Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1918 — “STAN” BRUSNAHAN WRITES HOME FOLKS [ARTICLE]

“STAN” BRUSNAHAN WRITES HOME FOLKS

S. A. Brusnahan of Parr received an interesting letter a few days ago from his son Stanlius who is with the A. E. F. In France, which The Democrat is permitted to publish: Montlancon, France,'Nov. 24. , Verdun-Meuse Front Dear Dad—This is the day that al] A. E. F. boys are supposed to write their dads a Christmas letter. I wrote mine two days ago so it would get an early start I wrote it hurriedly and didn't say much, so am going to write* another one, which I hope reaches you before Christmas. As you perhaps know, censor rules have been changed considerably so that now I can tell you many things which I formerly could not mention. We were twelve days crossing the Atlantic. There were fifteen transports in our convoy. Our ship, the “Cedric,” was a large English . boat and carried nearly 5,000 troops. During . thb last three days of our trip .we were escorted by about a dozen U-boat chasers. They led the’ way and searched for “subs,” but we saw none. We could '-see the Isle of Man and the coast of Ireland on the morning of the 7th. We landed at Liverpool just as the sun was setting on the 7th of June. It certainly was a beautiful harbor. The next morning we went ashore and left by train for Southampton, 5-1

We stayed at Southampton three days, and on the night of the 11th Crossed the English, channel to Havre, France. The channel Is usually- much rougher than the ocean, but was very calm the night we crossed it. Havre is a very but like all other cities in Franco, not at all modern. I saw a couple beautiful castles there. OiiT next stop was Mehun, near Bourges, where. I stayed- for nearly four months. The largest ammunition depot in France is located there. There were millions of rounds of it of all calibers. The smallest was the rifle cartridge and the largest was the 14-lnch. The projectile for the latter weighed 1,4Q0 pounds and the powder charge for-it weighed 664.- Part of the time .1 helped with the loading and unloading of this and part of the time I Sfegd an easy job. The work at times was pretty heavy, but good for me If I could stand it. Many times I was thankful for my size and strength. The work, though, for the most part was far from unpleasant* . . As I told you in a previous letter I studied ammunition there that 1 might get sent to the front to help at a dump there./• Well, I got the desired result when they sent me here. - The lieutenant who was to have charge of the dump came here a few days ahead of us. He had some engineers and pioneers fixing up the road, etc., for the dump. Fifty of them were killed doing this work. ■ When we got here the Sammies’’ had advanced some, but it was still warm enough to suit me. Our six-inch (155 mm.) guns were shooting' over our heads and- the dutchman was footing over a few every day at 4:80. I always had business at my dug-out about

that time. /One night about 11 o clock- the boche started firing at the dump. He dhot about forty shells in and around ft. The fact that most of them were "duds” Is all that saved the duinp. One hit a shell pile, knocking the ends off of two sheila (duds) hut they did not explode. Another shell went Into a dug-out and under the bed where, two of our hoys were sleeping. Needless to say they were pretty badly scared I have a couple Grapnel balls that I picked up about three feet from where I slept the night before. None of our 150 got even a scratch, but two men were killed by one shell between my dug-out and the kitchen. Another feMow cot shot by a machine gun during an air raid one night. L dreaded clear nights for the hoeh.es came regularly. ■n We got here on a Saturday eve- ' ning and pitched o®r pup tents in the trenches. We thought we would get a few days to straighten

up before any work came in. The next morning at 10 o'clock French trucks started coming in with sixinch (155’s) shells; Wd worked till dark in the rain and slept that night with our wet clothes on. That waa my last day of manual labor for the next day I was put in charge of camouflaging the dumps It was my business to make a powder house look like a beep garden. I did this with brush and some regular camoufiauge material. Most of the latter had been used by the Germans.

After completing this job I was. put in charge of the 4-Inch (105 mm.) French powder and the flinch and 9.2 inch English powder. It has been like a vacation for me all the time. We are at present shipping this damp to Montigny, near Stenay, and we 13 here expect to follow it to that place. A pioneer com.nany from, Minnesota is doing the work of loading. All ordnance men and all the ammunition of - the first army is being condentrated there. They say it is a fine place, too. The rumor is that we go home from there, but I think that wifi be some time yet Personally, il, would like to, go to the border with the third army, but of course I’d prefer the IT. S. As soon as I get to Montlgny I am going to put In for a sevendry -pass. I have not taken my leave yet. but they say I can get ft from there.

This morning I got up at 9 o’clock and ate breakfast In my dug-out; Doherty had brought my wheat cakes and coffee over and set them on the stove to keep hot. Can you Imagine that In the army? I spent the rest of the day taking a bath and doing my washing. Again wishing you and all a very merry Christmas, I am, your son, STAN. Coro. S. S. Brusnahan. ears Chief O. 0., A. P. O. 774. £ B. France.