The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1919-02-20
France at Last!
Article Three
BY Tom Rhea Phillips

Crossing the English Channel
was always hazardous. but our
little vessel crossed safely during
the night. When we awakened
the next morning, we were an
chored in the harbor at Cher
bourg The day was just begin
ming to dawn, and every eye was
strained to get sight of the city.
How each man wished he might
be the first to set foot upon the
French soil! At seven o'clock,
the American and French land
officers came down, and we were
soon in the heart of the city
really we were lover there"
The civil population, by their
continued cheering made us feel
that we were really welcome. AS
we marched trout order" through
the streets of the city, large num-
bers of the children, who had al
ready learned one characteristic
of the American soldier, passed
up and down the line, holding
out their hands, and saying,
"Penny-penny." 1t is needless to
say that many chubby hand was
filled to overfiowing with small
coins.
Our route lay through the
chief streets, thereby affording
Us an opportunity to study the
land so new to us. All the build,
ings were masonry, massive, only
a few floors in height, opening
directly on the street. The streets
were wide, and well paved. The
absence of so many men was
very noticeable. Stores were
owned and run by the women;
women drove street cars, and
nearly all the vehicles. Truly
the French woman rose in her
majesty and shouldered the bur-
den left to her care by the gallant
soldier who had gone to the front.
Five miles march brought US to
the "rest camp" It seemed q
short distance, and we forgot
the sixty pound pack on our
shoulders, as we viewed the
country areas through which we
passed.
The French love association,
for which reason, the farming
people. live in villages, and go
out each day to their fields and
work.
The roads to camp were good,
and not single man "fell out"
on the way. The camp officers
said ours was the first regiment
that ever made such record.
We reached the camp in time
for late dinner. There we saw
our first Germans-prisoners at
work about camp. Here also we
ate our first potatoes cooked in
the hull" which was to be such
an important part Of our menu
from then on.
The quarters were conical tents
about ten feet in diameter at the
base, and with wooden floors.
In one of these tents were quart
cred ten to fourteen men.
1t has been said that all the
soldiers do in a rest camp is
cleaning up, work and drill; all
of which we found true in this
English rest camp in France.
The next day late in the after
noon, we marched back to Cher
bourg to take train for some
where" We were informed that
we were to go Nancy, just south
Of Metz.
Our "Pullmans" were in the
freight yards. We marched
down, and found that we were to
travel in cattle cars. On each
door was printed, "8 horses, s.
cows, or 40 men," Now when 4
tell you that the capacity of the
little narrow gauge French car
is only about one-tenth that of an
American car, you will realize
how crowded we were. We could
not all sit down comfortably at
one time. We had to take turn
about" We leave to you to imag-
inc how well we slept. Frequent
stops at the towns relieved the
nnonotony of the ride.
On more than one occasion we
saw train loads Of wounded men,
on their way back from the front.
The very sight Of these poor
manned soldiers gave us new
courage for the task before us.
We went southeast from Cher
bourg in the. province Of Nor
mandy, famous in Mediaeyal
History, and made ! short stop at
LeMans. Here we learned that
since Bulgaria was out Of the
war, and Turkey tottering, that
we might not be needed, and we're