Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1918 — LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS

Paul Worland Tells About a French Funeral. z Mrs. D. M. Worland' received another letter • a few days ago from her son, Paul, in which he gives an account of a French funeral and burial that will be interesting in its difference from the way funerals are conducted here: Medical Department, 16th Field Artillery, September 1, 1918. Dear Mother:- —-We did not stay in the village where we were billeted out as long as we expected to and now we are on the road again to—l don’t know where. Just before I left there I witnessed a funeral you may be interested about. It was an old gentlemen who had died and he was placed in a plain casket which looked to be home-made out of oak. It was varnished, but one could see the grain of the wood under that. It resembled K the caskets used a few years ago. The priest seemed to be the master of ceremonies, and after saying the funeral prayers he blessed the casket. After he had finished the mourners and others, who attended took a brush with holy water and blessed it, too. The funeral party then left the house for the church. The casket, which was sitting On cloth covered “horses” (they resembled a carpenter’s trussle very much) had no handles, so the j>all-beareTs ran boards under it and with those they carried it to the hearse outside. The hearse was different from American hearses. It was smaller and pulled by only one horse. It was black, but had no sides. It was covered by a wooden canopy supported by four wooden columns placed at the corners. The casket was put in this and the proces-

sion started. The horse hitched to the hearse was not driven, but led. The mourners and others followed behind on foot. The church services were like our own and then the party went to the cemetery. The grave was at least ten feet deep. The casket was set over this and blessed, first b the priest and then by the others. After that everyone left but two. They remained to close the g grave. They threw brush on top of the casket (there was no rojigh box) and then filled in the dirt. It was very interesting, and 1 think it is the same way the people in the villages bury all their dead. I am due to eat dinner now, so will have to close with this. Love to ajl, PAUL.

Writes to Parents of Paul Gall Killed in France. This is a letter from Private Paul W. Gall’s comrade, who was with him from Paris Island, So. Carolina until his death, June 16, 1918. Somewhere in France. August 26, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. John Gall and Family. Dear Friends:—l received your letter of a few “days ago. I suppose you have seen in thOpapers what a merry chase we are giving the Huns. The line surely has advanced from Chateau Theiry. The front line is now about forty or fifty miles from Paul’s grave. He was killed in “no man’s land,’’ and later was buried in the saine spot. His grave by now is well fixed up and marked, and after the war all the graves will be decorated and taken care of. The way they know who the dead are, every soldier has two tags (aluminum) around his neck at all times. On these tags are the name, address, number and date of enlistment. When one is killed these tags are taken off by those burying them, one is sent to Washington, D. C., to be recorded and, the other nailed on the cross at the head of th*e grave until the grave later can be fixed <up and nfarked properly. The French people take good care of all the dead American heroes and. very often you will see them placing flags and flowers on them. Always, when possible, a chap-

lain holds funeral services at every soldier’s burial. America certainly is doing wonderful work. 1 really expect this war to end soon. The experiences sure are great, but the danger is still greater. When all is over and if I get back, I will come and tell you the full details of various battles and experiences. Your friend. PVT. OMAR KNUTSON, 17 Co. sth Reg.. U. S. M. C., A. E. F., via New York. George M. Babcock lias Been Up In the Air a Few Times. Thursday, Sept. 26. Dear Mother:—l have been holding off writing to you until I could tell you of my first trip up in an airplane, which 1 had the pleasure of enjoying this morning early. It is a peculiar feeling- 1 -! hardly know how to explain it, except to say that it is not quite as wonderful as I had expected to find it. 1 borrowed an aviation coat and cap, made of leather, and a pair of goggles, which came in ■mighty handy when the machine was headed straight into the wind. I rode in the rear cockpit, where I was strapped down. It is from this pit the Lewis machine guns are operated. The flights were made in a DeHaviland 4, with a Liberty motor. It is remarkable the quickness an airplane takes altitude after getting off the ground. The pilot speeds up his engine considerably, which causes the tail of the machine to leave the ground, which brings the ship on an even keel, traveling on the wheels of the landing gear. After this point is reached it is but a matter of seconds until the ground seems to draw slowly away from the ship, but just after clearing the ground the elevating planes on the tail are brought smartly into action and climbing is done in a devil of a hurry. It took no time at all for us to get high enough that I had to look around quite a bit before I could find Wright field with its many white painted buildings with red roofs. When I did locate the camp it certainly looked quite small from a distance of 2,500 feet. Another peculiar thing I noticed during the three "jasses,” trips, was the evidence of there having been some good civil engineers employed to stake out t..e farms around the field and also the straight lines which were follbwed in laying out the camp. We made three landings on the airdrome, and they apparently gave the pilot no difliculty, because he told me the D. H. 4 was an easy ship to land. But, mother, the thing that caused my heart to come into my mouth was when the highest point was reached the pilot would throttle the engine way down and drop the elevating planes, causing the nose of the ship to point considerably toward the earth. I guess everybody making their first flight braces themselves when the ship starts earthward. At least. I know I did. And it does not take long to come down, either. It seemed to me as though we would land away off from the field, but instead each landing was made a few hundred feet from our hangar. The best speed made, the pilot told me, was 118 miles an hour, yet it did not seem as though we were navigating half that fast. When making a bank, turning, it seems as though the inside wink on the turn was nailed down and the ship was pivoting on it. At all events it was a great experience and I would not take a whole lot to have missed it. Another lieutenant, who is said to be the best army aviator, on the field, bias promised me a ride as soon as a Curtiss airplane can be secured by him. The Curtiss is a machine that can be stunted, so if I get a “jazz” with him I will be able to tell vou how it feels to loop-the-loop, tail spin, wing over, etc. And speaking of Curtiss machines causes me to remember something I saw this afternoon that beat anything I have ever seen before for speed in an airplane. A bunch of us were at work pulling out the Liberty motor from the ship I went up in this morning after it had done 50 hours flying, when we heard what we thought was the exhaust from a Gnome motor and glanced up just in time to see the new Curtiss triplane with a 400-horse power light weight motor go by at fully 150 or more miles an hour. It is said it did 151 at Long Island a few weeks ago, but from the way it .compared with the other' ships it was doing 200. It will be given a speed test here in a day or so, and I will try to tell you more about it later. * A Thomas Morse scout started to make’ a landing too soon yesterday afternoon and the propeller struck the telephone wires along the north side of the field, causing the machine to land on its nose. It was damaged considerably but the pilot escaped unharmed. A fellow friend and I had a fine time in Springfield Sunday, being invited to the home of a

Mr. and Mrs. Whitney for dinner, which- was surely good. We had supper at the Y. M. C. £., where all uniformed men are invited each Sunday night. The present dope is that the testing department will winter somewhere in Florida, and that we will leave here soon, a few days or a month. Well, mother, I believe I halve written all I can think of for this time,. We are working on airplanes for experience, as our leiutenant wants ua to know them. Give my best wishes to Dad and grandmother. I hope she is much better. With love, GEORGE. P. S.—l got Deb’a letter O. K. It is somewhat similar to the very interesting one he wrote you and Dad. I do not know how things are as to coming home. They appear to be dull here. I would like to see you all again before going to Florida for the winter and will if it can be arranged. Had the good luck of finding out a few days ago that Lieut, Sohm, our second commanding officer at the armory, was well acquainted with Puget Sound and knew several men Intimately there that I knew and had worked for and with. - .)