The evening world., 1919-02-27


got plenty OF It in time.
The idea OF the American soldier l.
that he isn't fighting unless he Is
moving ahead. That was Why he con
sidered the Lorraine front quiet" A
French officer told me that the nth
Division kicked up more fuss there
than had taken place since the begin
a. ming of the war. Many good officers
a and men were lost on this front,
among them Capt. Philip Mills. com
mander of Company G., 30sth Infantry.
At Lorraine the American artillery
=. joined us. The 1st Battalion OF the
r.. :O5th Field Artillery was the first unit
!. 10 get into position and under the di-
rection OF Lieut.. Col. Henry l.. slim
sen, former Secretary OF war, 1t fired
the first barrage OF any National
b Army field artillery.
The 37th Division relieved us on the
y" Lorraine front on Aug 3, and IL was
generally known that the nth, now n
seasoned fightlnE unit, was going to
take part in the great drive which
was started at Chateau-Thicrry. The
men were marched back to the area
around Fontenoy Ia Joutc and Landc-
court, and on Aug. 6 at 10 o'clock AT
night-for the purpose OF avoiding
aerial bombing-we entrained a.
Blalnvllle, riding 90 Mortcerf, about
sixty kilos from Paris We arrived
there at $50 l.. NJ. Aug. :, and then
the men were marched TO villages
: around Columlcrcs. where Division
Headquarters was. The SO5th went
&c MourouX. camping out in big
p chateau. The men were thoroughly
exhausted anG they were permitted to
sleep far into the morning. As soon
4 as they arose the inevitable search
for "oeufs" was begun. We were short
OF food. one OF our ration conveys
having been lost After a search till
~ evening. / found it at crossroads
and the driver in charge was greatly
frightened.
II expect I'll get court martial
and about six months for this" said
the man who formerly was a New
York teamstcr. Trouble Is. ! can't
read these here French signs, and
can't read a map"
Never mind l said, knowing he
had done his best. "C'est Ia guerie.
- Forget it," NAt this little pollu
81 standing under a tree nearby. lean
ing wearily on his rifle, came TO i'e.
"Ah, yes" he said in French. "cest
la guerre. l have lost my wife n Vi
daughter since II began. C'est Ia
guerre. have lost my two brothers
IN battle. C'est la guerre." And then
/. he turned back TO rest on his rifle.
,4l The region around Columleres was
the most delightful one visited by the
nth Division. There were "oeufs"
tt aplenty. and the doughboy was lit
ID orally walking on eggs" There were
=. modest, pretty girls who blushed and
courtsied when doughboy appeared
- There wasn't much work. for the New
York men were being permitted tC
NJ. grid themselves for the big smash
that was to end the war.
At II o'clock on the morning o.
-, Aug. 10 the division embussed fol
the first time in France To me--ther
H a Leutenant-fell the doubtful homo
- OF being 'embussing officer" Wha
- the embui sing officer does is TO fgur,
how many buses, or camions. he hai
=. at his disposal, how many men eacl
will hold and how many men he ha
8 10 take care Of. Then he proceeds t,
- put the men in the buses. OF cours,
his figures prove wrong every time
n and the process generally winds NJ
=. with the soldiers and officers packe,
y like sardines into the camions anC
everybody feeling unhappy.