New Britain herald., 1919-01-07
RELATES HISTORY
 OF ()LD COMPANY l
Corporal Gerald CreaD Writes of
 Activities Up to April 1

Corporal Gerald P. Cream has written a letter home since the cen- sor's restrictions were lifted in which he tells of the trip of Company I of this city from the time it left this city until April l, 1918. The trips, stops, hikes, etc, which the company took are mentioned and he gives an inter- esting story of the preliminary work before entering the trenches. The letter follows:
 <>Dccomber ?, 1918. Start from New Haven.
 T suppose that you've despaired long ago of hearing from ne, but Pm going to write just the same and give you q very rapid account of what has transpired while I've been in France. This is all allowed by the censor, so ] know you will like to know how I've been going while over here in France.
 "We sailed from-or, rather, to start at the beginning-We left camp at 3:30 a. m, September fl, and marched across New Haven to Win chester's plant and entrained there to start on our long journey. We left New Haven about o'clock and started on a very familiar road to France. We passed through Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Springfield then up through Vermont and stopped just outside of Montreal Canada, about 3 8. m. September 15
 ''When day broke, we pulled slowly into Montreal and straight to the docks. Without much delay we boarded the s. $. Canada and set sail down the St. Lawrence River. There weren't many people to see us, but we saw @ kiltie with a camera. He took a picture of us, and that is the one which has been printed on the song, 80 Long, America, I'll See You Again.
 The trip for three days down the st. Lawrence was onething wonder ful. The weather was ideal and the sun shone all day long. People lined the banks all along the shore and waved at us, using handkerchefs and flags to attract our attention. Believe me- We responded with all the power our lungs possessed. We rested just off Quebec at midnight, but there wasn't anything to see except a great TOW of big arc lights away up on what looked like a mountain. Everything was well and calm that night when I went down to bed
 Leave for France.
 ''Ncxt morning I hastened up on deck feeling like a canary. It was a fair day, but the water was awfuIIy rough and there wasn't a bit of land in sight. I asked one of the ships crew where we were and he said we were in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Well, our old ship was rocking some in oT1 when ] saw a follow come flying LID the companionway and dive for the rail. What he didn't give to the fishes couldn't be bought. Right after him came another on the same route. In back of me I heard someone else, and then it looked funny to see the whole line which had formed hanging over the sides. l got a funny feeling when the ship all but turned over and then joined the long line at the rail We kept steaming along all the time and soon steamed into the harbor of Halifax.
 Here WIG rested for two days and nights and set sail with 15 other srips for over here. It took us fl days to cross because we kept ziGzagging on account of submarines none of which we saw, and at o'clock in the morn- ing we landed at Liverpool and be- lievc me, land did feel good to me.
 We packed all our belongings off onto the docks and took an English train for Southampton. England is a pretty country. We remained at Southampton one night and then took q trip to the docks and a transport to cross the channel. This was all done at night and it was the fastest kind Of a trip I have ever had in T boat. I wasn't sick during the night but next morning. an hour after we stopped, I surely was sick.
 Arrive in Franco.
 "Wc were now in Le FIavre. Fr>ance They marched us to q big camp. where we met soldiers of every nation, in