Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-15
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS


Corporal Irving MCGOWAN, Battery
A. l0Srd regiment, who formerly was |
employed here at the Marlin Rock |
Wen factory, has written the follow
ing 1etter to his father, Thomas Nc
Gowan of Westerly:
Dear Dad: Today is Dads day and
am dropping you few lines to let
you know that l am in the very best
OF health and / hope you are the same.
l am still at Aix-les- Baines. 1t is
the most wonderful place In France.
1t is in d valley between two big
mountains, and the hotels and places
OF amusement ore fine. l. am stop
ping at the MOTEL that Harry Thaw
Lsed to stay at when he came here
and all other big men of America like
J. F. Morgan. Their pictures are hung
IN the smoking room. The whole
place is like palace. Can you inas-
with bath. hot and cold running wa
! ter, and a nice big soft bed. We
couldn't believe it At first we thought
there must be some mistake, after
what we just came from, enc of the
| biggest battles of Verdun.
You can believe me, dad, it sure
vas some battle, and I was in it I'M
TIL the next to the last day. I would
hhve been in it the last day only l
| 100 h~+it ~ LIE iCdl Will gas lE1R0
to stick it out. but the doctor said.
NO, you must go back" so had to:
but just the same, saw some sights
and battles in my ten months in the
lines.
l was machine gunner for nine
months and had to be I'D to the front
every minute. and sometimes l enjoy
ed II and other times wished | were
dead- l know my letters were very
much different from 1.-The way I felt.
but / couldn't say anything in them
You no doubt have read of all the big
battles. l was in every one. Not one
dld miss. One of the worst and big
gest drives was the Chateau Thierry
drive, and l will never forget it, and
the rest Of them were no joke.
There is one thing to do, and that
is. to thank God that came out alive,
as | thought my chances were slim
many q time. After it was over I
know some one at home was praying
for me.
l would like TO sit down and tell you
how the Americans fought and fell
ard how many Huns they got before
they fell. and ! think I will tell you
very soon, as It sure does look as If
our division is going to be one of the
FIRST home. l am waiting for that
day, when I will see my dear mother
ana 1atner ana the rest of the family.
Il sure will be ., happy one for me.
) ] meant to write to you and tell
you I was safe, but I didn't have q
chance, They were fighting very hard
: until the very last second, and when
.?as sent to the rear 1 was then sent
> on my Through, so I am doing it now
It ended on the 18th month, 11tl
day and 18th hour. Our battery fired
their last round at 1853 Ia; the tins
OF flight was 80 seS0nds, and just a
, II o'clock they dropped in among thu
Boches, and in that very second ev.
erything was as calm as a millpond
: One wouldn't believe it. A minute
8 before that every big gun in the allie
e forces was pushing them out as fas
e as they could and at II came the stop
> On one of our guns there were abou
4 80 fellows on the lanyard that is tn
' string that fires the gun. Everybod
t wanted to pull the string and fire tn
last shot. SO they all pulled it an
e fired the very last round and ais
!, broke the string. That night at tn
{ front there We're big bonfires and sky
= rockets, and about everything yo
n could think Of. Even cards were u
e their playing their heads up 1t sur
e was a, great sight.
g The French went crazy. The wa
y was over and the Americans had dor
a it. Nothing wasA too good for US.
Il don't think Bill Morey's regime:
T. saw any action. told him if he didn
e hurry ober he wouldn't get ir on
IS I think he was in a training cam
when the arnistice was signed, 5
II they might make them stay over hel
: here and clean France up. 1t sure
e. a mess.
'e Down at Aix-les- Baines q few day
Y ago I ran into a, fellow from WEBSTER
n ". His name was Al Jordan. He use
to work for Haswell. I knew hi
i'll town. and I was some glad to me-
somebody from the old town. I hay
= tried to find Tom, but can't do it,
guess he is at the other end of Franc
Y, Well, dad, I think l viii close no
le and I viii write soon and let you kno
b, when I will be home. Give my r.
ce CARDS to all the folks and my friend
Hoping you and the rest are all we
remain
I'd Your son,
h IRVING