Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 177, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1918 — WILL RETURN TO UNITED STATES [ARTICLE]

WILL RETURN TO UNITED STATES

REV. GEORGE W. TITUS HAS BEEN “OVER THERE” SINCE LAST FEBRUARY. (Continued from Monday’s Daily). Well, any how, I went to bed finally amid the crashing of myriads of guns and do you know, actually went to sleep. Thus ended my introduction into warfare. After this experience it was not so bad, although I had quite a few real exciting experiences. One of the happiest was going down in the trenches with a gunny sack loaded to the brim with “eats” for the boys. Oh! yes I got a little clip on the hand that reminded me that it was real business; but that did not matter much. I worked on this front for two Months, and then came the big switch which necessitated our moving to the scene of the big show of last April. I must tell yiou of my journey across France. - r Well, by this time I had been assigned to the First French Motor Battery. Before I started' I had become well acquainted with the boys and they seemed glad to number me among them. We started on Sunday afternoon and after a heavy and hard march of eight miles we arrived at our lodging place for the night. It was a large barn and my room was a recently occupied stall. It was my first initiation into this phase of the soldier’s life; nevertheless I piled in on the straw.. I tried to sleep but I had too many companions already. These little fellows that get their living under cover; these little fellows that live off of other peoples’ backs and do their dirty work in the dark. Well, breakfast at sa. m. and after picking the straw stack out of my ears, I got busy at my corn-beef-wooly. Another march of ten miles and then on board the train.

I drew my Sleeper early in the game. It was a box-car, no “cataon,” 40 homes, 10 chwanks. . After dinner and the supper, prepared my evening toilet —arranged the straw flat on the soft side of the floor and after a hard days work went fast asleep. That night the heavens wept at our departure and gentle drops as big as a man’s hat fell upon my “chambre.” Well, after having slept for several hours, I was aroused by some one pounding upon my parlor-car door. Thinking we had by mistake lapded some where among the Germans, I began to think of my end. Oh! but joy imagine what bliss when the welcome news was herald—“a bully sandwich for you.” I awoke at 6 a. m., and waited our disembarkment, which was on the other side of France—the “western front.”

Have been fearfully interrupted by one of the worse experiences coming under my ‘observation. I would not be permitted to tell you about it, but suffice to say it was one of the cruelties of war. Now back to my story. After detraining it was another march of ten miles with supper on the side of the road. Once more my room was among' the cattle. I was very tried and knowing that a long march of twenty-five miles faced us on the morrow, so I went off to sleep. Not even the rats that played football over my body all night succeeded in awaking me. After a hurried breakfast, we started on the twenty-five mile “'hike.” They thought I could not endure it, but I had the full enjoyment of walking in that night swinging my feet as, high as any of them. That night we slept in an old abandoned convent. Here the rats we so thick that you would have thought that they were carrying off the building._ The structure was erected in the fourteenth century and you can imagine the millions of “spooks” that played around all night long. The next day another march of miles and this brought us to the front. Since then I have been sleeping in my hut. During all these strenuous weeks I was with the French motor battery, and how I got to know them. Ninety per cent of them came from Indiana. However, changes come to us all as well and after having spent several days with these fine fellows at the front, the “Y” decided to change me. I shall not soon forget how the boys and myself felt. They drew up a petition signed by every man and officers asking the “Y” to •leave me with them; but it could not be granted. When I left it was like leaving a good church. My new job was quite a promotion, for it placed me in charge of our hospital “Y” work at our first hospital behind the lines. It is one of our most important points and the work here has, perhaps, a far more reaching effect than any other we are doing. Men wounded in the front line are brought back to our hospital and are on the operating table in thirty minutes. There is always heaps of work to be done here and I have tried to make the beat of the opportunity. I do not confine myself to simply “Y” work, but am glad to volunteer my services for anything. The day of our taking the town of from the Huns, I carried strechers and worked in the operating room. I had the experience of being mentioned in person to Gen. Pershing, but that was all uncalled for, as I have little sympathy for the personnel glory stuff. I see to it that every sick, wounded and gassed man that is brought in here is supplied with hot chocolate, cakes, sigarettes and other necessities free. I think you will find an account of my work at the hospital in the issues of the Metropolitan papers some day during the last of June.or the first of July. It was written by a journalist. I really like the work so well here, and the hospital staff are so determined that I stay, that I ami going to find it difficult to go home.l Yes, I am- really going home In

August. Seven months of front lines service over here is a fair con? tribution for a man of wife and children. It means more than a year’s service in southern France among our troops. I am going to be very glad when 1 get back home, because it will give me an opportunity of doing a far larger service, not only for the kingdom, but for men and country. As I said I shall be very glad to come to Rensselaer and speak for you. Am glad Marie is getting along so well. Let’s see is she a junior or a senior this year? I guess it is junior. Hope Fred comes out of it all right. The Canadians have done wonderful work, and he has shared the honor. They are quiet on the front now, as is really the case on all fronts, but as usual it is the lull before the storm, but folks at home need have little apprehension, however, as to the results, for the despicable hun will be beaten. Things are looking better for us all the time. Well,. thiaUs a long, long letter, and perhapiOyou will have grown tired of reading it. Convey, however, my sincere regards to my dear friends there and especially J. N., G. H. Me., Chas. Simpson, Carson and all the rest of them not forgetting Mrs. Hamilton. Yours. x «G. W. TITUS.