The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-15
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CORNER BANNER BOY
VISITS RUINS OF VERDUN
1ergt. Jesse Carpenter Writes Inter
estinsly of Trip With Army Of
Orcunafion

Occupation.
Jesse T. Carpenter OF this village
as received a long letter from his
on, Serg. Jesse Carpenter, of the
DIST sanitary train now attached to
ne army OF occupation in Germany
nd "A former Banner newsb0y \ por
ion of the letter is as follows.
The last OF our transportation
cached St Armand November %
nd We left. that town about o'clock
he morning of the 25th Our sojourn
ST. Armand was most enjoyable and
ne popularity OF our boys was shown
y the big crowd Of French people
Tho saw us off Our first annlght
top was al Desize, town OF about
000 inhabitants whose principal in
.ustries are brick and tile making. (
)ur second day took us into more rug 4
ed, mountainous country. reminding
of our own Green Mountain state I
nd the Berkshire hills
Shortly before reaching Baume on
tuesday, afternoon we had 4 fine
lose-up with apology to filmdom) OF
real medieval castle which rests
the top OF high stone bump with
redipitous lodges on three sides,
Nth battlements and turrets to make
{ secure against foes Cor all time.
"A little later We reached Baume
here there is an American hospita.
airing at that time for about 1000
oughboys attended by American ply.
lcians and American nurses. We did
OF stop at the town but stayed over
ight az point near the road about
We miles beyond Upon parking our
ars went TO the nearest hOuse--a
cry neat stucc0 cottage with tile
oof-to try TO obtain some straw to
read. in our ambulancps, but the
l,y OF the house went us one better
y asking us ii we would not rather
mend the night at her home. Can
on beat French hospitality Utter
trangers to her but that made no
Inference SO long as We appeared to
oe gentlemen and allies Of France
We also had a warm supper and
breakfast with the family Her hus.
and. she told us, was an adjutant,
J rank in the French army corers-
iondlng possibly to battalion ser.
eantmaior in or own. in the quar-
7rnlaster corps
About 6 o'clock an elderly man en-.
cred the house and after shaking
ands asked us % 80 with him to see
he fave. We yere shown through
1any large underground corridors
ewn out Of stone and leading to the
ig Chambers here were thousands
{ barrels Of wine and shelf after
helf loaded with bottled wine ready
or shipment.
The next large town we passed
through was Diion Just beyond the
own we came to an enormous so.
allied motor reception park which
onvoyed some idea Of tho way in
which things are being done toward
he front Soon after We left the mark
ge passed through lunches of German
risoners at work That afternoon
70 had our FIRST glimpse Of tanks in
ction and maryelled al their IN.
errunied progress through brush and
mall trees, up and down dale and in
nd ont OF trenches.
"A few hours later we entered Ian.
res the first wal ed city we had seen
{ is on the crest OF very high and
'teeu cone'shaped hill surrounded by
wide wall at least 30 feet high. That
lisht We stayed in billet at a school
n Relampent, a small untidy ana I'M.
interesting town The fourth day. of
curse. was THANKSGIVING with every.
hing 90 he thankful for eXceni the
turkey and tho iinin's. The feature
VI the day was 10 see Gen pershina
irst as he passed us in his car as we
reared Chaument and a little later
when he addressed the soldiers The
list Of his address was that we should
vi be especially srateiul 10 ALMIGHTY
Tod upon our triumph over the forces
VI evil ana exhorilng all the A. Z. =
o exhibit the same selfconirol and
devotion TO Righteousness shown in
he war both during our stay in Ger
many and after our rotiHn 10 the
United States In the afternoon
vent to tho y. NJ c. \. whore ! met
wo American ladies' who did their
eest TO keep up ne atmosphere OF
'heerfIlness
1T rained nearly all day so that W,
lidn't see as much Of Chaument as W,
would have liked Nothing OF specia
interest On the fifth day until lunch