Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-02-26


afternoon ana hiked to Langres where
we again boarded box cars the Fourth
and Fifth Battalion together. This
time there were IS In each box car,
but the cars were American i cars
which are consid erable larger than the
French. The train consisted Of about
40 cars and two passenger coaches.
Again our eats were corned willy and
hard bread. The train left Langres
at 9:OO O'Clock in the evening and ar
rived at Brest on Sunday afternoon,
December 18th, at $3.50. The Cities
that we passed thru on the way were
Chalindrey, Is Sur Tile, Dion, Beane,
Montchanin, LeCreus0t, Movers, Bour-
ges, st. Afghan, Tours, Vaas, Mayet
and Lemans. From LeMaps to Brest,
the same road, was travelled as going
to Langres, again passing through the
beautiful city Of Morlaz which Is in a
valley under the railroad. The popu-
lationS Of this city is IL, 900. LIE Creu-
sot is a large manufacturing city.
also passed by many large and beau
,tiful rivers, and great many camps
were also seen. At Lex reusot, q rail
road wreck had occurred and about
20 box cars had been badly smashed.
The Red Cross served coffee twice
along the way. Then too, small boys
were frequently seen begging for Gig
arets and tobacco. - +. i
Scenes In France are very different
from those of the United States.
Wooden shoes are worn by the French
people. The farms are in small lots
consisting of about three acres or less
with hedges encircling them. The
wagons are those of ancient times and
have only two wheels; very few auto
mobiles are to be seen. The buildings
are of stone with slate or tile
roofs. The churches are aged, having
been built. several hundred years ago.
A certain church at st. Ciergues is $50
years old. The making of wines and
other drinks is the leading industry
of the country. The French people
thresh grain by a pounding machine
after which the chat is separated
from the grain by a one horse power
tanning mill. =
Home Papers Received.
Mail was often received and among
the papers received were the Will
mar Tribune and the Atwater Press,
Duluth and Twin City papers.
A few men were transferred from the
battalion to the Anti-Aircraft Machine
them being Axel Hocum of Iowa who
left with the Kandiyohi boys. He is
still stationed at the Headquarters
Department Arthur Hanson of Will
mar visited with the Kandiyohi boys
the day When we left for Brest.
Back to Brest.
We arrived at Brest on Sunday az
ternoon and alighted. from the train
about four O'Clock and liked about
five miles to tents. Again it was rain
ing, which is usual in France. The
only dry spell we ever noticed in
France was for about ten days during
the forepart of November. At Brest,
detail was the order of the day, the
pick and shovel, kitchen police and
other kinds of work.
The kitchen where we received our
meals was about q mile and a half
from the tents. The meals were very
poor; and the mud was something
fierce before we could get into the
mess hall. We. were called at four
o'clock every morning In order to get
in In time to report at the Pontanezen
for duty: The boys who have been up
at the front prefer to be there rather
than at Brest. Some Of us even lost
our boots while going into the mess
hall One night was spent at the
docks unloading freight ship. On
Christmas we we're loading trucks
with coal until noon and during the
afternoon we attended four boxing
| matches and music was furnished by
the 81st Field Artillery Band while
at the Brest camp. -Four Willmar
boys were seen and they were Sgt.
! Hans Peterson Of the 5Oth, Coast
Artillery Corps and Louis Halvorson
Of the 51st c. A. c., Sgt. Robert John.
son and CPL Dan Burns of the Fourth
Anti-Aircraft G, A: c., the two latter
also going back on the same boat as
the 4th, A. A. M. G. Bn.
Christmas at Camp.
Our Christmas dinner was made uI
of vegetable stew, prunes, coffee, bread
and some candy. This dinner was
served at the Pontnezen barracks
Il
we were stationed where there. were
ten to fifteen Thousand troops fed
every meal On Christmas Eve every
one was presented with package
from the Y. NC. A. consisting o.
chocolate candy, cigarets, tobacco anG
q package Of chewing gum. On th.
package was the following expression
which made us very happy. "a Merr,
Christmas to- you from the Folks q
| Home thru the 7. ". G. a. 800: sss.
Homeward Bound. s-. Isl.
! On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 29th
the battalion moved into barracks
a On Tuesday morning the battalion
marched to BrestE with full packs an,
boarded the cruiser Seattle which sc
out on Its trip to the United State
. at II: 80 that. day. This was the frs
trip that the Seattle had made carry
Ing troops Just as we Wereeboafdin
the ship we saw q submarine, on
(which had been given over to the d
81 lies and which was standing ID Il
slharbor. $50
: There were 1855 officers and me
81 that boarded to D. s. cruiser Seattl
& The Seattle has accompanied min
: conveys since June l2th, 1917 Whil
returning, the Seattle was delaye
: about three day1s1n account ct vel
: had storms and q lArge number &
!, life boats and rata we're bat and .
]. lone was allowed on the loWM deg
: Tor several days. One of the soldier
ss,,IPriyate Frank Headley 81 the Efene
Z Mnrtars Battery dies an the akir Ne
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