Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-10
Rides in Box Cars
With Harrisburg Boys

An accurate description of life with
the American Expedltionary Forces
i'm France is contained in a letter
written by Corporal Leonard orme-
rod. Headquarters Company 12, F. A,
who was with the Blue Devils on
their now famous visit to the United
States, and who were entertained by
the Harrisburg chapter of the Red
Cross. and the Motor Messenger Corps
of the Red Cross while they visited
this city.
Corporal Ormerods letter. address
ed to Mrs. George 4. Heisley. +01
Front street. who is prominently con-
nected with the local Red Cross, } G.
counts ride the corporal aad 20
the battlefront in box car With
two other rrisburg boys. while a
half dozen other Harrisburg boys
rode in the ear next to his. He tells
the names of the boys in his letter.
Corporal Ormerod also recounts
some interesting experiences Of the
battle at Chateau Thierry, in which
his command was engaged. He was
in this country at the time, however.
and so did not take part in the bat
tie. But he did hear a number of
Snteresting personal experiences from
friends who were in the battle. whi n
Quartered With Horses
Though this letter is addressed to
YOU in person. l am going to ask y9u
10 share It with your felloww Drkers
in the Red Cross motor service, who
were so cordial to me and my French
proteges last May and / am writing
this in the native haunts of the Blue
DEVILS" on the eve of the portentous
things that l may not even discuss,
and knowing the patriotism and en-
thusiasm of your city, l am sure you
will be interested.
Il sit in front of a cafe in "a little
village just a few kilometers behind
the front where a part nf my regi-
ment is billeted. Since l -ejoined the
command four days ago, l have been
slseping in the loft of an ancient barn
and l reach my rest Tor rooO by
climbing a ladder that had lost most
of its rungs when Washington cross
I'D the Delaware. Below me 25
Sos=cs stamp and snort all night, but
there is no surplus hay, so my two
blankets are spread right on the
boards.
From my seat here can see miles
in every direction, the wooded heights
and fertile slopes, with the Moselle
river threading between them, MAX
ing one of the most picturesque land
scapes | have even seen. From here
one may count the spires in half a
dozen villages.
I'VE have been resting here, groom
ing ourselves for whatever task may
lie before us. Twice mas the divi-
sion been mentioned in general orders
for the part it played at Chateau
Thierry and Soissons-while 1 was
away. And having already cut our
teeth on the steel ring about Rer-
lin. we know We will be assigned no
junior part in the future.
Missed Much During Trip
AT my request L nave been as
signed to the liason detail and will
have charge of a small group in the
infantry positions. 1t will be thus
be my privilege to go over the top"
with the first infantry wave and keep
the artillery advised as to our where
sbouts, by whatever means of COM
munication are available. If l can
show enough agility in dodS.n.y shells
and machine gun bullets l ought TO
be among the fist into Berlin.
Certainly l missed a big party
while l was away, and l found many
changes in my regiment on my re-
turn. Some of the boys had weird
experiences. One of my friends was
standing talking to an lnfantryman
examining a pair of field glasses the
latter wished 70 sell him. A shell
burst near, killing the infuntrymsn