The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-08
| WAR THROBS L
OFF FOR STATES
Lieutenant KeiImann Tells of
Leaving France.
For Days Ship Lay in Harbor
Awaiting Orders.
TAKE TURNS IN CROWS NEST
e. s. Officers Divided Up. to
Watch for the "Subs."
Wear Life Belts All the Time
in the Danger Zone.
BY EARL D. KEILMANN.

tillery in Franee)
Hey, fellows, we are moving''-ev-
cry one laughed and no one moved
from his seat The three card games
went on without pause, except to
laugh again when another yelled,
Hey. fellows, there is a man outside
with two legs, come look.
We despaired of ever leaving that
place. We had been on board for
four days and tho every morning the
word was. passed for certain that we
were to move out that day, each even
ing we retired to cur staterooms as
disguised as ever.
The first morning when We arrived
in the little town toward which all
Uncle Sans ships are now moving, we
had at once reported at headquarters
and asked to be furnished with trans
portation to THE States We were
told to come back the next day at
noon We did and were told that we
should come again that afternoon,
which We did and were this time in
formed that the ship we were to GO on
had not been fumigated and for US to
come back the next afternoon. The
day after that morning and the after
noon of that day We filed slowly I'D
the gangway and were assigned to
staterooms. Since coming on board
we had done nothing but look at the
other ships in the harbor, play cards,
read and write.
running If you want to see the last
OF this place" Again there was no
response. Again the laugh went UP
and some one repeated the Joke about
the Two legged man. But after a few
minutes one of the card PLAYERS han
pehed TO- look out the window Gosh
we are moving for sure" and every
one dropped cards, books papers ana
writing material. There was a grand
rush for the smoking room doorway.
When we gained the deck we were
leaving our old moorings and were
sliding into the locks that~lead TO the
outer harbor- 1t was Sunday, and the
town was out on full dress parade
We We're the sight of the day. and
every one was there to see us off. AS
we slid thru the lock we were close
enough to talk with the fellows we
were leaving behind Nearly every
one had some message to send back to
the states. and I really believe that
some of the shouting we heard as we
s cieared me light house were to Tell
MaiHie nero and to salute the Old
Girl for Me" In France ..the ola
Girl is the statue of liberty.
The tugs cast off and we could feel
the gentle throb of the propellers as
they began to make their thrust
against the waters of the Atlantic.
a sea as I ever hope to see. The
gIils c1Tcled about us screaming and
dipping. Then the propeller stopped.
hoarse command from the bo'sn
and 9 screaming rattle sounded in
the evening air. The anchor was
going down. ''Stung again, let's go
down. and eat dinner" and we went
below.
Watching for Subs
After dinner we were all called
into the smoking room, the forty
some odd of US wrecks" as we
n(t on Salx
by the executive officer of the ship
and given little information, also
a lot of orders. We were Informed
that this ship we were on was not
merchant ship in any sense of the
word, but q ship of the United States
navy and that United States navy
regulations went" for all on board.
We were in little danger of being
subbed but that all precautions would
be taken. We could not be sunk by
sub unless that sub hit US with at
leasc four torpedoes. Nevertheless
we must abide by certain rules These
wer the rules:
No smoking after shutdown.
No lights below decks after sun
down.
No port holes would be opened at
any time.
While in the danger zone all must
wear life belts all the time.
All on board must stand submarine
watch.
The last sounded interesting, espe-
cialiy as we were told that four of
us would be continuously on watch
in the crows nest. We had been
10 okirg at that crows nest and
thought that up there fifty feet above
the deck would be a nice place to
see everything that went on in case
of a sub attack. Immediately after
the meeting we began to divide our
selves into the watches The mSiors
who were in the bunch were to act as
corporals of the guard and as there
were enough of US we made up five
reliefs of eight men each. We de-
cided to stay on watch two hours at
night and one hour during the day.
That would give us eight hours for
rest at night. Practically all of US
wanted to get into the crows nest
that IS all but some whom we envied
later.
We remained in the outer basin
two days and then one evening four
aeroplanes suddenly appeared over
US anG shortly afterward a huge
1irigible. The anchor came up and
again the propeller started to turn.
two other ships lying in the basin
started to move also and the three
of uS headed out seaward, but no real
speed was made until "a line of de-
St-oyers came tearing up and formed
ahead and on each side of US. Our
watches went to their posts and we
were finally started for the United
States-so we thought.
CCCOtinued Tomorrow