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Show lERISTGiJSTlIE THICK OF THE FIGHT In .1 letter written to his uncle, Sheriff Henry East of Provo, Lieutenant Lieuten-ant Corporal Ernost G. East, .formerly of Hooper, now in France, tells of some of his thrilling experiences at the front. The young corporal has been in the Canadian army since early in tho war and had fought nine months without being wounded. Then things changed and he was wounded severely three times In succession. His letter to his undo follows; His letter, under dato of November 23, is as follows: "It has been a long time since I wrote to you. I am still knocking I around and am anxiously waiting to start back for the west, but I suppose it will be spring beforo I get back. I suppose you have heard that I have been wounded again, but thanks to luck, it wasn't very bad, but it was enough to get me back to Blighty. I was wounded in that big Cambrai battle bat-tle on September 27 got hit in tho head this time. "One piece of shrapnel tore a hole about ono and one-half Inches long In my steel helmet and cut my forehead fore-head just up In, the hair. One small piece went right through the front part of my car and then stuck inside, j and another little piece hit me square between the eyes. "It didn't do much damage, only blackened both eyes and bruised my nose, so I got off easy. That battle was the most wonderful sight I ever saw or ever expect to see, as we could see for miles in front of us and also on both sides of us. Wonderful Sight. "We could see Jerry's artillery, firing fir-ing at us, and also his transports and everything; we could see his artillery horses come up on the gallop and hook on to tho guns and try to get; them back, and then we could see our own shells alight among them and blow to h . It sure was some sight "The German riflemen didn't put up much of a scrap, but all of the machine ma-chine gunners fought Hike tigers. I know for a fact that they manned their machine guns until our fellows used their bayonets, a thing that , hasn't been done very much in this war. "I was in charge of a section of men that day, and for some of my men it was the first time they had been under un-der shell fire, and it certainly was an awful test for them, but they were darn good men and fought like h . "They were fellows who had been conscripted in Canada,, nnd when they were put In my section just before wo went into action, I didn't like tho Idea of taking new like that over the top, and, believe me, I sure pounded the instructions into their heads and up to the time I got knocked out they were doing fine work. Thinking of Home. "There are twenty of them here in the casualty depot now, and we "sure have some good old laughs over the hot air I fed them that morning. 1 had one man who seemed to be a bit nervous as thes time began to draw near for the scrap to start, but it wasn't himself he was worrying about; he had a wife and flvo little kiddies back homfe. I felt darned isorry for him, but couldn't get him dut of it; the only thing I could think of was to give him my rum ration as well as his own. "That did the trick, all right, and he went over the top like a fighting' cock, and I'm pleased to say that he has got through it all safely, and it won't be long now before he is back with his little kids., Well, Uncle Henry, I don't suppose this kind of stuff will bo very interesting to you, but It is the same way with all of us chaps, as soon as wo start to writ.q. a. letter it soons runs on to ,this old war stuff, and I will be glad when I can forget it, as it is all over now and wo are coming back victorious. England Jubilant. "The people of England were very jubilant over the signing of the armistice, armis-tice, and they are still celebrating. There have been great doings In London. Lon-don. I wonder how the 'Frltzies' fee over the surrendering of their navy? Isn't it a glorious victory? Say, it's good to be a Johnny Bull, isn't it? When I get back I shall get my citizenship citi-zenship papers as soon as I can. I wonder if. I shall have to wait three years ngain. Try and find out for me, will you? "I got a letter from Gilbert (son of Joseph V. East) a little while ago. and up to the time of writing he hadn't been up to tho fighting !Iner so he was pretty lucky. I suppose tho Yanks will do the biggest part of the garrison garri-son duty until peace is signed. I hope so, anyway, for, believo mo, w've had enough of it, and another thing, there will be no danger for them and they are all fresh men. Losses Are Heavy. "I see by the papers that the Canadians Cana-dians havo had 55,000 men killed and then there are thousands of disabled men. Canada has a population of a lit- tie over eight million people, so it looks as if they have done their share, doesn't It? I think by the time wo get the correct number of killed, it will be more than 55,000. "Well, I don't think there is anything any-thing else I can tell you this time, as around camp there is nothing exciting excit-ing going on. The weather Is beautiful beauti-ful over here yet, but I suppose the rainy season will soon start. I wish I could havo been back for Christmas Christ-mas this year, but we will have to wait a little longer. Will close, wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy hap-py Now Year." |