The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-05-17

CAPT. WARNER RISLEY
TO Be HOME SOON
Captain of Engineers and Has Con-
strueted Extensively for the Govern
ment in France.
EXPECTS TO SAIL ABOUT MAY 80

Capt. Warner l. Risley, who has
been in France for about eighteen
months, has had an interesting expe-
rience. Capt. Risley, son of Evan j.
Risley, was a former Pleasantville boy
and a pupil. of ~Pleasantville school,
from which he went to Atlantic City
High School and graduated with hon
ors. He is also a graduate of Rutgers
College. When war was declared he
resigned his office as engineer of Vent
nor City and offered his services to his
country. He entered the service in
April, 1917, spending six months in
officers training camps at Fort Meyer,
Washington; Camp Devens, Mass, and
Camp Merritt, Tenafy. He sailed for
France in November in command of
Company A, 504th Engineer Battalion,
his company being composed chiefly OF
men from the state of Massachusetts.
While Capt. Risley has not been at the
front, he has been busily engaged in
construction work in the zone of adj
vance at Is-sur-Tille, near Dijon.
At this place he constructed the lar
gest bakery in France, $50 1000 loaves
of bread being turned out from it dali
ly. At one time he was given 40 days
in which to construct 81 buildings.
Aided by 200 German prisoners, Capt.
Risley and his company of engineers
were able to turn over the completed
buildings on the day specified in con-
tract. AT the time of the signing of
the Armistice, Capt. Risley was in line
for promotion, so he had previously
been informed. For some time he has
been acting major, the major of the
Battalion having sailed for the U.
S. He recently received orders to
prepare to sail for home about May 80,
which is not unwelcome news. The
following is copied from a paper pub
lished in France.
(From the Herald.)
Is-sur-Tille.
"Doughboys who go on leave have
crossed the Bridge of Discomfort and
have stepped into a bit of sunshine at
Camp Doughboy" that promises to
make a name for itself. Camp Dough-
boy" is something new. 1t had its
beginning recently when the command
ing officer, Regulation Station "a,
which is located at 1s-sur-Tille, con-
ceived the idea of constructing a camp
where the common, ordinary doughbOy
when enroute to or from a leave area
could get a real nights rest, and then
pursue his way after a night of solid
comfort. The idea having been con-
ceived and General Headquarters, A.
E. F., being willing to let the plan de-
veIop, work began in the usual way
with the arrival of Company A, of the
504th Engineer Battalion, commanded
by Capt. Risley, who started the job of
making something where nothing ex
listed. The camp site wasn't pleasant
to the eye. Like most camp sites,
there was plenty of mud, knee-deep
and sticky. The weather was rough
and unsettled, but work was started.
The engineers settled down to the job.
Company "A", aided by 200 odd Ger
man prisoners, started the task of put
ting the barracks up. At the end of
the first week mud had been cleared
away and camoufiaged with gravel to
permit the completion of five barracks.
Between the prisoners and engineers,
barracks were gradually erected, mess
halls constructed, a d~elousing plant
established, and, more interesting than
all, an extremely creditable theatre.
Camp Doughboy" as it stands,
boasts of twenty-five barracks, each
60 fit. wide, and 100 TT. in length.
There are two kitchens each having
four separate mess halls, also a loung-
ing-ropm so it. by 200 #. for the com
fort of the permissionaire. The Camp
Doughboy' theatre is considered the
best in France. 1t has seating capac-
ity for 1900 men. On Washington's
Birthday, Capt. Risley turned the fin
ished building over at 7.45 p. m. and at
8 p. m. the performance began on time.
Major Everett H. Johnson, who com
manded a battalion of Alabama dough
boys of the And Division for nearly a
year at the front, is the boss of Camp
Doughboy."
A "~doughboy" himself, the camp
commander overlooked nothing to
make Camp Deughboy" a comfortable
place for transient soldiers. But when
the men go to the barracks they are
really surprised. Every man is as
signed to a bed. Said bed is of the
hospital variety, an iron bedstead with
a four inch mattress and wide and
long enough to accommodate the long
est and stoutest soldier who dons I'm
Gle Sans clothes.
Gen. Pershing and his staff, and other
officers who rank high in the A. E. F.
visited the camp recently"