Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-12-27
THEY HAVE REAL
MUD IN FRANCE
Former News-Budget Employe
Tells of Trip to France And
of That Country

The News-Budget received an inter-
esting letter the first of this week from
former employee Omer E. Curtis
who enlisted last summer and was
sent to Madison for training for spe-
cial service in the Motor Transport
Corps. He was here on ftlrlough
the middle of October, being sent to
Georgia soon after his return to Madi-
son. The letter follows:
Langres, France, Nov 20, 1918.
Dear Mr.. Bell
AS ] have not written a letter to you
since / was back on furlough, l will
torture you with one now.
| left the university October II and
arrived at Camp Jesup the 10th. Sun
day morning / was assigned to Co. z,
Unit 80, NJ. T. c. Thursday after
noon the Unit was started for Camp
Merritt, New Jersey, arriving there
Sunday morning at sunrise. Our
equipment was completed that after
noon and about midnight we fell in
and started our march to the ferry.
The landing is close to Corvallis old
headquarters. After boarding t h e
ferry boats we were taken to the dock,
examined and went on board ship.
Within an hour after embarking we
were pulling out of the Hoboken, n. j.,
harbor. That afternoon l stood on
deck and watched the Statue of Lib
erty fade out We were out of sight
of land before night.
We came across on an old German
ship, the Princess Alice, taken by the
Japs and turned over to the United
States. It's name was changed to
Princess Matoika. The next ten days
was spent mostly in reading and sub
marine drills On the last drill of the
trip we beat all records every man be-
ing on deck in 21a minutes.
Saturday morning, Nov. 8, we sight
ed land and by noon we were anchored
i'll the harbor at Brest. Ships here
cannot come up to the docks, but have
to lay out in the harbOr and unload in
motor boats. We landed just at dark
and started for camp! The camp at
Brest is built around the old Napoleon
barracks and is some camp for size.
| had heard lot about the mud in
France, but thought it was little bit
exaggerated but it wasn't made strong
enough / thought l had seen some
mud before, but not until | got into the |
French brand did | ever see any real
MN q Rrpcf g
split up into about 2-acre patches by |
mud fences about shoulder high. The |
people all wear wooden shoes except |
a few of the we'll to do. The strangest |
thing to an American is the way they |
hitch up to their wagons. All the |
wagons in the country are two wheeled |
and no matter how many horses they |
hitch up they are always right by |
fIe," never by twos. Monday, when |
the news was received that the Hun
had signed all the French would say
when they passed you was Fine. :
They sure were a happy set.
Sunday, Nov. IL. we were marched |
early Wednesday morning. This trip
was my first experience in side door
Pullman. Langres is one of the old
est of French cities. The original
town is located on top of a very steep
hill and is surrounded by wall One
of the French officers schools is 10
Gated here 1t is some different from
an American city of the same size.
Streets are narrower and sidewalks
are only about two feet wide I have
yet to see French building made of
wood; everything is stone and cement.
The first two weeks we were in
France it never rained and the mud
was beginning to dry, but the last week
sure made up for all good weather we
had before
The Unit has been split up, some go
ing to Metz, some to Tours and Luxem
berg. | have not been called out, but
do not know how long it will be. Yes
terday was my first Thanksgiving
away from home and | hope it will be
my last outside the states. The Y. M.
G.. A. served cocoa and doughnuts in
the afternoon and the Red Cross had
an entertainment that afternoon and
night movies singing, basketball box
ing etc They also served chocolate
and cakes that night.
Just got back from signing the pay
roll and believe ne. / was sure glad to
sign too. / have been broke since
leaving the university and just signing
the pay roll makes me feel like | had
Just think / have something
over 2G0 francs coming.
Quite a few German prisoners are
here and most all are young fellows
from is to 81. They seem to be glad
it is all over and expect to be back
home soon Right now the states
look good to everyone in this camp, but
don't expect to be back before summer.
Wishing you and the office force a
Merry Christmas and Happy and
Prosperous New Year,
Yours very truly,
PRIV OMER e. CURTIS.
Unit so NJ. Z. G. Am. e. F.