The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-02-08
READY TO FIGHT
BUT HADN'T CHANCE
Corporal Edgar L. Koehler Writes In
ter~estingIy of His Doings Since He
Left Camp Dix for Overseas.

The following interesting letter from
Corporal Edgar L. Koehler, Co. c,
312th F. S. Bn., A. e. F., gives a de-
tailed account of his experiences from
the time he left Camp Dix to the pres
ent. 1t was written to the editor of
The P~leasantville Press, and is as fol
lows:-
Chateau near Muzillac, France,
Jan. IL, 1919.
Dear Friend Walt
Just a few lines to let you know
how l am and what I have beer doing
since l left old P'ville. l will begin M
story from the time we left Camp Dix,
so here goes. On the evening of Aug.
25th, we found out that we were to
entrain for Jersey City and the lid GER
tainly did come off. We made enough
racket to wake the dead. Some of the
pranks were as follows: Singing Just
as loud as we could, giving all kinds of
yells, marching in a snake line, and
after we turned in at HOO p. M, cots
started to fall on the floor and the fire
buckets rolled down the stairs, etc.
The top sergeant threatened us with
all kinds of punishment but to no
avail. We would not be downed. At
Icl w dIu VIC WlSuSu VIC AdQ J1lcd W
sleep, as we were turned out at 800 a.
m. and told to fall out with full packs.
Well, we marched to the station and
entrained and were off for Jersey City.
From hat point we ferried across to
New York, and after p%artaking of a
cup of coffee and a bun, from the Red
Cross, we were marched up the gang
plank and boarded the Mauretania,
which sailed the following evening at
9.45. The trip was u~neyentful as we
only had a brush with one Sub" and
that indirectly, as it was engaged with
a tanker and when we came in sight
our Captain made a large detour ac-
cording to orders. Another time we
had a close call as we nearly collided
with another vessel, as there were no
lights showing and it was certainly
dark some evenings. Only n inci-
dent married the pleasure of the trip.
One of the infantry boys had to DELHI
erately look into the muzzle of his
rifle and as he did so it went off. We
had a burial at sea a few days later.
l missed seeing it, however, as l was
on guard on deck e, and was on duty
at the time. Our Co. vas q~uartered
on deck A, just as high as we could
get. Only had one days rain during
our six and one-half days voyage. We
only had one engine going during the
day, but at night we went full speed.
That was done to prevent a smoke
trail so the subs" could not track us.
Labor Day we spent or the ocean, and
on Sept. 3rd at Liverpool, Eng. From
that point we Travelled by rail to Camp
Romsey. After a days rest we march
ed to South Hampton; some march,
believe me, but we made it. At that
camp | was taken sick with the flu,
and my Co. crossed the channel that
same day, leaving me behind. | was
not left alone, however, as there were
several other boys in the same plight.
After not improving during a period of
three days, l was sent to Hursley
Park, where the real Red Cross nurses
were. After my entry l started to inn
prove rapidly, as they had no tents
but regular buildings, which were
heated and quite comfortable. | re-
manned at that place for the remainder
of the month as l had nc pep, even
after l could go out and walk around.
| was then SEN to a Casualty Co. at
Morn Hill, near Winchester, and from
that point was sent to South Hamp-
ton to embark for Cherbourg, France.
After a stay of three days at Cher
bourg, we started on our way once
more, and from that time on real trou-
bles began. Travelling in France is
very much different than over in the
States. We were fortunate in that we
only had eve men in u "side-door
Putnam" and the provisions for the
trip. One good feature was that we
were not hungry, but we paid dearly
at night, as only three of us had blan-
kets and overcoats and of course had