The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1918-06-21

bomb dropping hydroplanes. We al
so heard that this side-wheeler was
sunk trying to return to Southamp-
ton the following night. Lee Harve
seemed to be a nice little town. We
were in a rest camp there three days,
but only had one chance to visit the
city and that was at night.
After three days of rest we again
boarded a train and started our trip
across France, viewing some of the
most picturesque scenery anyone
would care to see, and also passing
thru the outskirts of Paris. Here
some Red Cross workers served hot
coffee to us.
After two or three days travel we
arrived at a swell little town stu
ated among the hills and on canal.
Here we were ordered to get off in
heavy marching order. We got off
and fell in as usual when a lieuten-
ant (now a captein) came around
and told all the boys to loosen all
S raps and not have anything rub
bing the body. as we had to do lit
tie hiking. Everybody did as he
was told, because it was awful hot,
besides we were all out of training,
Ii being over month since we had
worked any, and our packs were ex-
ira heavy. We all were then carry
ing lot of unnecessary junk. 1t
was some grand hike up young
mountain, but we finally got to our
town, after getting lost a time or
two. We hadn't much more than
arrived and started to getting
Strengthened out before it started to
rain. Our reception, guess. Any
way, all the pages that / have writ
ten contain the happening from May
27, 1917, to September z, 1917, a
period of three months end eleven
days. During that time had gained
fourteen pounds and had been sick
only two days and then that was
when / first got in Texas and wasn't
used to the sun.
Starting on September 8, 1917,
our methods of training changed and
we had maneuvers, gas mask drills,
hikes, close order drills, the handling
of sick and wounded under all kinds
of circumstances and conditions. For
four long months we did our bit of
training and studying under some
rather trying conditions, but by do
ing so we won some good praises, one
being recognized as the best hospital
unit in France to-day by staff Off
GERS. Quite an honor.
On January IT, 1918, was one of
several men detailed to go on detach-
ed service to take over contagious
disease infirmary. We did and had
nothing but mumps. / stayed with
that infrmary until April /, when
it broke up. Then we joined our
company, which had in this time
taken over a large contagious dis
ease hospital from the French, where
they had all kinds of contagious dis
eases. But just few days after ar
irving there we were relieved by
hospital outfit from the 26th Di-
vision. When we left this hospital
we again boarded a train. This time
we rode in the army special cars,
which bore on the outside those
familiar words, "Hommes 40, Cher
aux 8 Enlonge," and another trip.
This time we passed thru the out
skirts of Paris again, but the hot
coffee wasn't there to greet us.
After a few days hiking we again
stopped to rest up and do some more
training, but / was lucky enough to
get another detached service job.
This time in a French auxiliary hos
pital where the ladies of the Red
Cross do the nursing. Here they
had both French and American.
The work was easy, but we only had
it FIVE days when we had to report
back to our company; then it was
about weeks hiking and plenty of
it until we reached this place. We
stayed here, hiked around bit, then
opened up our regular field hospital,
which has been running now about
a month.
/ am working nights. Have a
nice ward to take care of, and have
1t nicknamed after large New York
hotel, the Waldorf Astoria 1t has
three sections and all in good apple
pie shape.
Well, tonight is the last night of
my first year in the army. During
this time / have lots of experiences
which would like to tell but time is
too valuable and writing paper too
scarce.
From September q, 1917, to May
26, 1918, takes in some events well
worth mentioning hut as have high |