Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1919-04-18
WAR EXPERIENCES
FROM IRON COUNTY
SOLDIERS DIARY

Mrs. Jas. S. Stapley, Kanarra, Utah.
Dearest Mother--You will enjoy bit
of my diary. This will be sketch
from the time I left Camp Lewis:
left Camp Lewis the 9th of June,
1913, bound for Camp Merritt, N. Y.
We arrived there July 3, our route be
ing through the northern part of the
United States. People at every sta
ton gave us candy, cigarettes and
wished us good luck
After nine months Of training and
rigid discipline we enjoyed the rest
and sights of the trip. Every morn
ing the captain reminded us that we
were still in the army by giving us
1S minutes double quick time. Our
time in Camp Merritt was spent in
physical and equipment inspections.
We sailed from Hoboken the 18th of
July on the good ship Dano. Sailed
to Halifas and joined our convoy. 1t
consisted Of 20 ships. Life on board
was one continual jam. We had daily
inspections which are the curse of a
soldiers life. The trip across was one
hard knock with another. The main
excitement was the sighting of a
whale now and then, and the rush for
the canteen when it opened. We we're
bothered with life boat drill each day.
There was no light after dusk on ship
Two days before landing we were
met with n convoy which piloted us
in. The convoy split up near England
some going to England and some to
France. We landed in France July 20
and went to the famous English rest
Camp No. 2, which is lie Harve. We
travelled on an English ship being fed
on fish which nearly made us all sick
from the smell, but after living on
tea and dried fish in this rest camp
for two days, we would have welcomed
the grub that was thrown through the
portfolio of the ship.
July Goth we left lie Harve in box
car. 1t was labeled "S Horses or 40
Men," We ate "Bully Beef" and part
of us had to sleep standing up, but
we didn't mind it much as we were
leaving the rest camp and getting
nearer the lines.
July 20, we unloaded at Folian and
walked to Lou We're with full packs.
Our dinner was the best we had
eaten since leaving Camp Merritt.
The first thing we did was to "po-
lice" up the town and taste some of
the French wine. And the next thing
was trying to learn the French lang
uage. But we found it much easier
for the French to learn ours. The
time spent at this place was for the
most part taken up in maneuvers and
hiking.
September End. liked to Folain,
the day being the hottest l ever saw.
My pack would break a mules back,
bu' l thought l was going to the front
and SO didn't cuss any more than was
necessary to relieve my feelings.
Sept, 3. Arrived in Houdlain Court
via box car route, and hiked to Bon
nett. There we got our first instruc-
tions in air bombing. One was not
allowed to smoke after dusk in the
open. On the third night we were
given orders to roll packs. We liked
all night in the rain and mud. We
were travelling toward the front and
had to march during the night time
and sleep under shelter in the day
time; but the only shelter we had was
brush and it rained night and day.
We are motorized outfit but we
never got our motors until the second
night out from Bennett. Oh! how
happy we were when they came in.
Dur blankets were wet and muddy.
We were in service on st. Miehle sec
Tor and were just pulling up when we
got orders to make our selves COM
as we could for the night.
September 18th we moved from our
sheltering palms near Vido to a little
town called Signeules and moved into
oillets; and glory be, we had a chance
10 dry our blankets; also had a bath
and change of clothes. The longer
/ soldier is over here the more often he
wants a bath. There is always a
,hance that he has picked up few
'semi-squirrels" in the last stopping
place.
Sept. l6. Pay Day! The greatest
lay of the month for soldier; but it
Doesn't last long over here. All we
IAN buy is canned fish. nuts and some
lines few grapes, but they are al
most worth their weight in gold.
Night of Sept. 2lst. Arrived near
Parois, near French observation bal
DON. Another red-letter day. While
here we had our first taste Of Fritz.
One afternoon while we were all en-
gagged in little card game, we heard
-