The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1919-01-24
Letter From Capt. B excl.

American Army In GeTma0y, writing
from Aubauge, Belgium; under date
Of Dec. 5, 1918, to his bIotber, Carl,
says in part:
Dear Brother: 1t has been a long
time since last heard from you and
} 1t has been month since have
written to you. suppose you have
been mustered out by this time and
are home working. Since the declar
alton OF the armistice many things
have happened OF great interest TO
me. In the first place the BAT F. A
has been made part Of the Third
Army. We are attached to the eth
Corps and are on our way to Germany.
We left the Bots st. Pierre a week
ago last Tuesday. The Bots St. Pierre
Is about 20 kilometers west Of Yer
dun. From there we went into Bel
GUM and If you will look on the map
you will find US at present located on
the little corner where Belgium,
LuXemburg and France meet. Sun
day morning we leave here again. We
90 just little bit beyond the large
| city OF Luxembourg. Our final
destination will be Cobenz and we
expect 10 be there in about 10 days or
two weeks.
1t may be interesting to tell you
how we travel, live. etc. You know
we are motorized outfit. | usually
ride on my motorcycle. The guns are
drawn by four lotion caterpillar
tractors. They haul the four guns, !
three caiSSons full OF ammunition, 80 |
men and all of their personal equip
ment and rolling Kitchen t makes
beautiful sight to see 8 of these |
sections rolling up the roads. You |
can Imagine what eight threShing
outfits would look like, one behind
the other. A battalion always moves
by Itself and we always let the guns,
tractors, and gun crews of Batteries
A and B form single convoy. The
rest Of the men, the ordnance, quar-
termaster, signal and fire control
equipment we load onto trucks. Itl
takes IA e. w. d. or quad trucks TO
carry them all. That makes 80 for
the battalion. We usually 90 30
or 40 kilometerS day and then we 20
into eillets for few days. You see
we do not travel every day. We
usually stop In these villages Just
long enough to get them thoroughly
"pollced" up; then we move on. 1t is
quite an experience. Before we 20
into village l send first lieutenant
ahead as billetng officer. He finds
room for the 200 men of the battery
to Sleep ia. Each has his three
blankets, straw tick, shelter half, etc.
Usually | have them billeted Is men
to section in hay lofts or empty
rooms. The noncommissioned officers
usually get beds 10 the homes Of the
peasant families. The officers of
course have good rooms "except the
captain" | usually get room with
Out stove, because The lieutenauts
have all the good rooms picked out
before l have time to look around for ,
myself We always get the "spare
room" and these people have wonder :
tnl feather beds,
Usually | get room that German ,
officers have lived in until lust few ,
weeks ago. 10 this town The Germans ,
got out Just three hours before we ,
moved in. The peoples eyes sure ,
stick out when they see our regiment .
going along the road The German ;
army was well EQUIPPED but they had =
no motorcycles, no such beautiful ;
motor cars, trucks and tractors as we u
Ire equipped with. Our regiment has
"A tractors, 6 white reconnaissance +
'arS, 20 motorcycles, Dodge touring y
cars, so f. w. D. or quad trucks. +
md liberty trucks. Soon we are to q
,et 100 more trucks and As more
motorcycles with side cars. The 4,
German army used practically nothing
'ut horses and clumsy wagons. :
Dec Is. Since writing on Dec. & :
We have travelled quite a ways and
much has happened. Within the last
10 days | have been ia France p
Belgium and Tuyamhuru IT,. b