The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-17

Saturday night, November 23rd.
Dear Father:-Today was my day of
but I worked today in order to have to.
morrow. Sunday, off. This noon at for
nation, our G. o. announced that GEN.
sorship regulations had let up lconsider-
ably and besides Stars and Stripes has
urged US to write "Dad's Christmas let
ter" tomorrow SO I'll start mine tonight.
! am sending Stars and Stripes IN this
mail and will also send some postcards.
I might as we'll 60 right back to the
day we left the transport "Agamemnon"
formerly Kaiser Wilhelm and set foot on
French soil at Brest. This was on JAM
uary 18th. FEon there we went to st.
Maixent, small town in central France.
We we're quartered there in an old mon
astery once used by Napoleon's troops,
we we're told, as barracks. While at st.
Maixent we did not do much but drill
and eat, staying there until February
2Sth, when we took the train for this
place. We landed here at Colombey
les Bellies, small town about II kilo-
meters south of Toul and % kilometers
north of Neufchateau. Since March Bird
this has been my home, but at different
times l have been taken away on truck
trips etc. When We came here there
were three squadrons in the field, the
field being stretch of mud and slush
and not hangar or plane belonging
to US was on the field. Until the latter
part of March most of us were ON ia.
tigue work, such as building barracks,
making preparations for supplies and
other work of a similar kind.
l have forgotten the date, but on
about the first of April there was a call
for chaufeurs from all squadrons to 20
out on an emergency truck train. I'll
was hurry up call and there were no
preliminary instructions excepting
"There are the trucks, jump on and get
'er going" and lucky for me I got mine
going pretty easy, altho it was the first
Fiat truck that ever laid hands on.
We gassed up and lined up that night
all ready 10 leave early in the morning,
but we did not leave early in the morn
ing. We had had mo practice in using
gas masks or the Colts automatic, so
so we received. some on both and, final
ly got started about eleven o'clock.
We had 81 I l-2 ton Flats, pneumatic
tires on them and speedy things they|
are too. We hauled in at Ruinon Court
and stayed there over night. It rained
hard that night and was some disagree
able. Early in the morning We gotload.
cd with men and soup guns belonginRl
to the 18th division. I was hauling
men and soup gun Of Company D, l04th
Infantry, the old National Guard msnssl
from Massachusetts, and Connecticut |
We drove all day and oil night until
four in the morning. I was unluckyl
and drew guard duty for IN hour but
managed to get in two hours sleep b..
fore We left ct eight. The following
night We slept at Menil Ia Tour north Of
Toul. Igot my first sight OF camouflaR-
ed roads that morning and got right -upf
behind the los for tho first time. WeI
had to drive al that day and nightfall |
found US pulling out Of Boucq. Wet
kept on driving till about twelve o 'cIock. /
II WAS the worst night driving I had ex-
perienced teven worse than some Of myf
midnight trips from Bathgate without
lights.) Wehad lights but could not
ase them. Il was raining and dark asl
pitch. tho only way ws could tell that
location Of the man il trent was~ byl
The noise his soup gun 1sde ssfit ratst
lied. then 81 they stopped g the Md ott
line they would all whistls. We scoSidf
100 . gray strip q road ahesd then lE
Hare from the the trenches so,, seo pTa
md blind a. Believe mo- ~ ~ I
when NJ anal pulled into oSSs - IL Il
ppuld hatsily kesp M spd al Il
EGlIA snss slcnG tG gs
~. 2. ossi Iass sa ok spI