The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-12-28
FORMER JOURNAL EMPLOYEE
TELLS OF SINKING SUBS IN
ATLANTIC BY j. 5. TRANSPORTS

shot, striking the periscope There
was mighty explosion and a huge
flash of flames casting the ruthless
Hun into his watery grave. The wild
CHEERS OF the enthusiastic boys rang
out from the depths of their hearts
Two other subs were gotten by the
chasers a mile or so distant from the
main fleet, all this taking place in
same zone in which the Lusitania -.
her fate
Steamng up the Merz river on the
morning of July 31st, we arose to view
the most welcomed sight of the en-
tire journey, which was land and later
the beautiful city of Liverpool. Long
Will that scene be vivid in our minds.
About p. m. we warped up to the
docks and disembarked, receiving the
glad hand OF welcome extended by the
English people. There we took a Mid
land train for Southampton, England.
Our Journey was through the most
picturesque part of Southern England
and it justly deserves the name, The
Garden Spot of the World" as 1t is
often called. At a. IN. we marched
into the So called rest camp, just out
side Of Southampton, where he tried
! in vain to get some much NEEDED rest.
About all we accomplished here was
to overcome our sea legs. The fol-
lowing evening we marched aboard
the channel steamer Nara gansett,
where we made ourselves as comfort
| able as possible for the journey across
the channel We arrived at LIE Havre
France, at break of day.
Our first view of France was
through a heavy mist and fog. After
YEARLY plodding along under our
heavy packs, we at last arrived at a
rest camp on the hill overlooking the
city. Here we remained in camou-
flaged tents during the day, so as not
to be spied by an enemy plane that
might be scouting about. Little sleep
did we get that night on our beds of
boards and for the tremendous roar
of the guns at the front. The follow
ing day we were loaded into cars cap
| able of hauling forty hommes or eight
cheVaux, meaning forty men or eight
horses. What a scramble there was
for even room to exist.
The scenery through the Seine VAL
ley reminded us much of some of the
| fertile valleys Of the old u. S., but the
cities of Rouen, Paris, Orleans and
| French villages had a particular char
acteristic of their own, different from
any we had ever seen before. We ar
rived in Romorantin at p. m, Aug.
| one and one-haf miles from the city.
This is the largest air service produc-
| ton center in France, known as Air
| Service Production Center No. 2.
| There are a number of large factories
and plants for the assembling, repair
| ing and salvaging of planes, in which
many of the soldiers are employed
( French women are also employed in
| certain departments and the hardest
\
By Chinese labor. Men of most every
nationality of the globe are seen on
| our streets. The production here sur
passes that Of manufacturing cities Of
| 1000 in the states. Second to the
! largest refrigerating plant in the
| world, railroad yards, miles of ware
houses and large flying fields are To-
Gated here. This camp is on direct
communications, both by wire and by
rail with the front.
/ Genera ershing in one of his visits
| to ou- mp, commended very highly
the wor done here and the spirit of
the men-saying that each and every
ma faithfully performing his du-
| ties was contributing just as
niue and was just as essential to the
final victory as the man in the
trenches. ''He was doing his bit"
Now that the dawn of a worlds
peace for nations to live in unity and
freedom evezmore, we boys are only
| anxiously awaiting our orders home
| ward bound so closing with best re-
CARDS to Pensacola people and say,
Florida seems to me the Mecca of the
world" Respectfully yours,
Private Rhobie L. Brown,
End Co, 4th Reg, Air Service Me-
canics, A. E. F., France.