Chapter 4

June 10, 1918 

The roaring of the big guns at the front awakens us at 4 a. m. The artillery men on both sides are giving each other the regular morning's "straffing." This firing lasts until after 5 a. m. and then ceases. After breakfast the first sergeant forms the company and reads a new regimental order to us, which deals mainly with the articles of clothing we are to keep and the articles we are to turn in. After this order has been read the company is dismissed and the fellows begin to turn in all extra equipment, at a place designated and soon a large pile of this is lying piled up. It takes all the morning to complete this task. After dinner the company is formed and marched to a place in Calais about two miles from camp, where we turn our rifle and bayonet and ammunition over to the ordnance department. This done the company is marched to another place nearer camp and are issued British rifles and bayonets in the place of the ones we have just turned over to the ordnance department. Scores of large and small cannon are lined up in two lines near us and French women are cleaning and oiling them. It takes nearly an hour for us to get our new rifle and bayonet. After getting these we march back to camp, being excused for the day. The British rifle we have just been issued is lighter and shorter than the American and the bayonet is practically the same. It can be fired 10 times while the American could only be fired five. Late in the afternoon, after I have finished supper, I stroll down toward where we landed, but just as I was nearly there an M. P. (military policeman) stops me and asks for my pass, which I do not have, so I have to turn around and go back to camp. A little canal runs alongside of the road and along this canal are scores of anti-aircraft guns camouflaged and guarded by French soldiers. These guns are kept in readiness to give the "Jerries" (German airmen) a warm reception any time they come over. Upon my return to camp I find the fellows as usual congregated in small groups discussing the latest happenings. The search-lights do not scour the sky as usual after dark. We "turn in" wondering what the morrow has in store for us.

 June 11, 1918 

In the morning our C. O. makes a general inspection of our equipment and has the sergeants to make a check of each man's clothing and other articles. He finds after the check up that each one has nearly all the equipment he is due. After dinner the company is formed and marched to a gas school, about seven kilometers away. Here we each one draw a gas mask and then get an hour's instruction and practice in how and when to use them. To start with an English corporal or sergeant (English non-coms are instructors at all of the army schools around and in Calais) takes charge of each platoon and explains the necessity of the mask, what gas is, and how it affects a fellow. Then we are told how to inspect the mask and how to wear it at the front. After this each platoon is drilled a few minutes with their masks on. Another short lecture and we are through with this school. On our way back to camp we stop at a supply dump and each man is issued a "tin bonnet" (steel helmet) and 150 rounds of ammunition. We reach camp a short while before supper. More soldiers are coming in and being quartered in our camp. We get supper at another mess hall. I leave camp after supper and stroll up a road along the canal. At a cross-roads I stop and talk with several Belgian soldiers who are able to speak and understand the English language. I enter into a conversation with three of them and they tell me how the Germans had overrun their country and other things a fellow did not see in the newspapers at the beginning of the war. The Belgians are repairing telephone wires destroyed by bombs and that need ordinary repairs. Leaving the Belgians I walk to where a German officers' prisoner-of-war cage is and though the guards do not allow me within several yards of this cage, I am able to see the Hun officers from where I am. They seem contented with their new life. I return to camp before sundown and soon go to bed as I am tired out.

June 12, 1918 

In the morning English non-coms instruct us in the use of the rifle, its make, how to fire it, and scores of other things a fellow should know about it. Imitation bullets are used in loading the rifle to show us how it is done. After this has been going on for a while we get orders from the C. O. to come in and roll packs. This done we get our mess kits and go for dinner and after finishing this we stack our arms in a line near the tents and wait for moving orders. We leave this rest camp at 12 moon and march to a railroad station three kilometers distance. Here we are served coffee and sandwiches by the E. F. C. (Expeditionary Forces Canteen). German prisoners are working near by on the tracks about the station. After finishing my sandwich I walk over to where they are working and watch them. Three English soldiers are with them, two being guards and the other one the "overseer," who tells the German interpreter what he wants them to do. The German non-coms do nothing while the other prisoners take their time. I attempt to talk with one of the Germans but a guard intervenes and a crowd of us fellows are ordered back by one of our own officers. While we are watching the Germans a Red Cross train loaded with wounded from the front passes by. The train is headed for the docks where it will unload its wounded. The wounded are then loaded on channel hospital boats and carried to England. The Germans stop work and gaze at the train as it passes. It brings to us the realization that we are nearing the firing line, where all of the great battles have and are being fought. Our train comes in at 3 p. m. and instead of Pullman cars like we used in the States going from Camp Sevier to Camp Mills in, there were box cars that had been used to carry horses to the front for the use of artillerymen and calvarymen and for the use of transport companies. We load on as soon as the train stops and start for "somewhere in France." The train makes slow time all the way to Quardillis, a little village about 12 kilometers away, where we unload and start on a hike, not having any idea where we are going. We hike about three kilometers and then fall out for a rest of 10 minutes. After hiking three more kilometers we stop in a large field near a cross road and pitch our "pup" tents. As soon as we get our tents up we go down to a nearby branch and wash our dirty hands and faces. Our kitchen supplies are not long in coming up and soon a meal is cooking. Supper finished we all go to bed as we are tired out from the hike.

 June 13, 1918 

Eight a. m. find us on the hike again hiking with full packs. Before leaving every one is told to fill his canteen with water as we have a long hike ahead. We are on the hike all of the morning and nearly half of the afternoon before we reach our destination, the little village of Herbinghen. The distance of this hike, according to our maps, is 18 kilometers (one kilometer equals five-eights of a mile). Here we unsling our packs while waiting for dinner to be prepared by the cooks and while the officers locate billets for us. Dinner is soon ready for us all the cooks have to do is to open a few cans of pork and beans and cut a thin slice of bread for each man. After this meal is finished we are billeted by squads and platoons in old French barns, that the horses and cows have just been moved from in order to make room for us. We are able to secure some straw from an old French farmer and soon we have our beds made. But before we had an opportunity to try them out we are formed in line and marched down to the kitchen for supper-one hard tack, potatoes, corn willie, and a little coffee. It is a light supper but the French civilians have less than that. For curiosity more than anything else I go to an estaminent [sic] and watch a family eat their supper-bread, butter and beer. A Frenchman always has his cellar where he keeps plenty of beer and other drinks. They do not believe in drinking water at their meals or hardly anywhere else. The French seem to take a great interest in us. Though we cannot understand their language and they cannot understand ours, we can, by signs, make ourselves understood when buying anything. If we want eggs the most popular way of getting them is to cackle. If it happens to be pork, we want we grunt and squeal like a pig and the pork is forthcoming. But it is hard to get any pork in the village, eggs and drinks being the only two things that we can buy and use. Two little boys who live next to our barn take a great interest in us and enjoy playing with us in our games. We are not long in becoming great friends. The little boys will go buy eggs for us and also drinks. We are gradually learning the French people and their ways.