New-York tribune., 1919-03-30
'77tla Division
L. Anxious to
Start Home
New York Boys Biilcscd in
France Count Hours Until
They Start on Way TO
Coed Old Broadway

PARIS, March 90. - Hard boiled
fighters in the war, the 77th Division
the Metropolitan Division, are proving
soft-boiled walters, the most impatient
men detained in France. While billetcd
in French villages near Chaumont prior
to going to lie Mans for the final once
over, they have betrayed impatience
Efficient and accomplishing under fire
in the Argonne, they recently have been
betraying signs in the peace lull which
mean they are homesick-homesick for
Riverside Drive and Rivington Street
for Fifth and Double-Fifth Avenues
for Il sight of the big bronze girl whose
picture is their divisional emblem. for
the little old home in any one of the
five boroughs. To combat that home
sickness, to try to set a slice of New
York down in French village, is the
aim Of the Y. NJ. c. A. men and women
workers with the division.
Orges, the billet of the 308th Infan-
try, is q tiny town of cobbled roofs and
narrow, muddy streets, two or three
chateaus, one cafe, very old church,
few small stores hard to find and q
handful of friendly, slow inhabitants
Orges is typical OF all the towns where
were billeted these men from Manhat-
tan. young chaps accustomed to city
hustle, glare and life, with movie
houses and eating places on every
block. What had such a place to offer
the Americans after drills?
Brought First Movie There
Movies, for one thing-the first the
village ever saw, in the Y M. c. A. hut
near the old church. The doughboys
put on vaudeville of their own that out
Broadways Broadway.
The 30Sth Regiment had slept in
pup tents and funk holes so long at
the front that its first real amusement
/ on coming to Orges was sleeping, and
this is Il diversion that still continues
high in favor. The story is told of a
private who obtained his three days
leave and passed it all in that way
unable to tear himself from the fasci-
nations Of real bed. 1t is warm and
comfortable in the regular billets, and
that is a novelty. Hot shower baths
have been arranged for the boys in
the village, and cooties at first un-
popular, are now extinct. The SOL
diers who sleep in regulation beds IN
houses find ground for endless ar
gumcnt in the three-quarter length
putfs on the beds.
Army mess, no matter how good it
is comes to be more or less monoto-
nous after while-and all corn willies
taste alike, no matter what you make
it of, as the boys say Private dinner
parties are another great source of
entertainment for this reason. 1t
would astonish the New York mothers,
who picture their sons as still en-
during all the hardships of war, if
they could look over the menu at some
of these dinnprS
Six boys of Company H gave one
the other night in honor of Y. NJ.
c. A. girl who happened to be in the
village, the first American girl with
whom they had dined in France. The
dinner, cooked by Madame Riehl, over
the fireplace, in her big living-room and
kitchen, began with an excellent thick
soup, went on to an entree of fresh
veal and mashed potatoes, followed by
ared fritters and cherry jam after
that, and wonderful dessert made
of custard and whipped cream.
There was a real linen tablecloth
at the party, and silver, washed be-
tween courses by Monsieur, at the
other end of the kitchen, with even a
napkin (regarded by Madame as rather
an affectation) for the Y. M. C. A.
girl. The one tragedy of the evening
was when one of the sergeants nicked
a cup that the family had owned for
more than thirty years. 1t was like
seeing an old friend slapped, Madame
said tearfully. The stricken sergeant
wanted to go out at once and buy her
a whole set of dishes.
OF the six hosts, two had been rec
commended for the D. S. c., First Ser
geant Harry Linden, of 1881 Jamaica
Avenue, Richmond Hill, L. l., and Ser
geant II. Ellum, of 579 East Twenty
second Street, Flatbush, Brooklyn. Be
sides them, there were Sergeant I.
Rosenblum. of 1926 Southern Boule-
BroDniX, and one of the most popular
men of his company. Sergeant w.
Schreiber, of 439 East Forty-sixth
Street, and Private II. NJ. Shaw, of 481
East 171st Street, New York.
More marking time is done by the
big Y. NJ c. A. tent than at any other
place in town. The division show was
put on there, and almost every after
noon there are boxing matches, and
almost every evening motion picture
shows The canteen, by the door as
you enter the tent, is in charge of one
Of the boys, Larry Lyons, and Harry
". Blair, the secretary in charge Of
the hut, is a great favorite with the
boys OF the 30Sth Regiment. Around
the three big stoves in the tent, groups
OF boys are always gathered telling
stories OF the war
Hear Stories From Heroes
:, Perhaps George W. Parker, Of 1872
East Twelfth Street. comes into the
"i' and the boys ask him to tell of
his experiences az a prisoner in Ger
many He was a mem ber of the Lost
Battallon,' which was cut off from the
other American forces by the Boche, in
the Argonnc woods, and which refused
to surrender, after it had fought for
SIX days without food. Private Par
ker was one of tho men captured bv
the enemy there.
Gosh, wish you'd lay off G. that!Y
ne says: II don't even want to think
ABOUT lt-sce ?" When I get home |
amt ever goin' to mention Germany
,asaln. If my mother asks me about ii.
III goin' to say, Come on, mother. let's
60 10 the movies, and forget all about
The Roche got me after had been
IL inc pocket and | don't want you to
think they took me easy, either. Once
broke away from them, but they got
me again. Well. after that there amt