The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-26
About Turn.

|! About Turn.
l. The next 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. had
pust finished getting the mud from my
uniform when the orderly sergeant In
formed me that my name was in orders
to leave. and that I was to report to
the orderly room in the morning for or.
ders, transportation and rations.
| 4 nearly had a fit, hustled about
packing UP, filing my pack with sou
;-enirs such as shell heads, dud bombs,
nose caps. shrapnel balls. and Prus-
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.
I was the envy Of the whole section,
swanking around, telling Of the good
time was going to have, the places
would visit, and the real, old English
beer intended to guzzle. Sort of
rubbed 1t into them, because they all
do 1T, and now that 1t was my turn,
took pains to get my own back.
At nine I reported to the captain, re-
ceiving my travel order and pass. He
asked me how much money 1 wanted
to draw. I glibly answered, Three
hundred francs. sir" he just as glibly
handed me one hundred.
Reporting at brigade headquarters.
with my pack weighing a ton, I 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 Quarternaster sergeant issued
us two days rstons, In q little white
canvas ration bag, which we tied to
our belts.
Then two motor 1orries came along
and we piled b, 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 lory lasted about
two hours by this tine 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 "R.
| T. O." (Royal Transportation Oficer).
To US this officer wasSanta Claus.
The sergeant in chage showed him
our orders; he glance through them
and said: make yourselves comfort
able on the platform ad don't leave !;
the train IS liable to b along in five
minutes-or five hours
1t came in five hoS, a string Of
eleven match boxes on big, high
wheels, drawn by dizzy little engine
with the ''con." Thes match boxes
were cattle cars, on thssides of which
was painted the old familiar sign,
! ''Hommes 40. Chevaux."
The r. T. o. stuck all into one |
car. We didn't care; was as good |
as Pullman to US.
Two days we spent,n that train, |
humping, stopping. jerlag ahead, and |
sometimes sliding back. At three sta /
lions we stopped long eugh to make |
/ some tea, but were unae to wash, so |
| when we arrived at b, where we |
were TO embark for Blhty, we were
as black as Turcos ane with our I'M
| shaven faces, we locke like a lot of |
| tramps. Though tiredout, we were
/ happy.
/ We had packed up. preparatory to
detraining. when r. ID. held up his
hand for US TO stop we're we were
and came over. This ighat he said:
/ Ito Re Contind.)