Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-12-28

rounds of ammunition while we car
riod l think about the only thing was
our life preserver, not sign of any
kind of AIMS, goodness! if we would
have been torpedoed it would have
been a pitiful sight for you know a
co1ored fellow when he is scared is
Liable to do anything. Well after ten
days of guarding we finally cast
our eyes once more on land and sign
of humanity but what contrast aft
er leaving New York. We landed at
city by the name of Brest. 1t is a
town of about fifty thousand. It's
shores is just what you can expect
| to see after reading about this coun-
try Brest sits way up on the hill
| from the water'and looking from the
| boat one sees lots of interesting
sights, two things that attracted and
appealed very much to ME We're the
winding patles which you could see
| for miles and the pretty green hills.
| We left the boat on June the nine
teen, about six o'clock in the even
ling, and marched UP the hills and
streets of Brest, all of the towns
are alike over here, that is the small
lest ones, having very small and
I narrow streets, the houses are all
white, l think they are concrete.
Well that was my first glimpse of
French people and a city. They don't
know guess much English, but
there is two things I'll bet every
child over here can ask us for and
| that is "Tobac" and a penny that is
the first thing we heard when we
got off the boat and that is the cry
! still hear from morning until night
Well we marched from six o'clock
until twelve that night before we
came 10 our supposed rest camp.
hope | never see another rest camp
Tor you don't get any rest there be-
lieye me and the worst part, we
didn't get but very little to eat. We
stayed there about four days | be-
ieye We left then for Tours, which
IS quite city. 1t is the main place
as Ear as the service of supplies is
concerned and that is what | have
boon in almost all of the time since
II have been over here While at
Tours as you know | was transfer
red to the four hundred and six
teenth Telegraph Battalion. We were
sent to join them at a place called
Serge. Now will commence to tell
you what | have been doing since
coming over here is the way of fight
ing. | have been attached to working
battalions. We have been building
telephone lines all the time. When
We arrived at sSorges the line was
almost completed there being Just
about a weeks work left While
there only went out on the line
twice, once to help dig post holes
and the other to help pile up brush,
taey then found out l was a bugler
so | was given the job sounding the
Dusle calls which was pretty easy |
After the job was completed there |
we were told we had line to build
UP IN the zone Of advance, then we
aid lots of drilling with the gas
mask which is the worst torture |
believe | went through with. FINALLY !
'he il1Ae came for us to move and af |
ter travelling for about two DAYS and |
nights we arrived at a place called
mason Rouge in the zone of adj !
vance. While there l was Jack of all
trades, being bugler room ORDERLY
captain of the ball team and finally
COOK for the officers and maybe we
DIDN'T have some meals, ham and
eggs were very COMMON ,,1ae.sert most
every meal but ] didn't make the de.
sort as the Company cook had. we
had then had thirteen years of cook.
ing experience on dining car, but
surely helped to eat it. Maison Roue
as about forty miles from Paris and
ABOUT twenty miles from the battle
front, at least it was that distance
while we We're stationed there. That
was the only time | have ever been
any where near the front since
nave been over here. but believe me
seen lots of excitement while