The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-03
AMERICANS ARE SENT
TO WINCHESTER, ENG.
Members of British Forces Are Demobil-
lied and Repatriated and Then
Sent Home as Fast as Trans
ports Can Be Provided
for Them.

Winchester, England, May GORE
spondence of the Associated Press -
Morn Hill, one of the huge military res
eryations on the heights overlooking this
picturesque old city, is again an Amer
lean camp, During the war it was the
principal assembly ground in England
for American legions on the way to the
war. Now it is the clearing station for
thousands of battle-worn Americans who
are on the way home. They are the men
who fought with the British forces.
All the far-hung armies of the empire
are contributing to this assemblage. The
Americans are coming chiefly from
France and the occupation forces in Ger
many, but large numbers are making
longer journeys Some have served in
Palestine, some in Egypt, some in South
Africa and others in India. Many are
still in the East and others are with the
British forces in various parts of Russia.
1t is reckoned that it will be six or eight
months before all can be brought to Eng
land
Meantime, as fast as the Americans
arrive in this country they are sent TO
Winchester and put through the process
of rehabilitation and repatriation. 9th.
er camps here are being used TO comb
out colcnials who served with the Eng
lish instead of with their own armies.
The majority of the Americans who
joined the British forces enlisted in Can
ada. Most of these are to be sent back
not to the point of enlistment, but to
their homes in the States, stipulation
that franaralIxr l..
Americans when they volunteered their
services.
Repatriation machinery turns slowly
and there are often considerable delays,
as it frequently happens that a soldier
arrives at the camp weeks before his pa.
pers filter through the devious channels
in which they move. II is only by his
papers that a mans identity can be off
cally established. Great care is exer.
csed in this matter for, in the British
army, there have been many instances
Of soldiers exchanging names and iden-
tification disks.
II an American serving with British
regiment wished to remain in England
and British comrade wanted to 90 to
America, it would be easy enough it
was pointed out TO the correspondent. for
them to swap names and disks. and if
the real Tommy was well coached and
did not drop too many of his ''h's," the
scheme might succeed
After repatriation, the Americans are
sent home as soon as transports can be
provided at southampton, which is only
dozen miles away. Special sailings
are arranged for the soldiers who are
taking wives back with them.
One husky Michigan lad now at the
camp missed his chance to get away
with the last shipload Of unmarried men
by making a sudden entry into the mat
rimonial state. A day or two before his
transport was to sail he was spending
the afternoon with an American girl he
had met in Winchester She was from
Paterson, n j., and he called her Ger
sey."
well, this is good. bye" he said as he
was about to return to camp.
Thinking of home dimmed the girls
eyes. Gee, | wish | was going tool"
she exclaimed
you mean that, kid?" asked the big
middle westerner,
Il sure do" she replied.
Touched by her tears, he made quick
decision. "AI right, come along with
me, he said, seizing her arm. He knew
where a special license could be obtained,
and few hours later they were man
and wife
In telling the correspondent Of his
romance, the soldier remarked: II
wouldn't leave dog on this side that
good old statue of Liberty" He meant
no disrespect to his bride
a special canteen for these homeward
bound soldiers has been established at
Morn Hill by the American Red Cross.