Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-01-30

lul SlSnC 10 see the Dig steel boat out
Of water. 1t looked like mountain.
We disembarked the next day and pa
raded through Liverpool and then
took the London & Northwestern rail
way to Winchester. This was our first
ride in an European railway carriage
and it did seem queer The doors on
the side instead of at the end afforded
, amusement for the fellows. The rail
way employees wear uniforms much
like. soldiers, and when they want
the train TO start, they blow little
whistle. We little knew how many
times we would hear that whistle be-
fore we could make Kaiser Bill real
[ lie that we had a better war machine
than his own.
! One of the big cities we passed
through on our way from Liverpool
to Winchester was Birmingham. We
also passed within three miles of
London. We spent week at Win
chester, which we named Cheese
camp" because we had cheese most
every day there.
Our next stop was Southampton,
where we embarked on the Austro1and,
British cattle boat, and started down
the river, dropping anchor at Ports
mouth. We finally got started on our
voyage across the English channel,
but were only a short distance outside
the harbor when we got mixed up in
the mine fields and had to turn back.
I never will forget that night. There
were battleships. cruisers, submarines
and submarine destroyers there, and
they were sending commands by fash
light, Whistles, wireless, and when In
close contact, verbally. Guns were
firing everywhere, and ii just seemed
as though the whole "fuss" was being
fought out in that harbor. remen1
Der it ali as if it were yesterday, al
though I have added two service
stripes and a wound stripe since. AS
I lay there On the floor of little Ford
top deck Of the ship, the little canvas
sides on the ford seemed to afford
much protection against the shells,
which I expected to come my way at
any time. Guns and flashlights seemed
to fash everywhere, and the sky
seemed on fire. Then occasionally
would come bI1cKness. Curiosigg
finally overcame fear, and I began to
enjoy all the fuss which, four months
later would have seemed mild affair
to me. From my ''Back Of the home
pIats seat" I could see everything:
The Battle ragged on Until finally, With
out further developments, thea growl
of tire smoke wagons j ed away, anu
the Battle wSS over. Perry had not
given UP the Ford truck and the enemy
was defeated
We weighed anchor and Startes7 for"
the French shore, but were forced to
to, our berth in the protested.
harbor. We stayed there all that
night and al the next day The fol-
lowing night we started. cut U"'te1'
cover OF darkness, Our voyage was
free from Shelf fire, though we: en-
countered a roggt sea. OGr boat Was
much smaller dhan the Ggre on which
we crossed the Atlantic. Lots Of fell
lows who Kept their luncn' down eDTn-
ing over lost tt crossing the channel
We landed al the h4rhoF Of lie
Havre, France, disenLbarked and
marched up to a camp OE a hill uESt
above the city H2yre rs Il beautifut
city and filled with mora historic. in
terest than any I have seen sin0G@2 T.
left that Old home town Of mine.
We were only in Hayre q coupler OF
days and then were introduced to- tEae9
French freight car, which,, carries a
sign which seemed very queer to3' us
at first, But which is no wvery fa4mfl-
lar: "Hommes 40, CheyalIE g. mean
ing, in English, men 40, Horses s. We
were "'roekiesr" to this new modE& OF
travel and did not know how to make
ourselves comfortable. We spent two
days and, two nights Inv the little car,
which was just about lralf the size OF
our cars back home. On the ohird
day, we detrafned at q little town by
the maine of Guer. Tine French peo-
pie served us with hoe coffee and APP
ples. We started on e fve-mile hike
from here. but as we are in France
now, Z should not say miles, but,
should reckon distance as the French
do, in kifometers.
We found cur barracks late in the
evening, and if l ever enjoyed sleep
in my life. it was that night. We We're
all tired after our long trip and went
to bed early.
We were up early the next morning
to learn little Of the history of this
strange French camp. First of all, we
found that we were in the extreme
northwestern corner of France and
that the stone barracks where We had
slept the night before had once fur
nished shelter for NapoEeonNs artillery
men. Before we knew it we were FIR
ing the French IS" with as much
ease as we had fred the U. S. 3-inch
piece. We were now under direct
preparation for the big event ahead
of us. We were issued French horses,
which we tried to teach the American
way OF the game, but instead, they