The independent-reporter., 1918-10-10

E left Skowhegan for Camp keyes, at
Augusta, in July. 1917. While there
good many of the boys were allow
ed to come home on brief furloughs
In August, they were transferred
to Camp Bartlett, at Westfeld, Mass
In September. they took the train
for New York. embarked at Hobo
ken. and sailed from New York City
on September 25th Practically
every man who left Skowhegan in
Co f excepting about 30 who were
transferred to another company
while at Westfield. were on this ship
Their vessel first called at Halifax
but no shore leave was given After
two days in that port, the course
was laid across the Atlantic, and IL
days later they disembarked I'm
mediatly upon dsembarking, they
entrained and were carried across
England to a British military rest
camp. 1t is OF interest to note that
the barracks at this comp occupied
by our Maine boys had been built
several years before the war. by Ger
men soldiers. on an occasion when
some crack Prussian regiments were
sent to this point to take part in a
military review. Our boys were ten
days at this rest camp While here
they were allowed brief furloughs and
had an opportunity to see the towns
! in the immediate vicinity. A few
were fortunate enough to have fur
loughs which permitted them to visit
London, the worlds largest city.
While at this camp. the first death
from Co. e on foreign soil occur
red that of Corp. Earl Withee, who
was killed by being struck by a rail
road train.
Leaving this rest camp for short
journey by train. the next stop was
at an English channel port where
they Immediately embarked on a
channel steamer for France. the trip
across being made at night The
port of embarkation as we'll as the
port to which they went, was crowd
ed with shipping Precautions tax
en- made this transportation wonder
fully safe, although the Germans
have, of course, made every effort to
interfere with ii Among the few
ships lost when crossing the chan
mel have been three hospital ships
These were Illuminated to an unusual
degree, to indicate that wounded men
were on board; but the Huns. with
their usual barbarity. took advantage
Of this distinction TO attack and de-
stroy them. After a few hours wait
at the port of Decentralization, the
boys again entrained and were carried
To a town in the central part Of
France Here they were billeted
and received training for five months
This training took in all things that
an infantry man should know, includ-
ing digging of trenches, relief of
trenches under approximate war con
ditions. methods of infantry attack,
etc. They were also taught the use
of the French automatic rifle (of
which there were 1G to each infantry
company according to French tao
tics. This gun is air-cooled, weighs
IS pounds and carries a magazine clip
Of Is shots There is no ordnance
piece in America To correspond with
it, Our boys, with pardonable Am
erican pride. were continually hoping
that the Browning automatic would
arrive to take the place of this
French rife They were also taught
the use of hand and rifle grenades.
and the organization of units for the
use of these weapons. The boys had
had training in bayonet work in
America, but in this French town,
they were taught a changed method
for the use of this weapon, which. il
must be said, was generally regarded
as an Improvement over the American
system. Here, it may be said that
the American troops are eager and
willing to make use of the bayonet
if Fritz can be made to wait long
enough to give them the chance Much
may be said in just praise of the Prus
slams as to courage in warfare, but
ii is we'll known fact that they
have a dread of an American with
bayonet which causes them to
clear out long before this combination
comes close enough for that kind of
fighting During this training.
good deal of work was done with
the American small arms, such as
the rife and pistol 1t should be
noted that about one-fourth of each
company is equipped with pistols,
and it is the hope of the men them
selves that they ultimately will all
be so provided Still further it
should be noted that when a soldier
is seriously wounded. in such a way
that he can no longer use il, his
comrade will promptly seize and use
the fallen soldiers pistol in their
common defense or offensive
The above training occupied the
time up to the beginning Of Febru
airy, 1918. at which time the boys
were sent to what was then consid
cred a quiet sector of the battle front
the French using this position in
which to train their young men as