Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-04-03


Will write you a letter endeavoring
to give You 2 little idea Of our Battal-
ions trip to France
On October II, we rolled our heavy
packs leaving Camp Colt, Pa, at 10
Pm. for Cannp Mills, L. l., 20 miles
from New York City. arriving on the
18th, tired but content After q strict
oversee physical examination and
close checking. and renewing of our
equipment we again rolled packs and
at New York, arriving on the 11th of
the same morning, swinging out at
S p. m. toward the deep blue Attain.
tic ocean 49, szssssss* zs.ssss
Must admit many of rs did not
enjoy much of the trip owing to sea-
sickness. To add to our discomfort
everyone was compelled to wear life.
preseryers when not in their berth
and Flu mask of gauze over the
nose and mouth with considerable dis.
comfort Good result followed. we
having only. a few influenza cases and
only one death on board When not
seasick we enjoyed the trip exceeding
" watching the waves as they tower
ed our big White Star Liner Megan-
ic to and fro, and our Convy contain.
ing % additional ships carrying
troops and provisions, all in close
proximity, was an interesting sight
A large American Cruiser and q cou-
pie of submarine chasers furnishers
additional protection together with
the one or even two six inch guns on
each merchant ship The weather was
fine and the sea smooth, the greater
part of the distance.
October 81, Thursday, after an
eleven day sea voyage, the Megantic
arrived at Liverpool and we embarked
at p M and started six mile hike
through the streets of Liverpool to an
English rest camp with our 60 pound
packs, and which we found adjoining
a park on a high hill and called
s|Knotty ASH, small city of tents
After stampeding the always present
and deeply valued ssYv tent, with it's
low prices and high quality sseats,
soft drinks, smokes" we collected at
the outskirts of the camp to inspect
the natives especially the e4fair ones''
Later two regiment of coIored Infan-
try passed by to their own reserved
section; with their splendid playing
so piece band, richly embroidered reg
imenal colors hanl<ed with American
flag, they marched proudly by. We
later learned they were only six weeks
trained Georgia negroes, indicating a
purpose to supply the allies plenty of
men quickly.
Early the next morning November
I, we boarded the small old style
English passenger train reserved for
US with LIST, End and 3rd class COM
partments holding eight persons, five
of these to each four wheeled car,
British military band played @eYanks
literature given each soldier and we
started on the little trip of Us miles
Saw enroute some very fine and well
cared for farming country, quaint in
teresting old villages and large man
ufacturing places. Arriving at six in
the evening at the ancient city of Win
chester, we detrained and hiked over
the steepest of hills over three miles
of muddy roads to another crest
camp" Wlnnall Down. After spend
ing two days and nights in comfort
able barracks we pulled out early Sun
day morning, November 3rd for
Southampton, some 20 miles distant,
where we left at o'clock that even
ing on the speedy little American
coast ship, (Yale) (23 knots) for La
Harve, France just before embark
ing we saw the monster ship OIym-
P1AAAS, SiSeSE snip 10 tk19 III IaG90 IL
tanic, pull out for New York
I November 4, early Monday morn
ing we d1sernbarHxe3 from the Yale
and stepped onto French soil We
climbed long four mile hill of La
Harve to- the English operated rest
camp (IaHarve No. IL. Two inter
esting days were spent among sol
diers of every nation including Ger
man war prisoners watched by rs
| with keen interest
Tuesday night, November 6, found
us starting our last long ride for the
American front near Be1fort, in the
Doughboys Pullman French car
that had the printed words to the
| effect OF horse capaciy or 40 sol
dlers- i assure you that it was well
filled by 40 of us using it as a diner
sitting room and sleeper together
i Il