Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-17
An American Doughboy
In France
Ry ELLIOTT +. HOFFMAN
Historian of Alexandria Post No.
"a, American Legion.)
Cor the Alexandria .Gazette.)
CHRISTMAS ON THE RHINE

After spending number of days
in the Treves Hospital we were
moved to the recreation ward. Here
the days passed more pleasantly
with light exercises to relieve the
tedium and hot cakes, candy and
other goodies supplied by the
American Red Cross, (they had
hut in the hospital grounds) making
this time of real pleasure. We mao
interesting entertainments here too:
every Monday and Friday night.
These were made possible by having
some former actors among those
who were recuperating in the hos
pital, as very few of the A. E. F.
theatrical circuit came up as far az
the Occupation Area" There were
dances given by the Red Cross but
they were, for the most part, for Of
ficers only, the occasional ones given
for the men in the ranks being un-
satisfactory because of certain army
regulations.
Christmas Day found us as mem
bers of the Postal Express Service in
the city of Treves. 1t was just the
kind of Christmas we like to read
about and see-beautiful snow cap
ping all the trees, sleigh bells ring
ing and spirit of happiness bright
ening the faces of everybody.
Our mess sergeant secured from
the Red Cross a Christmas tree with
the necessary trimmings for it. and
when we entered the "shack" for
breakfast on Christmas morning we
found it all "dolled up" for US. There
was AN abundance Of rasins, nuts,
and candy, sent over by the Amer
lean Red Cross for our Christmas
After breakfast, the sergeant announ
ced that the Salvation Army, the
Red Cross, and the Knights Of Co,
lumbus each had present for every
boy who would come for it. Our
commanding officer permitted each
soldier to be off duty one hour that
day in order that he might go. for
his presents.
At the Red Cross we received an
all wool sweater, handkerchief. a
box OF chocolate, a package of cigar
cites, and a stocking full of nuts.
The Salvation Army served most
delicious doughnuts and coffee, while
the X. Of C. presented US with a
package of cigarettes, and can OF
tobacco, giving out pipes as long as
they lasted. The Y. NJ. G. A. also
gave us a present, but just what it
was the writer failed to record. All
the welfare organizations worked
hard to make "home" Christmas
for the men of the army. And so
Christmas on the Rhine was at least
bearable.
We spent the succeeding months
in various kinds of work such as
guard duty, drilling and the like,
looking forward each day to the an
nouncement of the date we were to
sail for home The Chicago Tribune
got out, what they termed tout de
suite edition of that paper. 1t car
ried headlines in big, bold type,
which read,-"Get the Boys Home
Tout de Suite" it was source of
great inspiration to the troops, for
they were made to feel that their |
stay on foreign soil could surely not
be much longer.
On March 25h General Pershing
issued an order directing the return
Of all members OF the 10Th ana 42nd
Divisions on detached duty to their |
original. commands. Accordingly |
those Of us at Trer were given one
loaf of bread. can of tomatoes
and one pound of corned beef. with
travel orders to proceed to Neider
Zissen, where our company was sta
toned.
On April 7th army trucks arrived
and on the morning Of the Sth the
inhabitants of that village turned
out to watch us take leave.
They were doubtless as glad to see
us go as we were to leave that place
At Zinziz we boarded American
box cars, 42 men to a car, and were
thus transported to Brest, where we
arrived four days later, and were
assigned to tents at Camp Ponanezan