New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-07-24
With the Boys "Oyer There"
A FASCINATING STORY OF WHAT 1T MEANS TO YOUR
BOY WHEN HE LEAVES HOME FOR FRANCE
TOLD BY NEW ULM SOLDIER BOY

and at life boat drill when we expected
TO Just naturally drop in our tracks we
found we managed to run back and forth
from the rail surprisingly WE'LL We had
little difficulty in hanging on to it, but
there was always some one ready to hold
you II you looked rather weak. It was
strange to see men trying their best to
brave the rolling but being forced to give
IN and then smile instead of cussing the
trip. They were proud bunch, for
they we're members of the 54th Artillery
and were going after the huns.
About two days in we picked up
supply Of destroyers and we realized we
We're near the other side. However
our hearts were not lightened for we
received orders to sleep with our clothes
on and the guard on the ship was IN
creased. Next day strange things hap
pened, our course was changed and more
destroyers came to assist us in passing
the danger zone. We were all excited
but nothing happened and we sailed
calmly into port with destroyers troolers,
ballons, aeroplanes and our own pea
shooter six inch gun for protection.
From then on we started one of the
most beautiful trips I have ever had
the good fortune to take. Up one of
the rivers made popular by poets and
songsters, seeing the hills and castles
so loudly praised by Scottish and Eng
llsh writer's and then finally pulling into
port, a happier, and most satisfied bunch.
The trip over was splendid, however,
aside from the very few Inconvenience,
such as having to cast a life preserver
around you and having funny feelings
down in the s.Tummy". We had won
derful meals all the way across, the best
Of state rooms and lounging rooms. We
could buy anything to chew on or smoke
on the boat and had band concerts,
card games and song feasts galore all
the way over. Everyone was confident
'oas lseaehing fhe other SIDE and no one
was down hearted or thinking of home
too much. -.E- p ...
On landing we\ were loaded into Eng
fish trains, which I am sure you have
heard about, compartment trains. We
were surprised to get them as we had
heard so much about the box cars.
However we were packed in quite we'll
and sleep was out of the question. This
was the third night with our clothes on
and with a total of about three hours
sleep. We reached a rest camp along
in the afternoon following and after a
walk Of eight miles up hill we landed
at the famous American Rest Camp and
Winchester. Lovely place with very
poor grub and beds with blankets which
make you imagine you had "cooties.' -
This cootie Imagination kept us awake
for one night more, making a total OF
four with three hours sleep. We pulled
out from Winchester after one night and
spent the next night on the channel,
with clothes on as we'll as life preservers
and packed in like sardines and very
little to eat. Nuf said, five nights
no sleep. n
Then came another rest camp we never
will forget. 1t was eight miles from the
station and all up hill, so we landed
from the boat with our 80 pound packs,
our five sleepless nights and two eat
less days, on our backs and started cut.
We marched through town, cheered at
every American flag we saw, sang "Pack
up your troubles" "Cheer, cheer the
gangs all here" and one or two other
songs to let France know that packs,
hikes, sleepless nights and poor grub
wouldn't faze us any. The boys marched
up the eight mile hill without grumble
and helped each other as their legs began
to give way from under them. Finally
after what seemed to be an endless
trip through town then through frances
famous camoufaging mud we got to
our rest camp. It started to rain and
they had no place for us so the men
stood out in a field up to their ankles
in mud until they found room to put
us. Wegot six wet blankets and a leaky
tent with a wooden floor. They must
have anticipated that we would be so
exhausted by now that we could sleep
anywhere but we fooled them for many
spent their sixth sleepless night. Need
less to say we were glad to get out,
which we did the next day on practically
an empty stomach. We marched back
down the eight mile hill and started to-
entrain. Let's stop a minute and sum up:
what We had: Six sleepless nights,
very little to eat since we landed, and
still there with the best Of spirits Along
in the middle Of the afternoon they made
us put on our packs, take our business
tools and stand in line. They Kept
us standing there, part Of the time at
: