The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-06-27
Cssy1s. b puss
CHAPTER 1.

am German soldier. Naturally
at the time when the war started we
did not know that there would be such
a war as Is being waged today.
Daily We soldiers were told that
France and Russia wanted TO attack
:is and that the kaiser was doing ev-
erything possible for our protection.
Already on July 20 we were armed TO
the teeth and prepared to march away.
During these preparations. which
showed us all that war had TO come,
is men OF my company deserted.
The government published. during
this time. bulletins almost hourly To
prepare the people for the war. d
subterfuge that succeeded perfectly.
Consequently two days before war was
declared, the people were overwhelm-
ingly for war. but they were certain
that Il was only TO be between Ger
many and France.
OF the Intervention OF Belgium.
Russia. England and Italy. the coun-
try had as little thought ms II did Of
any participation Of the United States.
All thought only Of the promenade to
Paris. which. to the disappointment OF
the people. and also. surely to the
disappointment OF the autocracy. has
been longer drawn out than bad been
wished for.
In these days OF uncertainty the
soldiers. contrary TO the cruel treat
msut which they had experienced be
fore. were treated literally with great
quantities Of supplies. delicacies and
beer. 30 that most OF the soldiers were
go drunk continuously that they were
unable 10 realize the seriousness OF
the situation.
And yet the majority Of the sol
dlers could not be enihused over the
war. They cheered and we're enthu-
siastic because they knew 81 was the
orders. on July 81. 1914. one day be-
fore the declaration Of war. we left.
after being brought to war strength.
for our garrison af Aainx-am-R -Rheine.
Where the enemy toward which We
were 10 point our bayonets was We
had not the slightest idea. All we did
know was that we had 10 be trans
ported somewhere TO protect the bor-
der.
There were stirring times as we
started out. Tens Of thousands Of
people threw flowers at US and all
1anied to shake hands All-eren
soldicrs-crled, Many embraced thsir
wives or young brides. The bands
played farewell songs and people
laughed and cried all at the same
time. Strangers embraced and kissed
each other. "A veritahie wifch's holi-
day" of emotion was looscned and en-
quilted the populnce Ike a storm No
one. not even the strongest, could re-
sist it's powers. Yet even this wns
surpassed by the leave-tnking nt the
depot. where last fnrcwells had to be
said. This scene will never leave me
How desperately many women ciung
20 their men Many had 10 be forcibiy
removed.
But this was at last done and then
we were placed In cattle cars. Night
came and we had no lights. The train
went slowly toward the Rhine. II
went smoothly enough. Our company.
which had had days OF great excite
rncnt, welcomed the rest that the Jour
Bey afforded. Most OF the soldiers
slept with their knnpsacks ns pillows.
others looked dreninily into the fu.
ture. Still othcrsssecrctly pulled pie
lures from their breastpockets and only
very few killed time by discussion
nnd comment on their possible desti-
nation.
"whcrc are we roingf' Yes,
whcref No one knew. Then after
endless hours. the train stopped. We
were In ouren. What We're we there
for7 We did not know. The officers
only shrugged their shoulders at our
questions.
After brief pause we went ahead.
ON the evening OF August we reached
farfnyard ncsr Duren. Our company
was bi.leted In barn. No one knew
what we had to do. Ignorant Of the
purpose of our being sent SO near the
Belgian border we laid down on our
beds OF straw. Something had to
happen soon to rescue us from this un-
certninty.
How few suspected that would be
the last night for many of US on Ger
man ground. An alarm took us from
our beds Mt 3 u. rn. The company
gathered and the captain demonstrate
cd the war situation. As to the direc-
tIon OF the march he himself was ig-
nornnt.
Scarcely half an hour later so big
trucks drove up md stopped on the
road before our quarters. The driv!
crs also were ignorant and waited for
orders. Discussion Of our destination
started nfrcsh. The ordcrlies who
Ind been keeping their ears open said
we would enter Belgium that day.