The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1918-12-27
From Ingvald Aas
Somewhere on the Atlantic.


been very. lonesome and tiresome.
We have bucked storm ever since
we left France. We left LaPollace
November 19 and went to Brest
where we took fuel and water,
starting for the good old U. S. A.
on the 21st. We will probably not
be in port before the 14th. don't
like to be away from land that long
at a stretch.
The Paymaster mis-igured on the
length of time we we're going to be
out and the amount of rub it
would take to carry us through, so
we are now out of all the good eats,
but still have few beans, hard
tack, cornmeal and salt horse, SO
guess we will live a few days yet.
Our Thanksgiving dinner remind
ed me of the mulligans | used to
have on the homestead and that's
going some. -
One of the ships the Mapleleaf-
lost three of her crew, captain, fire.
man and a cook. They died OF
Spanish flu. At times l wish one or
two of our cooks would get the flu,
or something. Some of those "gobs'
have lots of nerve to enlist as
cooks.
There were thirty-nine ships in
the convoy we went over with. A
British cruiser had charge of US
most of the way over. A destroyer
and sub chaser went with US for
three days out and then returned.
Most of the ships had at least two
large guns each and the cruiser had
several. did not see any subs but
one Of the .gunners took a shot at
one and no more was seen of it.
A couple of times we got warning
that ship was being attacked
few miles from us. Then we would
get our orders tu scatter and each
ship for herself. When things ap-
peared safe we again drew together.
At night all lights except in the
engine room, were out.
Two of the "black gang" boys
were sitting out on the hatch one
evening talking about subs, Huns
and other beasts, when all of sud-
den porpoise came skipping
through the water, toward the ship.
Talk about scared boys they
thought it was a torpedo and that
the West Cohas was going to be
sunk then and there.
When we were within four or five
days of France we were met by or
3 American and French destroyers
and they conveyed US the rest of
the way to port. When we were
within days of port we had hydro
planes and balloons with US also.
One night between Brest and La
Rochelle we dropped anchor for the
night close by an island, the first
time on our trip, for fear of sub
marines. We were in the real dan
ger zone, and that night the hydro
planes dropped bombs and sank two
submarines that were after us
They say the subs are easily seer
when they sink at night as they look
like sparks of fire, caused by the
phosphorus in the water. We hac
the life boats all ready swung over
the sides, supplied with water anc
.hardtacly,' and always had our life
belts ready but, thank God, we did
MT need them.
We met Woodrow last Wednesday
Dec. 4, somewhere on the salt
brine but he did not stop to shak'
hands or say howdy.
l enjoyed myself very much Will
in France, although | could not tall
any French. All l could say wa
''oui la la We sure found ou
there-no ice cream, candies or any
thing like that and the cafes an
restaurants served meals at mea
time only. At the Y. M. C. A.
fellow could buy only one packag
of cigaretts and no candy at an
price. A little, old. dry apple tha
Potlatch pig wouldn't eat. cost U
one franc or about twenty cents.
1t was sight to see some of tn
hungry children come to the shi
and beg food. They would eat III
til | thought they would bust.
saw one old man eating out of tn
scrap barrel-but everybody ws