Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-01-02
get nv letter in the bunch.

istice and the peace that wa!
then in view but there was also
slight disappointment on TIT
part of some of the men who vii
not be able to tell the blood. curd
ling horrors of first hand expert
ences in the warfare on the bis
front" Our SSth Division wa.
already and waiting within hik
ing.dis,ance of that very from
when tn" last of the worst fight
ing before the firing ceased was
done. W" were momentarily eX
ppc'ing the order to march
W i.h never came.
Now AS to my exact location ii
France. Look southeast of Paris
for Toul. W. are about s mile.
north of that city. y. NJ. CA.
and Salvation Army huts are
scattered about and are very
much visited by the soldier
Candy, cookies, writing paper
warmth and liberty are the chic
things we love about these
buildings.
At last ! an permitted to tel
you the story of my trip to date
We left Camp Upton in the night
of Aug. 10 II and sailed on the
British vessel, Delta, soon after
moan of the 18th. Just out OF
New York harbOr we joined IL
or more other great boats, each
bearing between 1000 and 5000
soldiers, a few having as many as
5000 on board. We took a north.
ern course, passing not far at
sea from Nova Scotia and New.
foundland, in which water we
we're ijoined one day by q few
more ships carrying Canadian
troops. The ships kept always
about half Il mile apart, so that it
was not often we could see sold.
iers on the other boats. though
sometimes we could see the edge
or railing was alive with green
clad forms of hun huskers-to be.
On clear days we could see all
the ships of our convoy at one
time. 1t gave us a sense of secu.
rity to see so many boats togeth'
er, yet we wore our life-preserv
ers all the time, day and night,
for 10 days, and travelled a zig.
gag course, which was a constant
reminder that there was an IN
seen and dangerous enemy Turk.
ing in unknown waters eager for
the opportunity to plunge every
one of us to an instant death, If
possible. However, we had a
smooth sea and safe passage,
with but few events to break the
monOtOny - iceberg, sea lion.
shark. or distant ship at last
arriving in Gray's End, a suburb
of London. Here we were vel.
coined by representatives of
King George and boarded a train
for a rest camp at Romsey. We
spent two or thee days in Camp
Woodley, England, not far from
South Hampton, where we got
cleaned up and fed(?) ON some
thing different from the fare we
had enJoyed(2) on the Delta. The
many details of these interesting
experiences | shall save to tell
you when | get home.
One day we marched 6 miles TIC
Port South Hampton and board
ed a small vessel built especially
for transportation across the
English Channel. Everybody was
worn out, and the sight of sold.
ihrs dumped down to sleep every
where shall never forget. But
was so excited that when things
seemed to be settled, after every
body was loaded and had a place
I slipped out on deck, and found
a British cinteen, where one
could buy sandwiches and tea,
the English favoritc drink. This
boat did not start out until lon1
after midnight and then Travelled
at high speed, often changing its
course. | found q soft seat in the
cafe where only officers were
supposed to be and fell asleer
sitting up. | was awakened by a
sudden lurch of the vessel and
Immediately heard a report OF
something striking the steel hui
with tie crash of steel. | hurried
out on deck and found the watch
man rather excitedly pacing the