The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-01-02

rouck into Wata, Belgiumnear, Pop
eringhe. Belgium. We trained a.
while there. Wata was a pretty good
sized place and we fed lot better
there. / had a pretty good time in
Wata, take it as a whole.
We moved to st. Jan-ter-Biezen, up
nearer Poperinghe, which is all shell
torn now, a second Ypres, and only 5
miles from there. We were attached
to the l19 infantry there. Earl and I
parted then, and I've only seen him
once since then.
We stayed there only little while
and went into the line July 10Th with
a battalion detail. We stayed up 10
DAYS, came back for 5 days, went up
again to a sector right between Kem-
mel Hill and Ypres, for % days. I've
been in Ypres several times and in
Paschondale. I've seen the remains Of
Hill 60, Messines Ridge, and all the
famous Flanders battle grounds. I
had some pretty exciting times there
and some very narrow escapes, but
nothing like I had later. Believe me,
the Lord has been with me all the
time.
We made an advance over KENNEL
Hill and then came out, moved to St.
Pal, stayed there day or so, went to
Leavillers, not far from Albert, Per-
rome, across the Somme, to Tincourt,
then thru Roisel, then into the Hin
denburg line, advanced 8 miles, cap
tween Cambria and st. Quentin, right
at the entrance to the famous tunnel
there. ,.-..s.e.- .rass ......
can't tell much about the Hinden-
burg line scrap-it's too awful. It's
Just like I'd been thru hell and it
turned out 10000 times worse than
anyone ever pictured. / don't think
I'll ever say much about it. I saw
dead piled on dead; heard screams
of dying men, the means of the wound
ed, saw my best friends in our platoon
killed and wounded. just missed it
miraculously many times myself, and
/ had to kill that day, myself. It's
not pleasant day to think of. I'm
trying to forget it. @
We stayed S days. broke the Hin
denburg line advanced 8 miles, cap
tured Bellicourt, took German head
quarters and whole lot of other stuff,
and hundreds of prisoners.
You've heard Of the Germans boil
ing down the bodies of their dead to
get oil and glycerine for powder, etc.
haven't you? ] saw refining plant
with Jerry's bodies done up in stacks
of fives to throw into the pot, and L
saw mess already half refined in the
pot. It's the truth, for saw it. That's
another thing I'm trying to forget.
Well, we moved back to Peronne 3
days, marched up again and took over
the line at Estrees. We were still in
the line from then on, A to days in,
3 to out, till we were sent back on
this last rest. We advanced about is
miles, captured between 5000 and g.,
600 prisoners and big guns, etc. It
sure was hellish warfare.
had SO many narrow escapes, ETC.,
that if / never had believed it before
/ would have been forced to believe
that Cod xuoc with ma
Well, we came out about the 18th
of October, having been at the front
practically all of the time since July
10Th. We moved back to Haulincourt
about 10 miles from Amiens.
You know the news from then on.
/ went to field ambulance hospital
at Contay, where / was kept days
with the flu, was sent to casualty
clearing station at the 41st stationary
hospital at Amiens, kept there a or 5
days and then got sent down to this
little Normandy town Of Etrctat.
This place is suburb of LeHavre,
France, and believe me, the province
of Normandy is sure the .prcttiest part
of France, as the people are the best,
cleanest and the scenery is the best, as
is the climate. It's "bon" place.
Well, it's about time / should close
i am getting along fine and expect to
be discharged in day or two from
this hospital. My throat is about
healed think. My hope is now to be
discharged from the army very soon
You see, enlisted for the duration Of
the war, and when peace is declared
think I can get discharge if / de-
mand it.
Well, here's hoping you have fine
Christmas. I know I'll have as good