The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-10-05
IN FRANCE
lMiIbank Boy Writes Of his Trip Ac.
ross the Channel and His Expert
enCe In the Land Of Lafayette.

Donald Thomas, who is a sol
dier in the engineer force Of the
u. S. government. writes to his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. w. NJ.
Thomas, as follows:
On Train, En- Route to Our Camp,
Somewhere in France" Friday, Au.
gust 81, 1917. Dear all at home: |
have had some experiences since |
wrote YOU last. 1t fell to our lot to
come across the channel in what the
captain of the boat, who had been on
the ocean for forty years, said was
the worst storm he had ever taken a
boat across. | enclose newspaper
clipping from which y U may see the
storm was general one and OF no
mean proportions. We left Monday
night and it took us nineteen hours to
make the trip when it ordinarily re-
uuires but eight. The boat rolled and
pitched terribly, beng lightly loaded.
There are about sixty of us in this
detail to transfer our supplies We
spread our blankets on the benches
and tables on the troop deck but
sleep was impossible, We slid back
and forth. / was put on guard IN the
forward hold, where our trucks and
automobiles We're placed fr IN a. N.
10 ) and | don't believe that three
hours ever pa ssed as slowly for me IN
my life. The hatch above was open
and the water came down in great
sheets at times. Something above
broke loose and pounded tack and
forth and twice something came
smashing down from above IT was
imposs bic to stand, the rolling would
send me running and sliding to the
side Needless to say we were all
really seasick ! went on deck later
TO get some air: got the air all right,
and water with it. too. What | saw
exceeded my widest flight OF imagin
alton | found protected spot and
hung on. the boat would go way down
until the water would almost come up
to the rail and it seemed as though
the boat must tip over, then it would
roll to the same degree in the Oppo-
site direction, at the same time the
boat pitched SO that at regular inter-
walls the propeller must have been
wholly or partially out OF water tor
the engine would race, (imagine trav-
cling in a ar and slipping the clutch
every few seconds. The big destroy
er that accompanied US wa, wallOW-
ing along and at times was almost
lost to sight. Th waves formed deep
valleys and mountains OF water thir-
tv feet nigh To attempt to launch
the life boats in that storm would
nave been sure destruction. At times
don't know but what | wished THAT
il was calm and take Il chance on the
subs. or course the suos could not
work ia such weather
We began unloading the boat
out u m Tuesday evening and
worked till / a. M. snatched three
hours sleep. had breakfast and Went
at fl again at $50 ANA finished up ab-
ont noon, iii tile afternoon some
freight ears We're drawn 10 4 nearby
siGb4 and W l0aded tic stutf GA
them We slept "Wednesday night at
a hfg English rest camp nearby and
thai MAS the first time that I've slept
With my cloths oti for i week We
lint, 81 loading Yesterday morning;
attached three cari.iage, To our
string ot freight cars and we We're OF
about noon. but for where we do bot
know, but presumably for some place
near the front, where the rest OF the
regiment is NOW Ne passed through
Pafis curing the night: woke up
and looked out and had ii been dav
time | could have bad Il wor derfll
view AZ least | can say that | have
been ia the three largest cities ia the
world inside OF MONTH it | did not
see much, | have seen enough else,
however, 10 make mp for II so mucn.
in fact, that can t hope to tell YOU
all about it.
My impressions Of France thus far
are bit difficult 10 describe. We
have passed thrs ugh some quaint
country. beautiful and impressive,
yet there does not seem 10 be tire
same intensive cultivation, the same
orderliness, nor the same harmonious
ness that | noticed in England The
buildings are all old--very old-and
many quite run down. Much Of the
country that we have passed through,
would not hive to use my imagine
ton greatly to believe that | was in
the Unite d States
The railroads are better here | be.
lieve. | have seen one or two Amer
lean made locomotives. The freight
cars are larger, the passenger coach
es ale ON the same style as in Eng
land--divided into compartments
and four of us slept on the seats and
one on the floor comfortably.
Every energy here is bent to the
prosecution of the war. The cities
and villages are almost deserted.
there being but few about other than
women, children and old men, SOL
diers in uniform excepted; of the last
there are many. They wear gray
uniform uniform much the same as
the confederate gray.
see quite Q lot of German prison
ers. They seem to be we'll taken care
of and contented. They use them,
under guard. for all sorts of labor.
Last night when we stopped at q sta
tion to get our supper, train came
through with Q car of them attached;
we talked with them, asking them
many questions.
Every place we 60 through we get
great ovation: the children run out
along the side OF tho train crying
"pennie, pennie;;" q penny in France
EQUALS Opo.fifth in our money: We sat