Show i I Interesting Letter from War Zone done So Pleasant St St. I Independence Mo 1 Nov 2 1917 I Editor Millard Co Chronicle Delta Utah Dear Sir I have been a reader of oC the tho Chronicle for some time and enjoy enjoy enjoy en en- joy receiving It and reading the news from home I am at present fulfilling a mission mission mis mis- sion slon for Cor the tho Church of ot Jesus Christ Christof of ot Latter-day Latter Saints in the Central States Mission An interesting letter has just been received by my companion Elder J. J Henr Henry Thompson from a soldier friend across the water who is at present serving in the time British AntiAircraft AntiAircraft Anti Anti- Aircraft Artillery Thinking it might be of or interest to the people of ot Millard county I am enclosing a verbatim copy of ot the same which you can publish if you so choose Your Friend Elder ROBERT E. E ROBINSON Letter as follows Cl Ci Section Adjutants Adjutant's Detach School of ot Gunnery Gunner England Sunday October 7 1917 Dear Harry Being rather a wet and more or orless orless orless less miserable sort of a day and myself myself myself my my- self having nothing on this afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon I am settling down to the task of straightening up my correspondence correspond correspond- ence It is now some time since 1 I last wrote you but I received your most recent letter some six days ago As you will note I have been moved again As a matter of ot fact since my last letter tol you I have been moved twice From Harwich I along with about thirty others went on a draft for tor the AntiAircraft AntiAircraft AntiAircraft Anti Air craft Gunnery Depot which is situated situated situated situ situ- at Abby Wood a camp built on the southeastern side of London This place being only a depot or receiving receiving receiving re re- center for A. A A. A Gunners did not enjoy my presence for much above a fortnight nor I must say did didi I at all enjoy Abby Wood Like most Depots the regulations are very strict and punishments of ot a severe type meted out to cases of minor offenses Needless to say of course they had no trouble at my hands lands I I I I The food at the camp was not quite up to the standard of ot excellence excellence excel- excel lence ence maintained in the mess at taken but taken generally generally- there was nothing much to cause faction Our first item on the program program program pro pro- gram was a gas course We Ve all took la a course of ot gas anti-gas measures while at at Harwich but that did not avail us anything we were obliged to go through everything again The course extended over about four tour days concluding with passing thru actual poison and tear gas in the gas chamber Protecting helmets are worn in the case of ot the former gas but with the other gas which was contained in a separate chamber we were obliged to pass thru it with head fully exposed The poison polson gas which was the deadly gas known as chlorine had a curious and marked mark mark- ed effect upon the brass buttons of our tunics After Atter having been exposed exposed exposed ex ex- ex- ex posed to the gas for tor a few seconds only the metallic parts of our tunics turned to a dark chocolate hue due to the chemical effect of ot the gas on the metal buttons The tear gas though not poisonous nor immediately immediately immediately injurious to the system or exposed exposed exposed ex ex- ex- ex posed parts of the body was intensely intense intense- ly irritating to the eyes ees Immediately Immediate Immediate- ly upon entering the tear ch chamber ber the thet gas attacks the eyes and has an aneff eff effect ct like bonfire smoke intensified five or six times It is Impossible to retain the eyelids open for a period period period per per- iod of time exceeding one ser second 0 1111 or two and and just as equally impossible It is to gain anything but a very verv Indistinct in indistinct indistinct In- In distinct conception of the position and shape of any object in th the tho vicinity vicinity vicinity vicin vicin- ity on account of ot the copious volume volume vol vol- ume of ot tears which absolutely gush down ones cheeks Of Ot course the gas in the chambers was maintained at a much greater strength than is possible under actual fighting conditions conditions conditions condi condi- on account of ot the tho gas h becoming becoming becom becom- comIng com com- ing gradually diluted through mixIng mixing mix mixing mix mix- ing with the air Well VeIl the gas course done we were all bundled oft off home on Overseas Overseas Overseas Over Over- seas Leave which lasted for tor the usual six days Exactly what our final destination is going to be I cannot state with any amount of certainty certainty ler but rumors speak of g pt The branch of artillery In 11 which h I II 1 Iam am at present is as you will vill have seen Anti-Aircraft Anti Tho work is very interesting and ami much lighter r and and more pleasant in eer every way than that url urt n which I T was er engaged en- en formerly No Ne gunnery was wasT T taken at Abbe Abbey Wood but since Fince nr Jr rivia time ruie we ht have lut i ti in earner t and hope hop in all ill jm lib ty berm this tIIS reaches reach r M n II to he r e j f uly u Jy trained and efficient and most likely likely like like- I ly tUng s se ng out- out for thi h h J ime of our ope tl ms One point t I him have u wt mat men mentioned honed is this this our our guns are are mob 1 1 Ing moun mounA A j 1 nr UI ton throe orries morries AI A iv's v's vs duties perm hen rally J the Reveille neville 6 a. a in m. B k Bh 1st 7 30 a a. a m. m Parade 8 15 to 12 1230 30 noon Dinner 1230 30 not Parade P Parade rade 1 45 to 4 30 p. p m. m T Tea a 1 30 p. p m. m mi iii I The on the morning parades parades par pur- ades generally cousin congh l t vf d f sun gun drill examination of n and various parts lit ut tt th thi t gin in dis dismantling mantling and nd i j 1 th ht titan 11 and its component arts art I Iru o o TI mn fuses fuse's and shells ll on angle and gunnery terms term t otc etc Froth From this you will be he E sibie TO 0 form firm som some idea of the scone lit if if our lUt Last Sunday a pal and I went vent from Abbey Wood into on Oil a t nn tr of oC inspection We Ve hail harl a 1 look bolt at it the Houses of Parliament nt tu r Abbey and the various o offic offices s situated in th vicinity c ue concluded the da day or 1 r r r and evening II by lh the iho evening service in th the HIP Y Lefore before lefore le- le fore reaching camp 3 J were aught raught by an tin n raid air-raid ia hi na he nr 11 m Inh J t In such uch a case to 1 th thin thc arl ir tr f very common occurrence now the populace flocks flocks into tu 11 h tubo tithe mail mail- ways and cellars of I ho the ity We Vet sought refuge in hc time former fo where half London seemed to have luwe congregated congregated congre congre- gated before us The raid HH extended ld 1 over about an hour homo ami when lIen s J seemed somewhat quieter and the gunfire less intense we Wd emerged ai aid c continued our jour i y roa reaching hing th the tho camp safely shortly he before re mi mid mid- night Im I'm sorely afraid that local ne news s swill will take a very insignificant place in inthis inthis inthis this epistle Jack Harr Ioa I is now in France for tor the second time I Imad mad had a letter from Not Norman man who vho is still in Egypt Ji J-f He is veil vell but like everyone d else yle e e i is absolutely b o- o fed ted up with h hu he carry on He |