Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-11
OUR BOYS
OUR COUN1RY'S SERVICE

In letter home, Corp. Alton John
son of Belfast tells of the Thanksgiv-
ing meet in France when Batteries c.
and d. competed. Battery d it will
be remembered won the regimcntal
cup for baseball championship, Corp.
Johnson pitching the winning games
and receiving the cup which he sent
to his home in Belfast. His letter
written the day after Thanksgiving
is most interesting.
France, Nov. 90, 1918.
My dear Folks: 1t is the day after
Thanksgiving and you will get this
about Christmas. Didn't get a
chance to write yesterday for we had
a big day and good time. if we arc
a long way from homo. In the morn
ing we had track meet against Bat
terry c, and out of a possible ~ points
we won SO, SO you see Battery ID beat
them to a standstill. l took part in
the relay race which we won and
each man on our team got a can of
chocolates, the first chocolate bon
bonS | have had since | came to
France. At one O'Clock we had din
ner and SOME dinner for way over
here. Although we didn't have tur-
key, we had some Of the incest roast
beef, just as tender as it could be,
mashed potatoes, creamed boiled on
ions, celery, bread and butter, apple
pie, German beer, coffee, candy, CT
gars and cigarettes. How is that for
L =
it too. l ate so much l could just
move for the rest of the day.
In the afternoon the officers got all
the trucks they could and took all
who wanted to out to the I1indenburg
line, which is about fine miles from
here. Believe me it is some sight
there and it shows that the old Yam
kee boys surely got at them good and
strong there. At one place where |
stood, could look for IL radius of
about ten miles and all l could see
was shell holes and trenches and
now and then a tree but not a limb
on them. Every inch Of the ground
has been turned over by shell fire.
Some Of the holes are from ten to Is
4
place where thousands Of people will
come hereafter.
A year ago tonight l was at home
with you. | Will send you the card
l got from the little boy in Clarmont.
1t is written in French SO you will
not be able to real it. 1t says, Il
find it has been a long time since you
left us. We would be so pleased to
hear some news from you. l embrace
you with all my heart. Your little
friend, Albert Huguet." He is seven
years old.
Gee, if i only had little camera
over here l could get some dandy pic
lures now. We have a big inspection
tomorrow. Hope we won't have to
have many more of them. A big cat
just came and jumped up on the bunk
beside me. Don't know whether she
is a German cat or Not, but she seems
very friendly. We are in a German
camp which they left in such a hurry
they didn't have time to destroy them
any and SO we are very comfortable
so if we must, we are all right here
for the winter. OF course there were
q lot of boys over here before us and
we will have to wait our turn to come
back home. Believe me, that is the
time we are all looking forward 10
now
/ know you folks will all be much
easier now that there is no more
danger. When the Boche heard our
guns he quit, but we managed to get
few shots at him before he had
time to get his hands up. 1t was
pretty exciting while it was going on
though. l could hear the shells COM
ing over but did not notice them
much when our guns were firing. In
| the daytime when it was quiet was
when I used to lie and hear them
coming overhead. 1t is then that you
wonder how far they were going be-
fore they burst. We were very
lucky getting by without losing q
man. We slept in dugouts, tents. ole
buildings and on the ground with
only our blanket3 over us and the
stars. If mother could have seen me
some nights. she would have thought
| L Woulu SSl lily uedtti VI COlu bul
am feeling fine.
Got the money you sent and it came
in very handy both for me and have
let some Of the other fellows have
some. for little will go a long way
up here. We haven't got paid for two
months now and it will seem all the
better when we do get it, Well the
candle was only two inches Ions
when I began to write and it is get
ting low. Would like to send you al
something for Christmas but there
! are no stores around here so all car
send is my love to you all and if al
! goes we'll will be with you before an.
other Christmas at the most Will
lots of love. Your boy.
! ALTON
Battery D. 3o3d F. A.
The following letter has been re.
ceived by Charles II. Bickford OF
Augusta from his son, Sergt. Charles
| f, Bickford in France: