The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-24

Capt Hugh J Bettcrlcy Of the 3Olst
engineers, which is a part Of the third
army Of occupation, writes Interestingly
20 his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. James y
Bctterlcv of Dummcrston Hill under date
of Nov. ~, from Bous, Luxembourg. The
letter. in part, follows:
Nv dear Mother and all:
Nov. %.
We are having q wonderful trip.
The boys are generally fnc,--a few
colds but no flu. Hasn't il been terri.
he in the states?
IL is misty, wet cold day but we
are drilling just the same. eight hours
every day. Up at 6.lj and busy until
retreat nj 400. II is dark Mt that time
men fall in aftcrward for supper. We
do get good grub, though. Fresh beef
every day we are not marching. We ar
rived in this town at $50 Sunday and
plan 10 remain until next Sunday, and
perhaps longer. They are waiting for
the British and Belgians to come up
parallel 90 us on our left so we can all
advance together and good line into
Germany proper.
II is wonderful experience TO be
ON this trip. You understand we are
n part of the American army of oecu-
patton and have a definite area to adj
vance over, must follow certain roads,
etc. This American force is known as
the third army, so when YOU sec the
third mentioned YOU know il is the
Nanks in Germany they are talking
about. They took picked troops and
we are all az "chestv' or proud as
pcacocks to be along. Our objective
is the German city of Coblenz. Pro
badly we, the 30lst engineers, won Z be
in that city, but that will be army
headquarters
The British are on our left and are
TO have their headquarters AZ Cologne
and the French on our right with
Mainz as their headquarters. All Of
the places are on the Rhine and as you
remember the Germans are to cvacuatc
for 90 to 30 miles beyond that for n
neutral zone.
Now wc arc as far as Luxembourg
having marched only 60 miles and have
$50 kilomctcrs (ll2 miles, more to go.
The average days march is only II
or u miles, which is far enough with
n heavy pack on your back | do not
carry one myself. but thus far have
walked all the way. Being in tip-top
shape / do not mind the hike, rather
enjoy il all, but with a pack it is %
little different story.
When We come to a town for StOp
an officer has been there aud found
harms and rooms if possible for the
men. So we 60 right to quarters The
people have been yerv good, all French
sympathizcrs. and give us anything
they have. You have no idea about the
scarcity of food. All the flour, milk
even meat and other necessities are
given out at fixed price and only SO
much per person per day. Something we
at home know nothing about.
The colonel made arrangements for
each company 10 send a wagon and
men into certain woods and cut two
trees about n foot in diameter for each
company. but we have to buy our own
dry wood 20 start n fire. After scrim-
maging about for a couple of days
finally bought thrce.quartcrs of cord
for $50. How is that for prices? Their
only fuel wood is beech and the woods
everywhere are as clean, little under
brush and not dead limb or trunk TO
be seen. They take almost as good care
of them as a cultivated crop.
II you should show some of these
families a Bctterley boiled dinner they