The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-20
DIARY OF A TOUR IN FRANCE
As Taken By Neal Cheney of Barre, a
Member Of Sanitary Corps.

Member of Sanitary Corps.
Within the past few days Mrs. Fl. N
Cheney of 50 Summer street has received
three letters from her son, Neal, of the
ambulance corps, who is in France. The
first is dated Dec. 5, the second Dec lC
and the third Dec, IL. They are descrip.
tive of his life since he left the States
six months ago and are as follows:
Dec, 5Just few lines before | retire
in my little bed of feathers, which arc
covered with real sheets, the first have
slept in since | left New York some six
months ago / am at present located in
a little village some few kiIometers from
a big rail head. The town was occupied
by the Germans up to three weeks ago
so you can imagine what the conditions
are, for even when they leave a place
they generally take most of the stuff
along with them.
| suppose you will wonder where ]
have been during my six months over
here. You will no doubt remember the
place which | mentioned about being in
where could look out and observe the
time of day from the village clock from
my window. Well, the name Of this lit
tie town is st. Die, France, and only a
few kilometers from here is where our
division encountered its first taste of
trench warfare. That happened during
the early part of August. Several weeks
passed before the division was engaged
again, but during that time we were
moving steadily in northwesterly di-
rection and the 18th of September found
the division advancing toward Metz
Germany. You will no doubt remember
this advance made by the Americans
when you read the Boston papers of
Sept. IA. 1t sure was some barrage that
was thrown over, from the l6.inch naval
guns to the three-inch pieces.
After making this wonderful advance,
which resulted in capture of beaucoup
prisoners, our division was relieved for a
brief rest, in the vicinity of Toul. After
leaving here, we went farther up the line
in the direction of Verdun This was
where the Hun found out that he was
fast losing ground around the hinge of
his great gate.
AS / passed through the territory
which had once been No Mans land tyou
people at home can't imagine the condi-
ton of it, for there isn't place level
enough hardly to put your foot on) /
wondered how any part could have been
taken, for it is one continuous up and
down drive, but they did, nevertheless.
| have had the pleasure of hearing read
a general order from first army head
quarters regarding the work of the di-
vision in this section tArgonne- Meusel.
1t said in one little paragraph that IN
the so days preceding the armistice the
division was seriously engaged under
shell, rife and machine gun fire q days
In the past two weeks no day has passed
that some town, wood or bill has not
been wrested from the enemy" If re-
member correctly, it was 10 towns the
size of Waterbury and woods and hills
like those around Niggerhead.
Since / have been in this town ] have
been in Belgan and the province of
and / am in hopes of being
in Germany before | return home.
Dec. l0-Your letter of Nov. IL re-
ceived yesterday and | sure was glad TO
hear how they took the result at home.
| guess from all reports it must have
been a merry celebration for all, / guess
some of the mothers win be happy when
they get their Christmas presents this
year, but from the present outlook /
think yours will come later. ! am very
anxious to get my Christmas box, for /
need the contents very badly. The shoes,
e. rss, shall ut need, for The chances IT
getting things is looking more promising
every time we move.
The other evening / was invited out to
a little feed with some of the fellows
Although the menu was limited for the
such as one can get at home, il
started off with soup, followed by veal
steak, French fried spuds, salad and
bread. with coffee for chaser. Spirits
could be had if wanted. As soon as I
can am going to send you q fashion
book with the latest Paris styles.
! am enclosing a map that | cut out
Of the Houston Post, showing as I have
marked out about where we have been
located from time the big drive started
at st. Mihiel until Nov. II. The little
town in the circle (Dunl is where we
were located two days before the armi-
stice was signed and the day it was
signed we were about a mile from Dun
IN a little town called Milley, although
our infantry had advanced some Is kilo-
meters from there.
/ haven't seen or heard one word from
Lee Maiden or any of the fellows from
acme since | have been here in France,
although they have been trailing us ever
,ince September
You asked me if / wrote Dad on the
,4th. did, but it got lost before l could
nail it, during a moving expedition from
sIilley to Longuyon.
Dec. Ill received your most welcome
,fMM w II