Oxford eagle., 1918-06-27
CHAPTER XXI.


at these binets we were given twenty.
four hours in which TO clean up. / had
lust finished getting the mud from my
uniform when the orderly sergeant In
formed me that my name was In orders
20 leave, and that ! was TO report TO
the orderly room in the morning for or
ders transportation and rations.
nearly had a fit. hustled about
packing up. filing my pack with SOU
venirs such rs shell heads, dud bombs,
nose caps. shrapnel balls, and Prus-
sian Fuardsman's helmet. In fact be
fore ] turned In that night. had every
thing ready 10 report at the orderly
room at nine the next morning.
was the envy Of the whole section,
swanking around, telling of the good
time I was going to have, the places
would visit. and the real. old English
beer ! intended TO guzzle. Sort Of
rubbed Il into them. because they all
DO i. and NOW that 1t was nv turn. i
toos pains 10 get my own back
Al nine / reported to the captain, re-
sewing my travel order and pass. he
asked ne how much money / wanted
O. draw. / glibly answered, Three
hundred francs. sir" ne just as glibly
handed me one hundred.
Reporting at brigade headquarters.
With ny pack weighing ton, l waited.
with forty others. for the adjutaht TO
Inspect Us. After an hours wait. he
came out; must have been sore because
be wasn't going with Us.
The quartermaster sergeant issued
- two days rations. In a little white
canvas ration bag which we tied to
Dur belts.
Then two motor lorries came along
and He piled in. laughing, joking. and
u The best Of spirits. We even loved
he Germans. we were feeling SO happy
Dur journey 10 seven days bliss In
BIghty had commenced
Tie ride In the l0rry lasted about
:To hours; by this time we were COW
sred with fine. white dust from the
-oad but didn't mind, even II we were
aeaTly choking.
Al the railroad station at r We
reported 10 an officer. who had q white
band around his arm. which read 'sR.
7. O." (RtRl Transportstion 0f1csr).
To Is this officer was Santa Clans.
be sergeant IL charge showed him
our orders; he glanced through them
and said. sslFaa-a .-or,-en1x.nr novnF1~~
able on the platform and don't leave;
the train is liable to be along in i've
minutes-or five hours"
II came in five hours, q string Of
eleven match boxes on big, high
wheels. drawn 10y a dinky little engine
with the "c0n." These match boxes
were cattle cars. on the sides Of which
was painted the old familiar sign,
"Honmes 30, Chevaux g."
Tie i. T. o. stuck Us all into one
car. We didn't care; It was as good
as q Pullman 10 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 tes, but were unable TO wash, so
when we arrived at B, where We
were 10 embark for Bllghty, We were
as black as TurcOs and, with our IN
shaven faces. we looked like q lot Of
tramps. Though tired out. we were
happy.
We had packed up. preparatory tC
deuGining, when a r. T. o. held I'D hi:
hand for Us TO stop where we wert
and came over. This is what he said
Boys, I'm sorry. but orders have jus
been received canceIling all leave. l
you had been three hours earlier yOI
would have gotten away. Just stay 4
that train, as II is going back. Ration
viii be issued 10 you for your retur
Journey 10 your respective station.
Beasuy rotten, I know" Then he ler
A dead silence resulted Then me
started TO curse. threw their rifles O
the aQor q the cur; Others said noti
ing, seemed 10 be stupehed, while som
had the tears running down theI
cheeks II was bitter disappointmer
20 al.
How We blinded AT the engineer {
that train; II was all his fault $50 "
reas0ned) why hadn't he speeded W
little or been on time, then we woul
have gotten OF before the order a
: rivedf Now II was no Blighty for U
That return journey was misery
rs / tust can't describe It
? When we got back to rest binets, v
. found that our brigade was in Il
2 trenches (another agreeable surpris
: and that an attack was contemplate
? Seventeen Of the forty-one will nev
! get another chance TO go on leav
Aey were killed In the attack. Ju
think If that train has been on tin
those seventeen would stin be alive.
hate to tell you how / was kidd
by the boys when got back. but IL "
good and plenty.
Our machine gun company took oy
their part Of the line at seven o'clo,
the night after I returned from I
: Eear leave.
At 3 80 the following morning thr
= waves went over and captured the d
= Bud second German trenches. 7
u machine gunners went over with I
fourth wave 10 consolidate the G.