The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-01-08

in Sid's own zAzlzzAl
words to his
brother, Carleton.
Sommesous, France, Nov. az, 1918.
Ny Dear Brother and Sister:
arrived here last Friday after
noon from the French Lorraine front.
This is an artillery base located east
of Paris; we were next to the last
naval gun to raech here and fully ex-
pected to be away from here before
this. Hope to be in Paris for Thanks
giving but it looks as though we will
have to spend it here. Nevertheless
it will not be bad as we have managed
to secure scme turkeys and geese,
much to the disappointment Of the
army men who are located here.
We are now headed for st. Nazaire
and as soon as the French allow US
railway right-of-way, we will be back
in. good old q. S. A. in short time.
I have received letters from you
both from time to time and l tell
YOU they were mighty welcome. Just
because you did not hear from me di-
rect, do not think had forgotten you
for / thought of you often and look
forward to the time when | might
visit you and tell you in person the
many things of interest l have done
and seen before reaching the front
and at the front. In brief, as you
know, was selected from Glenburnie
range for special duty. then did
not know what was expected of me,
but thought and hoped it would mean
overseas. From Glenburnie | went
to Washington, d. c., where for two
months studied how these great ma
val guns as used by our navy, were
made and put together. Three weeks
of these two months / spent at Indian
Head, % miles down the Potomac,
and | studied how smokeless powders,
ETC., are made and handled, also the
study of testing all types OF guns
from small automatics to the largest
rifles in the world also the testing CT
armor plate. Then we were sent
back to Washington, ID. c., and from
there TO the League Island navy yard,
remaining for about three weeks and
then to Hoboken, N. j. On May 20
and ON that same afternoon went
aboard the Won Steuben, formerly the
much talked of German raider, Kron
Prinz Wilhelm. May 26 at 6 p m. we
set our faces toward France. We
soon lost sight of New York and said
gcodbye to the Statue of Liberty, the
night overlook us. In the morning
we found ourselves slowly moving
and in a dense fog; after another day
we found ourselves the flagship fo the
convoy and we had some ship; we
had speed and if | am correct we
mounted 21 guns. The following
Saturday we held target practice
well, | am glad | was not the target
When we reached the danger zone
chat was when we were about two
days out of Brest, France) we were
met by a number of destroyers, a
most welcome sight / can assure you
and how they did cut the water and
at their mast head was the best flag
in all the world, the Stars and
Stripes.
On the morning of June we came
into the harbor of Brest, not clouC
in the sky. Our ship was the first
to come in, a most wonderful sight tC
me. q beautiful harbor. Many ships
were about belonging to different ma
tions, warships; balloons and aero
planes overhead. / shall never for
get the morning of June 8, 1918. The
next day we went ashore taking Z
French box car train for ST. Nazaire
arrived there the next day. After
two DAYS rest we started to work
built barracks, etc., and as soon as oul
guns. etc, arrived we started to put
them together; we finished same the
middle of August, then to the front
In a few days we found ourselves
at the front and the gun | was con.
nected with operating with the
French; our gun fired the first shot
at the Germans, of the naval guns
Since that day / have seen a good dea
cf the front except for few day:
that we spent just out of Verdun
That is a part of the American
'front.' We have been with the
French.
At the time of the signing Of the
armistice we were located short dis.
tance from Lunevilles some 30 ode
kilometers from Nancy. / have beer
in Nancy en- three different days, 8
very interesting place:
/ have also seen the Heavens lighted
ND by the burning of the city of st
Quentin, also Laon, so you see hav,
been travelling good deal since be
ing at the front. As for air raids
shellfre. etc, well, l have seen anC
heard all l care of that. / hav,
heard guns fire for perhaps a few
minutes and ! have heard them fcl
four DAYS and nights. A quiet nigh
at the front is the quietest place,
believe. in the world. The eveninf
may start off that way, not a sound
clear overhead, stars the clearest yo,
have ever seen, then far away yo,
hear a hum, then you know you ar,
not mistaken for suddenly grea-
beams of light shoot upward from
searchlights and soon the anti-air
craft guns start going and you for /,
dugout IL you think it Is altogether to,
close for comfort. Shellfre Is dif
ferent story--you are walking along
perhaps thinking of your people bacj
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