BX September 20, 1915
 
Trench Life a Succession of Escapes from Shell or Bullet – Frank McQuinn Tells of Some Escapes He Had
 
Trench life in France or Flanders is one succession of escapes, shells bullets and bombs not to mention grenades, mines and snipers coming over with or without warning, according to Pte. Frank McQuinn of this city, now in Belgium in a letter to his mother here. He wrote:
 
August 31, 1915 
Belgium 
 
Dear Mother,

Well, mother, the winter will soon be here and I hope the war will be over before long. It is bad enough now out here, but it will be worse when winter sets in. We are on working parties just now, doing all sorts of work, but mostly digging trenches. You should see us dig a trench. We dug a surprise trench not long ago in front of our trench and only 30 yards from the Germans’ trenches. There were two troops of us – about 100 men. We went along to an opening and filed out with pick, shovel and rifle. We each had a space to do, and I got down five feet in about 13 minutes, and I guess all the rest did the same, because we had 100 yards dug in half an hour, five feet deep and three feet wide. We had rifle and machine gun fire on us all the time and a big shell every now and again. That is about as close as I have been to them. We are generally about 300 to 500 yards away from the enemy’s trenches. It isn’t so bad when you are in the trenches, for when you hear a shell coming you can get down, but that doesn’t always save you.

Last week I was carrying a bucket of water in the open and a “coal box” lit five feet in front of me and killed three, but never a scratch did I get. I have had some very narrow escapes so far. The first time we went in the trenches we went from one trench to the other in the open till we got to the front line and only lost a few men. There was a charge on at the time and we were in support. It is a regular hell when they get an order to charge. The big guns open up and there is rifle and machine gun fire and bombs, and the sky is all alight with shells. The night we went up it was raining and thundering and lightening. We had to double about one mile and a half over dead and wounded, falling and stumbling all the way. I never felt my pack that night. It was the worst I have ever seen. When we landed it was full of dead and wounded, but we only stayed there for two days, then we were relieved. I thought I would get mine going out, but I didn’t.  

Well mother that is just a little idea of what it is like out here sometimes. With the best wishes and love to all, I remain your affectionate son,
 
Frank McQuinn