The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-27
WAX | HKO6O
IN MARCH TO ITALY
Lieutenant Keilmann Tells of
Hurry Call to French.
All Night Long These Men
Passed His Quarters.
POILUS JOKED and LAUGHED
Blue River of Soldiers Ever
joyful in Their Move.
Hundreds Carried American
Flags on Rifle Muzzles.
POILUS JOKED AND LAUGHED
BY EARL D. KEILMANN

A sudde., fanfare of trumpets and
the regular tramp of marching men
and the. head of the column swung
around bend of the road Their
uniforms of horizon blue were clean
and most of them had polished their
boots. At a glance one could see that
they were fresh from a rest camp
and had been preparing for leaves at
home.
The morning communique posted at
the telegraph office had told us the
first news of the break on the plains
of Trieste. This marching column of
men was the answer. Robbed of their
precious two weeks rest and their
leaves at home. these men were on
their way to stem the tide of Huns
that threatened for weeks later to
-overrun the Venetian plains.
1 looked for signs of disappoint-
ment on the faces of the men swing
ing past me and found none. Each Of
ficer as he passed saluted with a
smile The poilus jostled each other
and rude jokes passed from one to an
other. Occasionally they called to us.
asking when we would be coming with
ths m. Then one pulled from beneath
his tunic a small American flag and
stuck : in the muzzle of his rifle.
Where the flags came from l cannot
guess but soon the Stars and Stripes
wee flying from fully fourth of the
steel mouths that were soon to speak
= the yaiser. As the men carrying
them passed us they would wave the
BIZ of Muslin and cheer would break
oui
Their Marching Song.
Soon another cry went up from the
blue river of men. 'Madelon, Made
loT. MGdelon." The trumpeters tossed
their instruments in the air and placed
them 80 their lips The marching
soEg of The poilu resounded and every
voice -ook up the rollicking refrain
The divisional band caught 1t and
soon the air was full of it. Officers
beat time with their sabers and every
teamste- cracked his whip in cadence.
1t was a frolic. Surely these men
were nJt going to war
Following each company was a
small wagon train composed of the
usual stea ming kitchen wagon. two
trench mortars and a wine cart The
OFFICERS baggage followed at the ex-
IRENE rear in push carts Each pIa-
toon marched as separate unit and
each was as large as any of the
guard companies that left Kansas for
the border.
Rumble Never Stopped
We watched full division go by
and then had to leave for the mess
shack. but as we ate the heavy tramp
-af men going by continued and the
rumble of the baggage trains never
stopped. A peal OF DugleS told us as
each regiment reached our corner
and, now louder, now more family,
the strains of "Madelon" came to our
ears
All day the tide of blue-clad men
surged on All day we could hear the
song and shout of the departing fight
ing men of France. In the distance
the shrieks of railway engines told us
that the men were entraining for that
long ride that meant death to many
of them and meant life to Italy soreiy
stricken by the hordes that were
pouring toward ancient Venice.
They were still marching when
went to sleep. Suddenly l awoke. 1t
was the stiffness that awoke me. I
thought that the army was at last all
on its way but sudden command in
French revealed my mistake. They