River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-02-20

Mrs. Geo. Simpson and Miss
Janet Wells.
Corporal Wells, after course of
instruction in police duty, was as
signed to Military Police duty in
Treves, Germany, and in letter to
his sister, written just before he
left Autun, France, describes his
equipment with two suits of 0. DIS
(olive drab); three suits Of winter
underwear, a campaign hat with a
red hat cord, two pairs Of spiral
puttees, a leather vest, an overcoat,
pistol belt and holster and As calibre
Colts" automatic. They wear
patch of red flannel under each
collar button, and each man has a
black flannel brassard with the
letters m. P" printed in red. This
is worn on the left arm, when they
are on duty. The IN. P" stands
for Military Police, but a French
girl has different meaning for it.
She says it stands for "Mademoiselle
Promenade"
Treves, Germany
Jan. 10, 1919.
Dear Mother and Sisters
We were IN Autun, France. when
last wrote you | am hoping to
hear from you as soon as our mail
regulations get established here.
We had most interesting trip on
the way to this place. January 10,
about one O'Clock we entrained at
Autun in 3rd class coaches. These
coaches are divided up into compart-
ments. Six men besides myself were
in one room and we had plenty of
room during the day time Each
compartment had rations for four
days-six loaves Of bread, ten cans
of corned beef hash, two cans of
beans, two cans of jam and six cans
Of tomatoes was what we had to get
away with and we couldn't do it.
We travelled through the towns
Of St.Lege ,SouilIy Epinaf LesMines.
Neuilly and Chauny. In the evening
| was called out of our coach by Sgt.
Hines. He had accidentally seen
Jim Flint Of River Falls doing NE. P.
duty in the Ry. yards. We had quite
talk with him. Tell his folks that
we found him well. do not be-
iieve we moved any during the night,
but we started early in the morning,
and during the forenoon we passed
through the city Of DIXON in East
ern France 1t is large Ry. center.
Our next stop during the day was
at Is sue Tile. Here we detrained
and marched to what we heard was
the second la gest American camp
in France. We were served coffee
cheese sandwiches and chocolate bars
by the Red Cross. We had supper
at the same place and spent the
night in the coaches. We made 8
very comfortable bed out of some
cushions which we had taken from
some first-class coaches.
During Sunday, Jan. Il, we passed
through the cities of Boulogne
PREF SIS has fauche and some others
and finally arrived at the city OF
Toul about p. M. Here we turned
in what rations we had left and de.
trained. We marched to an Ameri
can camp and were billeted in 6
large stone building. At 3:45 p. m
we were issued hot meal and after
hearing a short sermon at the Y. M
G A. and seeing some moving pic.
lures in the evening, we went tc
bed.
We entrained at 1000 a. m. Jan
13 in German coaches, which are
very similar to the French coaches
We were issued rations and pulled
out of the station at lips a. M
The city of Toul had never beer
shelled, to my knowledge, but thou.
sands of American troops have pass.
ed through there on their way to the
front. We passed through some
rather billy country during the dag
and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon we
crossed the boundry line of France
into Alsace Lorraine. This territory