Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-12-25
THE SUBS
CHAS. WEBB RELATES HOW
SEA PIRATES, WERE HANDL-
ED.-AMID FOREIGN SCENES.
France. Nov. Is. 1918.

at about the same time as those writ
ten on that day.
We are permitted to tell certain
things previously prohibited by the
censor. 1t does not leave me much
to relate as you have probably found
out by this time where | have been
and what have done. However, l
will tell you about my trip across and
the different places / was at before
l came here.
Our voyage overseas was made in
the British freighter Kia Ora, and was
exciting at times. From Brooklyn we.
were taken to Halifax where we lay
for over day outside of the district
of the city that was desolated by the
terrible explosion There we mail
ed our letters and cards. They were
remailed from Washington, D. C.
From Halifax we went with our con-
voy in zig-zag course and headed
north for several days. We must
have gone rather far to the north for
one day we passed an iceberg to our
port.
AS you know, on board the trans
port much the same routine prevail
ed every day. There was little to do
but drill, manual of arms, setting up
exercises and boat drill each day, but
time passed rather rapidly. We wore
our life belts until we were sick and
tired of Juggling them around, and the
last few nights slept with our clothes
on.
Three days before we landed the
destroyers met us. They were ahead
of time, fortunately for us. for at that
time we were in veritable nest of
submarines off the Irish coast.
Two days before we reached port
the fun started. At about 4:30 Sun
day afternoon we noticed great
commotion among the six destroyers.
They darted this way and that around
the edges of the convoy and com
menced dropping depth bombs here
and there.
At about the same time one of the
lookouts posted in a life boat re-
ported in a piping voice, submarine
to the starboard bow" This partic-
ular sub almost grazed our ship and
then shot off to one side. Then two
destroyers rushed over to the bow OF
the transport nearest us and dropped
two bombs, it seemed directly under
the boat. Then several minutes lat
er our ships captain announced that
the wreckage of the submarine had
been sighted near the other trans
port.
The gunners on our transport
claimed that two submarines had met
their fate at the hands of the destroy
ers but the officers of the ship on
ly reported one. Whether there was
one or two it was an exciting one
sided battle with all the honors to
the British.
At the first sound of the bombs
bursting the men who were at mess
below decks rushed up excitedly and
crowded to one side of the ship. 1t
was their first realization of war, but
in a short time they quieted down
That night there were more than
enough volunteers to sleep on deck in
order to relieve the congestion on the
berth deck
We first entered Portsmouth Then
we went to rest camp at Southamp-
ton, for two days. There we ate and
slept. 1t was a beautiful spot and a
number of the men wanted to remain
there.
We arrived there late in the even
ing. We marched our companies out
and good hike it was / shall al
ways remember it as an interesting
experience AS accustomed as the
people were to passing troops we
brought many to the doors and win
dows. and attracted crowds of kids
all of the way to camp. The children
ran along by the column and begged
for coins and souvenirs. ] parted
with most of my pennies and most of
the men did the same
| had often heard mother tell about
how beautiful England is in the
Spring and she was certainly right.
The hedges and trees were out in
full foliage and there were parks and
wooded areas everywhere through the
town. Our camp was like a park. and
old fashioned flowers grew around
the officers quarters in profusion. 1t
was certainly pretty there and looked
doubly So. no doubt after two weeks
on the ocean.
From Southampton we were taken
across the channel<to LeHayre where
we remained several days at another
rest camp. The trip across the chan
mel was particularly disagreeable
We were ordered to stay below decks
and slept on the floor with the same
hard wood for mattress and pillow.
AT lie Havre we were given quar-
tiers in a British rest camp where we
could at least sit around clubhouse
and read and sleep.
From LIE Havre we went to st.
Afghan by box car special, built to
accommodate $40 Hommes or s Che
vaux." Gao Men or Horses). There
I got rid of my casual company that
/ had brought over. and awaited fur
Their orders I was billeted there at
clean little French farm house,
quite a gratifying change from the
billet I had left
I spent three days there and then
went to a camp at Gievres for reas-
signment There I ran across bunch
Of fellows I knew at Camp Johnson.
Camp Meigs and Camp Merritt and
with them took life easy for seven
days.
Then I was ordered to Vichy and
have since remained here. I have
written you about my life here.
We are all glad that the war is ov-
er. We now expect to be out of here