Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-07-03
CHAPTER XXI.
IL
About Turn.

About Turn.
The ccXt evening we were relieved
by the TIL brigade, and once again
returned to rest billets. Upon arriving
at these billets we were given twenty
four hours in which to clean up. l had
JUST finished getting the mud from my
Uniform when the orderly sergeant in
formed me that my name was in orders
TO leave, and that l was to report to
the orderly room in the morning for or
ders, transportation and rations.
/ nearly had a fit, hustled about
packing up, filling my pack with SOU
venlrs such as shell heads, dud bombs,
nose caps, shrapnel balls, and Ppus-
sian guardsman's helmet. In fact, be-
fore turned in that night, had every
thing ready to report at the orderly
room at nine the next morning.
l was the envy of the whole section,
swanking around, telling of the good
time l was going to have, the places l
would visit, and the real. old English
beer 1 intended to guzzle. Sort of
rubbed 1t into them, because they all
do 1t, and now that it was my turn, /
took pains to get my own back.
At nine l reported to the captain, re-
-ceiving my travel order and pass. He
asked me how much money 1 wanted
to draw. l gllbly answered, ''Three
hundred francs, SIR" he just as glibly
handed me one hundred.
Reporting at brigade headquarters,
with my pack weighing ton, waited,
with forty others, for the adjutant to
inspect us. After an hours wait. he
came out; must have been sore because
he wasn't going with US.
The quartermaster sergeant issued
us two days ratiOns, in a little white
canvas ration bag, which we tied to
our belts.
Then two motor lorries came along
and we piled in, laughing. joking, and
In the best of spirits. We even loved
the Germans, we were feeling so happy.
Our journey to seven days bliss in
Blighty had commenced.
The ride in the lorry lasted about
two hours; by this time we were COW
cred with fine, white dust from the
road, but didn't mind, even If we were
nearly choking.
At the railroad station at F. we
reported to an officer. who had a white
band around his arm, which read ar.
T. o." (Royal Transportation Officer).
To us this officer was Santa Claus.
The sergeant in charge showed him
our orders; he glanced through them
and said: Make yourselves comfort
able on the platform and don't leave
the train is liable to be along in five
msnutes-or five hours"
1t came In five hours, a string of
eleven match boxes on big, high
wheels, drawn by dinky little engine
with the con-" These match boxes
were cattle cars. on the sides of which
was painted the old familiar sign.
'sHommes 40, Chevaux s."
The r. T. o. stuck us all into one
car. We didn't care; it was as good
as a Pullman to US.
Two days we spent on that train,
humping, stopping, Jerking ahead, and
sometimes sliding back. At three sta
lions we stopped long enough to make
some tea, but were unable to wash, so
when we arrived at B, where we
were to embark for Bnghty, we were
as black as Turcos and. with our I'M
shaver faces, we looked like lot of
tramps. Though tired out, we were
happy.
We had packed up, preparatory to
ruhov, q ID ha1d nm hIo
hand for US to stop where we were
and came over. This is what he said /:
~Boys. I'm sorry, but orders have just
been received cancelling all leave. #
you had been three hours earlier you
would have gotten away. Just stay In
that train, as 1t is going back. Rations
will be issued to you for your return
journey to your respective stations
Beastly rotten, know" Then he left.
A dead silence resulted. Then men
started to curse, threw their rifles on
the floor of the car; others said moth.
ing, seemed to be stupefied, while some
had the tears running down their
cheeks. 1t was bitter disappointment
10 all.
How we blinded at the engineer of
that train; 1t was all his fault ESQ we
reasoned) why hadn't he speeded up a
little or been on time, then we would
have gotten of before the order ar.
rived7 Now It was no Blighty for Us,
That return journey was misery to
Us: just can't describe 1t.
When we got back to rest bIllets, we
found that our brigade was In the
trenches (another agreeable surprise)
and that an attack was contemplated
Seventeen of the forty-one will never
get another chance to go on leave;
they were killed In the attack. Just
think If that train had been on time,
those seventeen would still be alive.