The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-08-23
CHAPTER ".
On The firing Line.


When reported on the Cassard
after my fourteen days' leave. / was
detailed with q detachment Of the
legion % 20 20 the Flanders front.
changed Into the regular uniform of
the legion, which is about like that Of
the infantry. with the regimenfaI
badge seven-iamed grenade.
We travelled from Brest By rail. IN
third-ciass cars. passing through La
Havre and 81 Pol. end finally arriving
af Bergues. From Bergues we made
the trip 70 Dixrnude by trucks dis
lance Of about twenty miles. We car
ried no rations with u. but AT certain
places along the line the train stopped.
and We got out 20 eat our meals. At
every Fnilroed station they have booths
OF counters. and French girls work day
and night feeding the Poilus II was q
wonderful sight 70 zee these girls. and
n made you feel good 20 think you
were going 70 fight 70 them
II was not Only what they did. but
the way they did II. and Il e At things
IKE this that the Preach beat the
world They could tel Just what kind
Of treatment eacn PoiIu needed. and
they saw 70 n that he got Il. They
took special pains with the men Of the
legion. becnuse. ~ they say. We are
.espnngersI- and that mems. -the best
Ne have u yours 70 the French. These
Preach women. young and old. could
Be mother and q sweetheart ana q
sister al a. the same time 20 any hairy
old ex-cou=icf On the legion- and do u
In . way that made him feel like lit
de boy II the tine and rich church
member Afterwards The only thing
Ne dId not IKE about this TIP was
that there were not enough stations
along q 4 line. There Is = tip that
the Frensh engineers viii not take.
an afrAis-
There Is another thing about the
French women that have noticed. and
that Is this: There are pretty girls IN
every country under the sun. but the
plain girls in France are preftier than
the plain ones in other countries. They
might not sho~ Il in photographs. but
In action there Is something about
them that yon cannot explain have
never seen an ugiy French giri who
was not easy 20 look at
We finally got TO Dirrnude. after
having spent shout eighteen hours on
the way. ON our arrival one company
was sent 70 the reserve trenches and
my company went 20 the front line
trench We were not placed In train
ing cnmps. because most Of Us had
been under IRE before never had.
but that was not supposed TO make
any difference They say II you can
stand the legion Jon can stand any
thing.
Before We entered the communiea-
ton trench. we were drawn up along
side Of cFoszroad for q rest. and 20
receive certain ACCOMPLISHMENTS Pretty
soon We saw q bunch Of Boches CON-
fng along the road. without their guns.
. few Of them being slightly wounded
Some Of them looked scared and 9TH
err happy. but they al seemed tired
Then We heard some singing. and pref
y soon ne could ZEE an Irish Corporal
stepping along behind the Huns. With
his rife Sung over bis back. and
every once IN q while be would shuf-
De BIT and then sing some more. He
had . grin On him that pushed his
ears back
he British noneom who was de-
tailed as our guide sang out: what
Kind Of time are you having. Patf
The Irishman saluted with one
hand. dug the other into his pocket
and pulled out enough watches to
make you think jon were In Q pawn
shop. -Oh. q f0in toim I'm havin'.-
he says. 4 got wan from each Of thin