The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-15
With fhe 167th on It's Memorable Three Days
 Marce in Big SnoUstorn1
ny CLIFTON O. BLAuvELr.

| found our shoes frozen hard as ice and we had to build small fires in them with straw in order to thaw them enough to get them on. Then again, we would mark time" in the snow until break fast was ready after which we fell in line with heavy packs one hour before there was any necessity for moving
 The morning of the third day the men could scarcely creep along. Garrison" shoes had been issued us and they were totally unfit for the hard usage to which they were subjected. The result was that many of the men were practically bare footed, their feet half frozen, cracked and bleeding. Many left blood stains in the snow the last day of that hike
 Here and there along the line. soma poor fellow was barely creeping along doing his utmost, with grit and deter mlnation, to keep up with the slowly moving column. In other places men who had almost stood all the punishment that flesh and blood could endure. were en- deaVorlng to fall out" and secure a few moments rest, hoping to catch up with their company at the next resting place. Officers, who were carrying nothing but light packs, containing their lunch, could be seen darting out from the column and pulling and showing the n,a-, who were utterly exhausted, back into line deny ing them the privilege os a few minutes | rest or a chance to ride in the ambu- lances behind. In places men fell prone upon the ground, unable to proceed, and after being cursed by the officers were roughly picked up and placed in an am- ouIance. Others who had given out were eating handfuls of snow snatched from the roadside. Our commanding officer rode by at different times, either in closed car or in the side car of motor cycle, wrapped up to his ears in a fur C0Af mar r3 3ir1r- fr,ox coat collars down.
 Slowly the column crept through the quaint town of Villa-sur-Suise The French peasants lined the streets. stand ing either in theid doorways or thrusting their heads out of the windows, showing deep concern for the heavily loaded and tootshore men. Evidence everywhere showed that one of the battalions would billet there. It was the last day of the hike. This would be the hdkne of the men while they were being trained for the front.
 our battalion passed through this town and murmur of disappointment and dismay burst from the lips of the men as they confronted a road knee deep in unoroken snow and stretching nowhere, seemingly. over the white expanse of ow-covered fields
 My company was in the lead and upon 1t fell the arduous task of breaking the way for the rest of the battalion. Five more kllometers and over two steep hills we crept. At every step it seemed as though one had made the last. More men, unable to proceed any further. ''felr' in the middle of the road. Off cers picked them up. saying that it was only two or three miles further. that they ought to be able to walk the rest of the way. In many cases their equipment was handed over to others who were stronger, to add to their own heavy bur dens, while two men were detailed to support each of the exhausted men while they walked. This was the condition in which the first battalion marched into Marac, the last stopping place and it's home during the training received before going into the trenches.