Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-10-10
MANCHESTER BOY
WRITES FROM CAMP
MILLS, new YORK
ROY WELTERLEN WRITES OF EX-
PERIENCES AT EASTERN
CAMP.
SOLDIERS GIVEN HARD TRAINING
Nay Leave Late in October For France
Where More Training Will be Civ
en- Before Entering Trenches.

Through the courtesy of Miss Flor
ence Riddell, principal of the Man
chester High school, The Democra
publishes the following letter from
Roy B. Welterlen, who is now with tn
Rainbow Division" at Camp Mills
New York.
The students in the high schoo
heard read with much interest THU
letter, which gives some impression
of camp life in the east:
Camp Mills. Sept. 2Sth, 1917
Dear Miss Riddell:
Will have to apologize for not hav
ing written sooner, but l really have
not been able to. The way they have
things scheduled here does not give
us very much time to ourselves.
We are supposed to have two clean
up days week-Wednesday afternoon
and Saturday, but something is always
planned to help us use up our rest
period. Our first rest day, We had a
physical examination and a battalion
parade Saturday we were busy most
of the day checking up and getting
new equipment.
Sunday, a day of real rest" sup
posedly, they had divisional review
for the secretary of war, N. D. Baker,
and Major General Mann, for the days
entertainment.
Today, though I thing we will have
a real rest, so am writing you. 1t is
raining today and we were all glad
when it first started and were more so
when it kept on all morning. We get
out of drill you know and none of us
are a bit sore. This is the first day
that we have had all to ourselves. We
get up at $50 then have about an hour
to eat and do our preliminary work
around camp, then go out for drill and
get in again at 11:30. At 1880 We go
out again until 4:30, when we come
back, then clean up and stand IRE
treat" at 600, when we are done for
the day. You see we don't have a
whole lot of time to waste in the day
time.
! Have been quite busy putting up pa
rades and reviews. The big one was
Sunday, as I spoke of before and was
the first review of the entire Rain
bow Division. We went out at 1880
and after waiting along the road for
an hour or two started on the review
proper. We were the second regiment
there and we got back in camp at
1880. I don't know when it ended.
Last Wednesday we put on one for
Governor Harding, in. the morning. The
morning review was only brigade,
however, Of the 18TH Alabama and
16Sth Iowa.
We are now settled in camp, settled
as we'll as we can be and although
it has been somewhat cold and rather
dirty we have been able to make our
selves comfortable. The camp ground
is fine, being level and quite handy to
the big village of New York We are
only about forty-five minutes from the
main part of the city.
AS soon as we can get some new
clothes, I am going down and look
around a bit Some of the boys have
been down and are going again as
soon as they get paid. Sounds ex-
pensive, doesn't it.
/ was very much surprised couple
of Sundays ago to have Edgar Dittmer
drop in to see us. He is at the
Brooklyn navy yard as an electrician,
and hearing that We had been trans
ferred he came over to see us. He
sure looks fine and says he is enjoy;
ing life Will probably be over again
before we leave.
Haven't heard anything of our leav
ing yet, but we can't stay here much
longer as it is getting so cold now and
will turn colder. Have heard some
rumors about our going to Cuba for
the winter, but there is nothing Off
cial about it. Some of the sailors |