The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-08-01
CHAPTER XXI.
About Turn.

About urn.
The next evening we were relieved
by the til brigade, and once again
returned to rest billets. Upon arriving
at these billets we were given twenty
four hours In which to clean up. / had
Just finished getting the mud from my
uniform when the orderly sergeant In
formed me that my name was in orders
10 leave, and that | was to report to
The orderly room in the morning for or.
iers, transportation and ratiOns.
i nearly had a fit, hustled about
packing up, filling my pack with SOU
genirs such as shell heads. dud bombs,
nose caps, shrapnel balls, and Prus-
sian guardsman's helmet. In fact, be-
'ore l turned In that night, had every
hing ready to report at the orderly
:oom at nine the next morning.
was the envy of the whole section,
,wanklng around, telling of the good
line was going to have, the places |
would visit, and the real old English
beer l intended to guzzle. Sort of
'uhbed 1t into them, because they all
10 1t, and now that 1t was my turn,
.ook pains to get my own back.
AT nine reported to the captain, re-
.elying my travel order and pass. He
lsked me how much money I wanted
o draw. l gllbly answered, "Three
hundred francs, sir" he just as glibly
landed me one hundred.
Reporting at brigade headquarters,
With my pack weighing ton, l waited,
With forty Others for the adjutant to
inspect us. After an hours wait, he
anne out; must have been sore because
he wasn't going with US.
The quartermaster sergeant issued
is two days rations, In little white
.anyas ration bag which we tied to
,ur belts.
Then two motor lorries came along
md we piled In, laughing Joking, and
n the best of spirits. We even loved
he Germans, we were feeling so happy
OUR journey to seven days bliss In
3lighty had commenced.
The ride In the lorry lasted about
wo hours; by this time we were COW
red with fine, white dust from the
Dad, but didn't mind. even If we were
Yearly choking
AT the railroad station at r we
reported to an officer, who had a white
)and around his arm, which read "R.
[. o." (Royal Transportation Oficer).
To US this officer was Santa Claus.
The sergeant In charge showed him
)ur orders; he glanced through them
md said: make yourselves comfort
lble on the platform and don't leave;
he train is liable to be along In five
ninutesxor five hours
1t came In five hours, q string of
eleven match boxes on big, high
Wheels drawn by dinky little engine
With the "con." These match boxes
we're cattle cars, on the sides of which
vas painted the old familiar sign,
'Hommes 40, Chevaux s."
The II. r. o. stuck us all into one
,ar. We didn't care; 1t was us good
rs Pullman to us.
Two days we spent on that train,
pumping, stopping, jerking ahead, and
sometimes sliding back. AT three sta
ions we stopped long enough to make
'ome tea, but were unable to wash. so
when we arrived ut B, where we
we're to embark for Blighty, we were
rs black as Turcos and, with our I'M
,haven faces, we looked like a lot of
ramps. Though tired out, we were
happy.
We had packed up, preparatory to
letraining when a r. T. o. held up his ,
land for us to stop where we We're
md came over! This is what he said