NEWS: Fay BANKS Writes Home, 1918, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja 

Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
_______________________________________________ 

HUNTINGDON

  Fay Banks, Mapleton's 15-year-old soldier, who is with the engineers in 
France, has written to his parents that he killed two Germans in an encounter 
lately.  He is the son of Charles and Emma Banks, of Mapleton.  "Mother," 
wrote he, "it was a hard thing to do but I had to do it.  We were so near we 
could hear them talking.  We got our order to go ahead and when my mate stuck 
his head up over the trench top he received a bullet in the forehead that 
killed him instantly.  In a minute I saw the Germans looking the other 
direction and I fired and killed one of them.  Then I heard a couple more 
making out how they would get me and I determined to meet them with the 
bayonet.  I was ready when my man came over and stuck the bayonet clean 
through him.  So you can put two notices in the broom handle for me.

Altoona Tribune, Tuesday morning, August 20, 1918, page 6