Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-03-13
On the Way Home.
Brantries, Giraude, France,
February 5. 1919.

had the following experience, il is har
to realize just how feel.
Thirteen months away from home an
ten Of them in France. and then t
march through camp with flags nyin
and the band playing "Homewar
Bound" and to have the knowledge tina
by mere good luck you had been trans
ferred to an outgoing company whel
yeur own outfit is stuck with no sign
Of leaving for home-it sure is grant
and glorious feeling, and | expect t,
wake up almost any minute and fnt
myself back in Romorantin.
There were about eleven hundred
men left for the port from our camp a
the same time We did, and it was sure /;
happy and cheerful lot OF men tina
marched three mile. to town through
the first snow OF the season. When VIZ
got to the station the train was no
there, and We were told that we woulc
leave at 4.30. or in about two hours
We stood around in the cold and hac
supper-canned beef and hard tack
and finally at ten o'clock the train
was loaded and We were on our way to-
ward Bordeaux-get that Coward Bor.
deaux." We Travelled in box cars, as pei
usual, and big fellow from Texas and
decided to pool our blankets and sleep
together; for it was cold, and we figur-
ed We would be more comfortable to-
gether, so we passed a more or less
comfortable night. In the morning we
were still on the 60 and at the first stop
we had breakfast-canned beef and
hard tack. II was still pretty cold, so
some OF the fellows found some tiles
and We built a fire place in the center
OF the car. While the smoke was pref
ty bad, the heat was more than enough
to make up for the smoke.
All day long we rode through the
beautiful country, every now and then
passing through little towns and occa-
sionally some larger ones. About noon
we stopped in fair-sized town and
had dinner-corned beef and hard tack,
with beans. Here we replenished our
supply OF wood, and couple of the
more enterprising fellows made friends
with the engineer and managed to get
several big Jumps Of coal and we were
we'll fixed for fuel. About seven o'clock
We came into big railroad yard, which
we figured must be American from the
number and brilliancy of the electric
lights, and we soon found we were in
Coutras, big French railroad center
about forty kilometers from Bordeaux.
After another half hours ride we came
to small town, Guites, where We found
we were to be billeted for few days.
Since il was late, we staid on the train
that night, and the "Slim" Texan and
myself made up our beds together again.
BY this time We were getting pretty
we'll used to the hard floor, and we slept
until breakfast time. The cooks had
gotten an early start and had lots OF
coffee, which was mighty acceptable for
we were all pretty well chilled after
our long ride. When the billeting Off
Ger came around we found that we were
TO be quartered in small village about
three miles further on, so we hiked and
landed in a tiny country settlement,
where there are lots of barns and very
few houses. We were all assigned plac-
es to sleep-some in barns, and "Slim"
and |, being close to the head OF the
line, drew the best billet in the place.
We picked out a corner, and grabbing
our bed sacks we made tracks for a
hay stacks that We had seen coming into
the village. Afer much talk and more
signs We finally landed two good sized
beds and we soon had comfortable
sleeping place.
Since we were so far from an Amer
ican base, We decided that it might be
wise to look around and locate some
eggs in case Of emergency, so we began
to do a little scouting, and about a
quarter OF mile down the road We
came to a farm house where number
OF chickens were scratching around.
We went in and knocked at the door and
a French woman Of perhaps sixty FIVE
came and asked us what we wanted.
When We told her we were looking for
eggs, she shook her head; but previous
experience told ns to stick awhile, so
we went in and sat down and argued
with her for while and finally she
promised US dozen eggs for next
morning, We asked her il she would
make US an omelette and fry some po-
tatoes for us, and after some more ar
gument she said she would fix us up
for breakfast at eight o'clock. With a
promise to save us all the eggs she
could get, Slim, and came back to the
billet and went to bed. II was just 7:3C
p.
This new company | am in is a rath-
er peculiarly gotten up organization, fol
the personnel consists Of men who were
for the most part on detached service al
Paris and up at the front, and there are
all sorts Of men Of various grades
There are FIVE Master Electricians, o.
which I am one; then there are nine
n-commissioned pilots, and nineteer
observers, all Of whom have completed
their flying training and were ready To-
active service at the front when th'
armistice was signed. The men hav,
ranks all the way from buck private t
Master Electrician and draw fifty pc
- - H. A