Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-12-26

were low heavy black clouds to be seel
ahead and flocks of birds The sailor
told us that they never flew far from
land and the next day the sea took on
bottle green color. That day at nool
we saw Iandl How that word wen
home TO me. Soon we were passing
group of little islands and fishing boat
of all descriptions. The larger islands
had small hamlets and that most rustic
and beautiful thing-Dutch wind mills.
Then Saint Nazarie hove in sight
That afternoon at 3 O'Clock we were at
our dock and .busily engaged in hosting
chocolate and apples about. The morn
ing of December II we set foot on land
having spent fourteen days aboard ship.
l for one enjoyed every minute of it.
We marched out to camp and stayed
there two days The third day / heard
that they were going to send a bunch
of men to the first and second engineers
and the non-coms would stay behind, in
other words be replacement outfit.
1t was then that I went to the captain
and asked TO be reduced so l could go,
so on the morning of the 18th of Decem-
Der we entrained, 140 strong from E and
F. companies for a threeday trip to a
small town six miles below Langres,
Longeau by name. Jack Edwards and
Lieutenant Boiling left us here. From
then on we were under command of
Company C, Second Engineers till we
were assigned to our companies on Jan
uary 81. We put in rather hard win
ter. No money and were quarantined
for twenty-one days, and didn Il get any
too much to eat.
January I was fortunate enough to
contract the mumps and was Gagged up
in the ward for twenty-one days. On
the 22d of January, Company came to
Sanville. The next day who should
come up to see me but Jay Taylor, Roy
Taylor's brother, ad Roy Meade. The
next day learned that ! was a member
of B company-and a regular.
We drilled and worked around Sanville
till February Is, when we liked to Dam
blain and entrained for the Toul sector.
On the way there we passed throguh
Neuf Chateau and within sight of the
birthplace of Joan De Are. That night
ives leep on the train at point west of
Wa were within nine
miles of the front. The flash and roar
If the First Division artillery was both
seen and heard at its usual activity The !
morning we unloaded and
we're as busy as bees carrying our bar
-aeks bags 10 the nearby road, where
hey were loaded on truck. We had a
ieuce of time getting our wagon to
he road The mud was fierce. | was
me of the lucky ones to 90 on the first
ruck load of bags to Boucq, a little
ill hamlet that was to be our home till !
Nay 10.
While waiting r the company to
lrrive we went to cafe and had a bot
lie OF French wine.
That afternoon Corporal TAYLOR took a
lunch of us in truck to Ment, town,
q work on an engineer dump. You
hould have .beheld us that night. We
we're wet and muddy from head to foot,
mt happy with all. That night I slept
eavy marching order. There were
in the billet | was in. The
oof had numerous holes which let the
water in when it rained and afforded
: ventilation. While there we worked
II engineer dumps and dugouts and
very clear day and night the boche
aid us visits One night Heine lower
bomb on the town. A company was
q Menil-a- Tour, town. We were four
liles away and it shook our house till
thought it was coming down.
We drew rations and a half here and !
ow we did eat. We had mess ser
cant that knew how to feed. ! was a,
a kitchen police for a week there dur
~ which we had fried spuds twice .
sy, fried steak and nearly every night ,