Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-10-03

At Home, France,
Auo,,ck % fnfC

am iouiu tiiat SOMEONE mad taken their
favorite hunks, which included the
various shelves, boxes and other con-
Venlences that they had made for them
serves, and for time confusion reign
cd. Such happy bunch of men as they
were to get back home. Ever since
they left they have been stationed with
the french, working right along with
them driving trucks, and of course they
were rationed with them, and from all
accounts We are fed considerably better
than our Allies. And from the way our
returned members went after the grub,
it was plain to be seen that there had
been something lacking somewhere
in the line of food. But what they lack
ed in food was more than repaid for in
experiences, and il we are to believe
half of the stories told they have sure
been right in the thick of the fight. They
have been driving trucks from rear
station TO the front with supplies OF all
sorts, and frequently were subject to
shell fire and gas attacks. Three of
them narrowly missed being captured
in the last German push two months
ago. BY the way, il looks as if it will
remain the last for the rest of the war
One OF the men was cited for the Croix
de Guerre, and the citation came in to
the Office just the day before he got
home. He was driving up to the front
with 5-ton truck load of gasoline, and
night having overtaken him he stored
his truck in some nearby hangers, and
| went to sleep under his truck. During
the night the boche came over that
region and gave them very stiff aerial
bOmbardment. The hangar in which
Johnson had his truck caught on fire
and he went in and brought his truck
out and drove il to place of safety, and
| at the same time two other trucks that
were in the building. 1t must have been
pretty interesting work with the build
ing on fire and bombs dropping all
around and five tons of gasoline right
behind him, and had the truck been
touched there would have been nothing
left to tell the story. When Johnson
came home | asked him why he risked
his life to save the trucks and gasoline,
| and his answer is typical Of the Amer
leans who 60 right into the dangerous
places over here, and think nothing of
it. He said, "Well, you see if those
Germans had busted up my truck, why
| would have to ride back on the train,
| and don't like to ride on these French
trains" And when | asked him if he
were not afraid that the gasoline might
have exploded, he remarked dryly, "If
the gas had blown up it couldn't have
| done much damage. The gas over here
is the poorest ever saw" He only had
tive tons on his truck! He didn't seem
to think that he had done anything out
OF the ordinary, although | must admit
ne was mighty pleased when | showed
| MIN the letter from the French officials
| commencing him.
The day after these thirty men came
| back, sixty-tiye more OF our men who
| nave been on detached service for more
than two months came home too, and
we have been having a regular celebra-
ton the past few days. 1t has made
lot of work for us here in the Office, for
all of their records had to be gone over
and all sorts of dope had to be gotten in
shape, and | will tell you that have
| nad little breathing time in the past few
| days. Today we sent them all to work,
and aside from making out the payroll,
Strengthening up clothing records, ex-
| changing wornout clothing, getting out
month-end reports, and few other little
| routine duties We haven't had much to
do. One thing that helps is that it has
gotten lots cooler and we can work and
not mind the heat, but for while We
had to let the work 60 in the afternoons,
| for the sun hits the Office with some
force and we could not stay in it for the
| heat. 1t sure seems good to have all
| the company together again, and
| especially since we are getting ready
to have our siX-months celebration on
September fourth. We have taken up
collection for the banquet and have al
ready gathered over fifteen hundred
| francs, and from the way things are 60
| ing We are liable to have some celebra-
| ton. Everyone is taking big interest
in it, and we are all looking forward to
big time. Last night the squadron that
lives next to US celebrated their first
anniversary Of organization, and they
had quite nice feed too, and wound up
with speeches and entertainment at the
"Y." 1t was creditable entertainment,
| and We will have to hustle to beat them,
but from the outlook we are going to
put one over on them, both from the
standpoint Of food and entertainment
| too.
1t certainly does not seem like six
| months since we set sail from the good
old u. S. A., but the records show that
| we have been here that long, so ! reckon
there is no mistake. We sure have
| crowded some wonderful experiences
into that period of time, and when fell
low stops to think about hem he
| wonders how all OF it could have hap
pened in six months. We all with one
accord say that we have seen enough Of
the war to last US for some time, but not
| a one of us would even consider going
home before the boche is driven clear
back across the Rhine; but there is not
| one of us, either, who cares just how
soon that happens, and if they get the
Germans down tomorrow we are ready
| to start home the next day. The paper
today shows decided advances in our
favor, and big inroads have been made
into the lines of the enemy, and they
do not seem to be able to stop the ad-
vance of the British at ALL II took the
English some time to get started, but
once that they get to going good it looks
like it will be some job to get them
stopped. More power to them.
Night before last at the "Y" we had
the most wonderful musicale concert
that have ever heard in my life. There
were six ladies, five French and one
American, and believe me they did give
us some fine music. The lady who
played the piano was the one American
in the bunch, and as she is a graduate
of the Boston Conservatory, she was
there on the piano. Then there were
two violinists who took medals at the
Academy in Paris, whatever that may
mean, a celloist who was court celloiSt
to the Queen of Roumania, and two
sopranos from the Opera at Paris. The
Al,A che