Scarrad naithav. ma