Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-03-22
SGT. ERNEST HENRY
WRITES OF FRANCE
Pullman Man Visits Historical Points
i'm Sunday Sightseeing Trip
One Church Took Centuries
to Build
France, Feb. IS, 1918.
Dear Folks


or town. ! have quite a bit to tell
you. OF course l can not tell you
what town 1t was, nor the location,
but il is not far from camp. Ser
geant Argall and started to walk 10
this town After travelling a short
distance. an auto truck came along
and we mounted and rode 1t was
quite a cold day, and we suffered
considerably from them cold before
reaching our destination, although
we were not long on the road, as the
driver turned the machine loose. 1t
was very interesting trip,
We passed a camp of Chinese la
borers of the French army They
were the largest Chinese | ever saw,
some of them being six feet five
inches tall and large in proportion.
The next camp we passed was a
French training camp. The soldiers
were drilling and taking exercise. !
did not learn how many there
racks there must have been several
hundred. They go into intensive
training there and in few months
are ready for the trenches. A por-
ton of the grounds was composed
of trenches, and in nO-man's land
there are numerous miniature shell
craters. making the training as rea-
listic as possible. This camp is just
out of town and we met many people
on the road. mostly visitors to the
camB
Upon our arrival in town we start
ed sight seeing and saw some inter
estng sights. We crossed the river
which runs directly through the
town and it is beautiful stream.
Further ON was a canal which is
very picturesque. One very interest
ing sight was the churches. One im-
mense structure which has taken
centuries to build is still unfinished,
the scaffold still standing. They
probably discontinued the building
when the war started. We yisiti d
this church and itswas certainly well
worth our time. The altar was sim
ply wonderful, and was finished as
far as completed just grand, 1t was
b. so grand and historical that it
causes one to stop and reflect, and
recall the stories we have read of the
ancient structures. We often Won
dered while viewing these things
what knights may have met and set
tied their differences with an axe
in these particular places.
am writing in the Y. NJ c. A
room and the band is playing, con-
sequently | am making slow prog
ress.
Well, | will continue my trip. AS
it was getting late in the evening we
decided to get room. We applied
at a hotel but it was full up. We
went to another and with great diff
ficulty we finally succeeded in get
ting them to understand that we
wanted a room, which does not speak
very well for our knowledge of
French. We tried both English and
French, but they insisted on bringing
us something to drink. Finally the
landlady came and | succeeded in
getting her to understand. Her hotel
was full also, but she got us a room
at private place. By the time we
got our room located it was time to
eat We went back to the first hotel
and there met two fellows from the
L. 5. that came over in February as
ambulance drivers One of them had
attended school with Argall's broth
ers at Stanford L, so we we're Just
good old friends at once We had
dinner together and had a fine visit
They showed us pictures and souve-
Mrs from the front which were the
most interesting that | have as yet
seen. We had to be off the street by
300 o'clock, so our party disbanded
sooner than we wished for Sunday
we wandered around the town and
met some more fellows from our
camp. We then had dinner together.
At about 2:30 p. IN. we started for
camp and arrived at 500 p m. and
found that our company had moved
to other barracks. We are now next
door to the Y N. c. A., if you know
where that is. We have electric
lights and much better quarters than
where We We're.
! received one of the Pullman pa
pers this week. II certainly was well
come, even if it was a little ancient.
With kind regards to all friends
and the folks at home. l am
Very truly yours,
SGT. ERNEST f. HENRY.
M0RRIC IN CDnIE ANIs