PART I

_With the Roosevelt Hospital Unit_

1917

_June 30th._ At last, after six weeks' waiting and more or less

uncertainty of the time of departure, the call has come in the form of

"Confidential Order No. 5" from the War Department. Hustle into uniform

and report for duty to Major Hansell at Roosevelt Hospital. We are told

to go home and report again Sunday, July 1st.

_July 1st._ It really looks like business. The courtyard of the

Hospital is full of enlisted men having their outfits handed out to

them. The whole dispensary is littered with coats, trousers, blankets,

etc. The men are having identification discs given them and are packing

their kits and rolling blankets. They are really a fine-looking lot

of men, and from their general appearance a good many college men are

among them.

We are told that we are really going to sail the following morning,

and that we must go home, pack and have everything on the pier (Pier

60) before sundown that night. Max is packing my things for me--an

officer's trunk, a Gladstone bag and a canvas roll with poncho blankets

and a "Gold Medal" canvas cot. We hustle them down to Pier 60 and

leave them standing there with a feeling that they will not be seen

again, as the whole pier is a mass of motor trucks and boxes of every

description. We are to sail on the S.S. "Lapland" on the south side of

the pier. The "Baltic" has just docked and is discharging cargo at a

tremendous rate. The rattle of the winches is deafening and there are

literally hundreds of stevedores at work.

With a silent farewell my baggage is left, and then back to the house

where Helen and I lunch and start for Mt. Kisco for the afternoon.

One still feels terribly conscious and queer in uniform. My memory

keeps going back to the days when Rob and I enlisted for the Spanish

War, a thousand little details keep coming up that I had long

forgotten. Camp Alger and its chaos, Newport News, and the transport

"Mississippi" and all its horrors.

_July 2nd._ The order was to assemble at the Hospital at eight a.m. I

got there at 8:20 and everything was stirring. There is really nothing

for the majority of the officers to do. Rolfe Floyd is the busy one.

The regular Army men, Major Hansell in charge, and his Adjutant,

Captain Trinder, seem most efficient. They have really handled the

whole affair wonderfully, never once getting excited and every one

asking them hundreds of foolish questions. The amateur soldier is

really a horrible thing. No one can appreciate the difference between

military and civil life who has not tried them both.

The enlisted men leave on sight-seeing coaches at 9:30, after a

preliminary line-up in the courtyard, and cheers for Colonel Mackay and

every one connected with the outfit. The officers get down as best they

can, so I go down in Dr. Dowd's motor with Floyd, arriving on the pier

at ten a.m.

The "Lapland" has been painted war gray and is fitted with a new

mine-sweeping device, of which more later. There was quite a crowd of

people down there to see us off. Mrs. Vanderbilt, Clarence Mackay,--and

dozens of others whom I do not know. Except for the uniforms and the

gray paint on the ship, it seems just like a summer vacation trip. Our

baggage is wonderfully handled and everything put on board in the same

manner as in peace times. We are supposed to sail at twelve sharp. The

heat is intolerable. Our staterooms are fine; No. 33, upper deck room.

My lot was first cast with the Chaplain, but I told him McWilliams and

I were old Spanish War veterans, and so he let McWilliams bunk with me.

At one o'clock we are still at the pier. Two hundred and sixty-five,

or some such number, of cots have not appeared and our indefatigable

Quartermaster Ward will not leave without them, so sweat on, and the

poor devils who came down to the pier wait on!

About three thirty the cots are stowed on board, the whistle sounds

long blasts, the hawsers are cast off, and the thud of the great

engines begins. The crowd rush down to the end of the pier, where many

have waited since nine thirty in the morning apparently without any

lunch. They must be nearly dead.

The thrill of other voyages comes back so vividly to my mind as the

great ship slowly warps out into mid-channel, but I am alone now and

all is so different, yet it is hard to realize it and I cannot help

feeling it must be a great big holiday--the harbor seems so bright, gay

and peaceful. We steam at a snail's pace down the bay, and in front of

the Battery the ship seems to float for ten minutes or so, the engines

just turning over. Officers, nurses and men gaze on the tall buildings

as if they were things of stupendous beauty. Each man seems to identify

some building that he knows about, or has worked in. I know none of

them, and try to locate the Barclay Building, but cannot.

Finally we slip by the Battery, Governors Island and into the Lower

Bay. The waters seem crowded with shipping, the Dutch and English flags

being especially in evidence. There is one converted German steamer

flying the American flag. The "Vaterland" was lying quietly at her pier.

The glasses Mr. Bird gave me were a source of great fun in trying to

pick out the details of the ships. They practically all had stern guns,

and the Dutch ships had great spears of national colors all over their

sides. Off Tompkinsville, or rather St. George's, Staten Island, we

passed the Dreadnought "Kansas," her decks crowded with jackies in

white duck. She looked awfully spick and span.

Just below Tompkinsville we went through the opening in the net. One

could see distinctly the large buoys that marked its position, and the

small blocks that separated it. At the opening a Monitor lay anchored

and there were several motor-boats, of about forty to sixty feet long,

with big markings of "S.P. No. so and so." It was the first real

realization of war I had felt, and it gave one quite a little thrill.

Steaming more rapidly down the channel now and passing numerous

tugboats apparently commandeered for patrol duty. Finally the pilot

boat comes in sight and the pilot slips down the side into the little

rowboat. Full steam ahead is given and we at last feel the motion of

the long Atlantic sweep.

_July 3rd._ First day at sea and beautiful weather! The food and

service are excellent. The whole ship is run in the usual routine

manner, and it is increasingly hard to believe that the sea is filled

with pirates bent on our destruction, or that we are on war bent. The

nurses have taken off their street uniforms and donned summer girl

clothes, which further adds to the delusion of a holiday excursion.

At noon General Headquarters are established in the foyer on Deck

4, with typewriters clicking away. There is much issuing of order

and proclamation. McWilliams is made officer of the day and totes a

cumbersome revolver lent him by Floyd and which is the badge of office.

Captain Trinder, the Adjutant--a bully fellow full of punch and

go--gave the officers a talk on some of the elements of their duty in

the lounge room, and was listened to with marked attention as every one

is keen about mastering the details of his work.

Thousands of questions are asked about the most elementary details,

because we are an absolutely ignorant lot as far as the military end is

concerned. What little drill knowledge I picked up in the Troop or in

the Spanish War has absolutely vanished.

An edict has been put out from G. H. Q. that no rum is to be sold on

board and we are reduced to ginger ale and soda water. I managed to

pinch just one cocktail the first night, and it was good.

The afternoon dragged along. We were ordered to get out life-preservers

and carry them with us wherever we go. This is an absolute rule and we

cannot be separated from them for an instant. The officers and men walk

around with the preservers strapped to their backs, carrying them even

to meals, where one kicks them under the table between one's feet while

eating.

The rubber suits were gotten out and fixed on. I don't believe they can

ever be adjusted in a general excitement which is bound to ensue in a

smash-up, and then besides if there is any leak in the rubber, such as

a pin prick, they would slowly fill with water. I shall depend on the

old life-preserver.

The night is wonderful. Officers and nurses sit on deck singing. And

they sing well. A beautiful full moon.

_July 4th._ My turn as officer of the day which, among its other

duties, entailed dragging around "Rollo" Floyd's Colt automatic,

and this blunderbuss grew heavier each hour of the day, so that by

night-time it weighed nothing less than a ton. Was given a detail of

twenty men out of which I appointed, as per instructions, two Acting

Sergeants, one day and one night; two guards were assigned to Q. M.

Ward; three to Headquarters and six to prison guard. It being a holiday

the Headquarters and Q. M. guard were dismissed at noon, the prison

guard being the only one maintained.

Visiting our only prisoner, I found him to be a clean-cut, alert man

of apparently more than average intelligence. I made the poor devil as

comfortable as possible, but was obliged to go through his baggage in

search of any incriminatory evidence and to take any weapons away from

him. These consisted of three razors, which were turned over to H. Q.

Thompson, the prisoner, is, I believe, an actor--probably a super. He

expressed a strong desire for a bible, so sent him the Chaplain later.

He thanked me very profusely for this. I exceeded orders and allowed

him to be on deck four hours, instead of two, as the day was stifling

and his cabin not the coolest place in the world.

At night all singing was stopped as they say sound carries for a long

distance over the water.

The life boats have all been swung out and men assigned to them. I am

commanding officer of boat No. 21, starboard side, or the alternate No.

22, port side. Which boat is launched depends upon which side we are

struck and how the ship lists.

Being the Fourth of July the dinner had an extra course and a few extra

British and American flags about. In the evening we assembled in the

Second Cabin for a smoker, only no one was allowed to smoke as all

ports being closed you could cut the atmosphere. However, cigars and

cigarettes were passed around and, I suppose, were used later. We had

the usual burst of song, but it was such a beautiful warm night with

a full moon that every one hurried on deck. I made my last round at

eleven p.m. and turned in for a sound night's sleep.

_July 5th._ Another wonderful, hot day with only a mere ripple on the

ocean. I turned over the old shooting iron to Floyd, and was jolly well

glad to be rid of it. We have boat drill at ten a.m. I am captain of my

boat. The orders are that in case of torpedo we man the starboard side

first; if the ship is so listed that we cannot launch that side we take

the port side. My boats are 21 starboard and 22 alternate port. I have

three lieutenants and fifteen men besides certain members of the ship's

crew. My boat is farthest astern; we are cut off from all commands on

the bridges, and if we have to go over will practically have to work on

my own initiative.

At four p.m. the stern gun fired three practice shots at a smoke

target. The target was allowed to float about a mile leeward. The

first shot was over, but the second and third were bull's-eyes. It was

very pretty to see the shell ricochet. It made thin splashes in the

water. In one it was markedly deflected to the left.

No smoking on decks after nightfall, and the smoking-room is so hot

with everything locked up that one rather went without than sit

indoors. It was a beautiful moonlit night and Russell and I sat on

deck till twelve p.m., then turned in where I found McWilliams snoring

peacefully.

_July 6th._ An uneventful day. Trinder is drilling the officers for an

hour each afternoon. The parson tried to talk philosophy with me in

the cabin. I was tired and these old sex problems bore me to death.

He has just read one volume of Havelock Ellis and heard a lecture on

psycho-analysis and is full of it. I told him the only philosophy I had

was "live and let live," and all this analysis of a man's daily action

was a damned bore as far as I was concerned. He left me in a huff. He

is just bristling with uplift, but on the whole a good fellow.

Turned in about eleven and read "Captains Courageous" for a couple of

hours, but got dreaming about subs and could not sleep. The ship's

company on the whole seem more or less concerned, but all keep

cheerful. My only hope is, that if anything happens, I won't lose my

head.

_July 7th._ A cold, gray day, but a very pleasant change after the past

six days of suffocation. General inspection in flannel shirts at nine

a.m., and it was cold standing around. It was the first time I had

seen the men all drawn up together and they looked well. The parson is

peeved. He would hardly speak to me this morning, but it will probably

wear off in time. This is an awfully good, tame crowd. There is none

of the old freebooter spirit we had in '98. All older is probably the

answer. But even the younger men are very quiet.

The nurses had a party. There were shrieks of laughter until late in

the night.

_July 8th._ No drills nor work to-day. It is cloudy and very cold. At

ten forty-five Divine Service on deck. All the enlisted men, nurses

and officers were present. The service was quiet, impressive and very

earnest. The tension is growing hourly.

At five p.m. all the boat commanders were summoned to Colonel Winter's

room to talk over final arrangements for boat personnel. They have not

swung my boats out yet, although I have spoken several times to Trinder

about it. They say that part of the ship is so much lower that if a sea

kicked up they would have to swing them in again. I certainly have a

mean station.

At four p.m. we officers had a voluntary drill. I got a good bath

afterwards. It may be the last for several days, as it is suggested

that no one wants to get caught with clothes off. A good many men are

sleeping partially dressed to-night. The rumor is, to-morrow we _wear_

preservers, not _carry_ them, and the time at meals is to be reduced to

a minimum. We all sat around in the smoking-room this afternoon. The

conversation was largely on submarines and army life. Colonel Winter

tried to put a bit of cheer into things with a few stories, but it was

hard. Outside the moon is trying to struggle out, the sea is dead calm,

and the ship is bleak as perdition. No ports or ventilators are allowed

to be opened. Fortunately, it is cold.

_July 9th._ A day really of terrible suspense. We are in the danger

zone. The life-boats have been partially lowered over the side. Every

conceivable precaution is being taken. The nurses' suits are all laid

out on deck. Every one is strung up to the breaking point. All the

enlisted men have been moved up. Many are sleeping on deck.

About five p.m. the Captain began his zig-zag course, making

wide sweeps every five or ten minutes. There were rumors that a

torpedo-boat would turn up late this afternoon, but now, at eleven

p.m., there is nothing in sight. And with it all it is the most

beautiful night ever conceived. A little moon half on the wane came

peeping up out of a bank of clouds, about ten thirty, making its silver

path of light and doubtless silhouetting us clearly against the sky.

Passed a small freighter lower on the horizon before dinner. Everything

is scanned with most suspicious glances and carefully shunned. Well,

here it goes for a few hours' sleep, or an attempt at it, for it's up

at the first break of dawn.

_July 10th._ Jim woke me a little before four a.m. We went out on deck.

A beautiful morning with the sun just rising. Peck was there and Miss

Francis, the head nurse, had been sitting up all night. She looked it.

I took a few turns and then turned in till eight thirty.

Nothing of any particular interest, except we sighted another C. P.

boat with a torpedo-boat escort. It was curious to watch her. First she

was on one side and then the other. The zigzagging gets one completely

confused as to position.

About six this evening a speck on the horizon and we break our number

from the fore truck and in a few minutes we come in plain view of our

convoy. She is a torpedo-boat destroyer, No. 38, with the "Stars and

Stripes" flying astern. We had a feeling of great relief. We gave her a

hearty cheer. To bed now and clothes off.

_July 11th._ Woke up and climbed out on deck at three fifteen. Light

was just breaking and every one was on the qui vive. Watched the

serpentine for a bit and then turned in again and had a good snooze

till Eddie, the bath steward, routed me out for a plunge. Last wash on

board; we go dirty to-morrow, and then a good fresh-water tub and soap.

Our destroyer was changed during the night. The rumor is that 38 went

in assistance to some other ship that was below us in our vicinity.

There are surprisingly few boats seen--two sailboats, a trawler, and

one large steamer is preceding us. Just after lunch a large French

dirigible circled over us. She has been hovering around since early

morning, presumably looking for subs.

It is pack up to-night and if we have luck we shall land early in the

a.m. About eight p.m. we sight the lighthouse off the bar, but cannot

cross until high tide on account of the risk of striking a mine.

_July 12th._ On deck a little before seven when we cross the bar and

proceed slowly up the Mersey and drop anchor before the quay where

we wait for over two hours for the boarding officers. They arrive

after a long wait. Everyone is herded in the lounge where a captain

and three corporals go over all our papers and ask us if we carry any

correspondence.

We disembark at noon. Then a short walk through the town with Peck,

Russell, etc., hunting for a cable office. I suppose all my letters

will be censored out of shape as I wrote fully describing the voyage.

Major Keating met us at the wharf. He is the officer in charge of

embarkation, a perfect type of the English gentleman. Lunch on ship and

are entrained for Southampton direct, much to our disgust, for every

one was hoping for at least one day in London. The nurses are held over

in Liverpool for a tea or something; every one is most courteous.

The train was scheduled to leave at two thirty p.m., but when made up

did not have sufficient room for officers, so three-quarters of an hour

delay while another first-class carriage is hunted up, but every one

takes it very casually and Major Keating chats very pleasantly with

us all. Finally the extra carriage arrives and we are loaded. Men are

loaded third class and we go first. Everything is conducted in an

orderly fashion with an eye to comfort. But it seems so strange to be

here and traveling under these conditions and in uniform.

The train travels slowly with numerous stops, by Crewe, Stafford,

Birmingham. At each stop all the men pile out and rush for the

refreshment counter, much to the confusion of the placid females

who try to attend to them in their leisurely fashion. They call for

American drinks which the ladies have never heard of. A struggle with

the money. I know they think we are a bunch of lunatics.

The liquor laws are very strict and appear very sensible. They allow

the sale of liquors and beer for two hours in the middle of the day and

for one half hour in the evening. No flasks can be sold from Thursday

night till Monday, so no man can take a supply home for consumption

over Saturday and Sunday.

At a little after midnight we reach Southampton and are met by

General Balfour and his staff. The General has charge of the port of

Southampton and is responsible for practically all the embarkation of

troops and supplies for the seat of war.

The General conducted us personally to the Northwestern Hotel where we

had the most comfortable quarters. A cold supper was waiting and the

closing law was waived. I had a good pint of ale. It was good after a

long hard day of travel.

The country was as wonderful as ever, but in place of the flower

gardens one saw nothing but vegetables. We came down via Oxford and

saw many stretches of the Thames. It made me homesick because of the

pleasant days spent at Maidenhead with Helen in 1914.

Will now continue with our arrival. The poor enlisted men were marched

three and a half miles to a camp which they reached at three a.m. Floyd

and Cave accompanied them.

_July 13th._ It was ten o'clock when I awoke. The first real night's

sleep in over a week. Wonderful beds and a good bath made everything

bright. Breakfast with Martin on war bread (whole wheat) and coffee,

with usual accompaniments of boiled milk. Sugar is doled out like gold.

Some of the officers went up to see the men in camp, but I toddled

around the town and saw the old wall. It seems that the "Mayflower"

sailed from here, and there is a monument to Elder Brewster of Scrooby

and John Alden and others of that merry party. After that wandered

around town, bought some puttees and a penknife. Met some of the others

and lunched at the "Dolphin," a typical old-time inn.

The food laws are really strict, but then one gets all one needs. The

meat allowance per meal is something like five ounces as it comes from

the butcher, which means about three and a half ounces when served.

At three p.m. embarked on the tender which is to take us out to the

hospital ship which is to run us across to Havre. We first run across

to another quay where we are to pick up the nurses who are due to

arrive at five forty-five. While waiting, General Balfour came down

again in his little yellow car and showed us the medal struck off in

Germany to commemorate the sinking of the "Lusitania." On the front

side was a ship going down by the bow, with guns and aeroplanes on

hand. On the reverse side was the Cunard ticket office with a skeleton

selling tickets. The exact inscription I cannot remember, but it meant

the desire for gain on the Cunard's part was the only consideration for

selling tickets.

The nurses arrive in a flurry of excitement, having had the time of

their lives. They were given the freedom of the theaters at Liverpool

and were cheered as they entered, and a lunch at the Savoy where they

all agreed they were wonderfully fêted. Interesting stories of our

ocean voyage were told them by Major Keating after we left.

It seems that the destroyer No. 38 sunk a sub two hours before meeting

us. They also confirmed the report that the "Coyote" was sunk sixteen

miles ahead of us at one thirty a.m. It also seems that Pershing's

force was attacked by what is said to be a veritable sub flotilla, and

why none was sunk was just devilish good luck.

Steam about four miles down the harbor to the "Grand Tulley Castle."

She is officially E-812, as all the boats are numbered now; the former

names having been painted over. She was formerly in the African trade.

Quarters are somewhat cramped, but she is as clean and comfortable

as one could wish. There is an operating theater on the forward main

deck, and between-decks are converted into wards. She is in command

of Major W. V. Robinson, R.A.M.C. The officers are all very agreeable

men and are doing everything to make us comfortable. No one can begin

to realize what England is doing who has not seen the activity of

Southampton. Just after we got on board two big transports passed us

loaded with troops, it was said, for Mesopotamia.

_July 14th._ All day at anchor. No one allowed to leave the steamer.

The papers came on board in the morning. Towards sundown two more

transports leave again filled with troops.

We all jumped overboard for a swim in the afternoon. Concert in the

evening by the men of the ship with ours. Every one seemed to have a

good time.

The sunset was wonderful and the twilight lasted for nearly two hours.

_July 15th._ Still at anchor with no news of our departure. Major

Robinson tried to get permission for the officers to visit Nutley

Hospital, but only succeeded in getting it for six, so the high ones

went--and said it was very interesting.

At four p. m. weigh anchor, put out the mine-sweeper and are off,

escorted by two torpedo-boats which put out from Portsmouth. We pass

through the nets and around the Western part of the Isle of Wight.

Through the glasses Cowes looks absolutely deserted; the bath houses

are pulled back on the beach and, although it is a Sunday in midsummer,

one cannot see a child playing on the sands. This is equally true of

the beaches around Southampton, of which there are five or six.

It is blowing a hard gale from the south. Orders are--sleep in clothes

and wear life-preservers. The run is considered dangerous. There are

many mine-sweepers at work around us.

_July 16th._ We dock at the old Compagnie Générale Transatlantique

pier, most of which is turned into a hospital. More waiting and while

we wait a trainload of wounded arrive and are carried in litters aboard

the ship. I hear no complaint. Most of the men are smoking cigarettes.

After several hours of cooling our heels we are told to go to the Hotel

Moderne by the French Commandant. Havre is entirely taken over by

the British. Most of the tram-cars are run by Tommies and the city is

policed by them. The men doing police duty walk in pairs, wear a red

band around their hats and have a brassard on the arm with "M. P." and

are a fine looking lot. The Moderne is an easy third-rate hotel. Am

rooming with McWilliams.

In the early evening the Commandant calls again and tells us we are to

proceed to Vittel by a slow train. It is most disappointing as I had

hoped for a few days in Paris, especially as we had been sidetracked

from London. At the instigation of Major Bruce we proceeded to the

État Major of the Havre district, who finally agreed to telephone

to American headquarters at Paris. The answer comes that our orders

are absolute; that we were to embark at eight p. m. The train would

leave at nine p. m. and we would be approximately forty-eight hours en

route--no arrangements for sleeping or anything. The officers for which

I arrange had packages of two eggs, 400 grams of bread and 100 grams

of cheese. So we start off. A few Red Cross Frenchwomen and some men,

together with the French Commander and a file of about twelve soldiers

come down to see us off. The soldiers present arms, the Red Cross

ladies hand us a small nosegay of sweet peas, a small box of grapes is

entrusted to Henry Cave, and the train snorts out. The men go third

class, the nurses second class, officers first class, and we all go

like hogs!

While at Havre, Russell, McWilliams, James and a few others motored

over to Étretat and saw Brewer, Darrach and his crowd. They are

delightfully situated. Saw Sally Strain and had a little chat with her.

Paul Draper was working in the outfit as an orderly. They took their

hospital over from the English who had everything working well and had

established a good precedent.

_July 17th._ In the words of the prophet, "The hell of a night." We

tried to doctor the seats so one could lie down, but your head would

always come out lower than your feet and there was little use in

trying. About two hours was the average, with a cold-gray-dawn feeling

as if one had been on an all-night debauch. There was no use trying to

wash, because there was nothing to wash in or with.

We opened the emergency package and had breakfast of hard-boiled eggs,

black bread and cheese. About six a. m. we pulled in to St. Lazaire

Station in Paris and in ten minutes were out again. Then backing and

filling for an hour when we landed at Noisy-le-Sec, nine kilometers

from Paris. There we were told by the lieutenant we had missed our

connection and would remain till two thirty.

Noisy-le-Sec is a poor working suburb of Paris. Just why we could

not have been left in Paris to have a comfortable breakfast is

probably unknown, except that when two alternatives are presented--a

comfortable, convenient one, or an uncomfortable, inconvenient

one--the rules of the game seem to be always to take the more

inconvenient of the two. There is apparently a lack of any definite

plan for us.

We foraged around Noisy, got a good bath and managed, for an exorbitant

price, to obtain a fair déjeuner in a small workingman's restaurant

which was filled with military.

As one travels through the country the results of the war are very

apparent. The countryside is deserted and only women are seen working

in the fields. It's women, boys and old men. The lovely flowers that we

formerly saw in such profusion are scarcely seen now. In spite of the

shortage of labor, however, the fields are all well planted.

Constant trains filled with soldiers are passing northward, and at

every station we stop there are a number waiting to join their commands

or coming home on leave. During the afternoon we jogged along at about

twenty-five kilometers an hour with frequent long stops. At seven

o'clock some more brown bread and cheese. I had gotten a bottle of red

wine during our few minutes' stop in Paris which helped things along

nicely. Then about ten we settle down for our second night.

_July 18th._ Every one woke up feeling pretty ragged. Goodness knows

how the nurses stand it as well as they have, because they stick their

noses out in the cold gray dawn looking pretty fresh.

At Troyes last night some Canadian nurses came down to meet the train.

The station was simply packed with soldiers.

Well, ten thirty a. m. and the miserable, dirty old train draws into

Vittel, and it was with some pleasure that I saw the end of the

rat-hole we had lived in for thirty-eight hours.

Met by a French officer. They knew we were coming, but had no orders

what to do with us, so we are bundled through a deserted town to the

Hotel Vittel Palace, which is an annex of one of the larger hotels

and has been serving as a military hospital. Well, the least said

about this place the better. No towels, no toilet articles or looking

glasses. There is one bathtub at the end of a long corridor which we

all have to use. No one to clean it out. In fact, nothing is done and

the whole place, in spite of the fact it is a hospital, is filthy.

McWilliams, James, Stillman and I have one room which could hold two in

a pinch. Nowhere to store anything. The mess is horrible. It is in the

old ballroom surrounded with beds. We sit on hard benches. Breakfast is

hard bread, no butter and some horrible liquid called coffee without

sugar--worse than anything we had during the Spanish War.

_July 20th. Vitell._ Just kicking around. No orders. There is a rumor

we are to move about twenty miles from here into barracks which are now

under construction. Anything to get out of here.

The French are most polite. The men all salute us in the streets,

several men and women coming up and talking to us. When Russell,

James, Stillman and myself went to a neighboring hotel for a good lunch

we were given a good round of hand-clapping as we walked into the

dining-room. I shouted in return, "Vive la France." Many officers have

come up and spoken to us. I have never tried to talk French so hard in

my life and that which I do speak is simply awful, but they take it in

good part and try and help me out.

This morning in watching the tennis I asked a Frenchman where I could

get racquets and balls. He brought up an English captain (Lucas),

who explained everything to me and insisted on introducing me to a

Frenchwoman, Madame Somebody, who, he said, played a good game, so

have a date to play with her at five p. m., consequently have rummaged

to get a pair of tennis shoes, but there is nothing big enough for

me, except a pair of dirty brown canvas sneakers, and I have to wear

my long military trousers. I hate doing things when I have not the

appropriate clothes.

I went out this afternoon trying to make some arrangement at the

different hotels for an officers' mess, but they want ten francs which

is too much as practically all the men are living on their pay. The

English do well for their men and officers. They give a good mess and,

I think, clothing allowance, for they all seem to be on Easy Street.

Well, here goes for the tennis!

The tennis was good fun. The two women played very well, but the

men--first one and then a younger fellow took up the game--were not

much good.

Dined at the hotel with Russell.

_July 21st._ Tried to get some white duck trousers to play tennis in,

but no luck, so shall have to stick to the old army ones unless I can

manage to borrow a pair.

Captain Ward turned up just after we had finished lunch. He looked dead

beat, said he had an awful time as neither the French nor English

Government had any orders concerning him. They crossed the Channel on

a ship loaded with troops and horses. They said the French had treated

them much better than the English.

Majors Robert Bacon and McCoy were here this morning looking over the

place. There are rumors that Pershing may make it his headquarters.

Peck, Hansell and Trinder motored over to Contreville. They reported

that it was a smaller place and not nearly so attractive. They go to

Gondrecourt, which I understand is the Divisional Headquarters of

General Sibert.

The order came to-day that we were to wear the belt and shoulder piece,

the same as the English officers. It will make our shabby uniform look

smarter.

Russell and I are trying to get leave for seventy-two hours to get to

Paris. I hope it can be done as I want very much, in spite of the

expense, to see what is going on.

Ward brought a little mongrel fox-terrier puppy with him from Havre.

My, but it made me want to see Bluffie.

I had a wonderfully vivid dream last night. I dreamt I was back in

Cazenovia, riding old Jonnis, the horse, and that we had just been

discharged from the Spanish War, and that all this rotten business was

over. I could not imagine for some minutes where I was on awakening.

But it gives me the creeps, as the men are already making arrangements

for the winter.

_July 22nd._ Was made mess officer and spent the whole afternoon

running around the épicier shops buying eggs, coffee, etc. Prinzen is

the chief cook. Eggs are scarce--three francs per dozen. The men were

getting pretty hungry.

I obtained permission to go to Paris, so am leaving on the one p.m.

train with Russell. Packed my valise and am off. It is good to get

away from the crowd and to be free, even for a few hours.

We arrive in Paris at ten p. m. There were very few taxis, but we

managed to secure one and went to the Ritz. Paris is absolutely dark; a

dim light flickers every two blocks, but the streets are so dark in the

interim that it is with difficulty you can see people approaching. At

ten as we drove down the Rue de la Paix and into the Place Vendôme it

was absolutely deserted save for two girls. This is not metaphor, but

absolute.

After depositing our bags we groped our way along the Rue de Rivoli and

into the Place de la Concorde. Three belated private limousines sneaked

past us as if they were ashamed to be out so late. Otherwise, silence

and darkness. It was as if the hand of death had suddenly closed down

on the whole world and left one with an eerie, creepy feeling. A lone

gendarme was standing under a feeble lamp. He seemed glad to see us. I

counted eight lamps burning in the place and that was all. The change

was profound, almost terrible. I shall be glad to get to the hotel and

in my room and turn on all the lights.

_July 23rd._ A wonderful night twixt clean, snowy white sheets, a rack

full of white clean towels and a porcelain tub all my own and hot

water. If any man with soul so dead cannot appreciate what that means,

let him follow the U. S. A. for three weeks. If he goes in the field

under canvas he is lucky, but if he is thrust in dirty hotels that have

been used as hospitals for three years, heaven help him, because no one

else will, and certainly not the U. S. A.

Sent a note to Gabrielle Dorziat saying I was in town and asked her to

dine with me, but when I called she had gone to Épernay for a few days.

I was awfully sorry not to have seen her.

Spent the whole morning tearing around with Russell. The Embassy,

Morgan, Harjes, American Express, etc. We went to Army Headquarters

at 21 Rue Constantin where I tried to present a letter to Colonel

Bradley, the M. O., but we found Medical Headquarters are at 10 Rue

Ste. Anne. Bradley was away, but we saw Mr. Ireland, Colonel. He is the

king-pin of the show. He gave us the depressing news that we would in

all probability be permanently stationed at Vittel. Called on Lillie

Havemeyer. She was moving to a new apartment at No. 38 Avenue Gabriel.

All was chaos, but she gave me a warm welcome and asked me to lunch

with her at Laurens the next day. Later I went to see Henry Clews.

Henry has a charming hôtel with a lovely garden. A fountain with ducks

and goldfish. A nice sleepy cat was watching the pigeons, and a bulldog

was watching the cat. The peace and quiet were wonderful. We had tea in

the garden. Henry was very quiet and just what his view of the whole

situation is it was hard to gather. He was very hospitable and asked

me to make my headquarters there any time I was in Paris.

We dined at the Tavern Royal with a quart of sweet champagne. But the

best of all was a couple of cocktails at Maxim's beforehand. The Maître

d'Hôtel was very loquacious and told us most impressively that America

had come in none too soon because France was at the end of her tether.

This is what we heard everywhere.

Paris by day appears on the surface very much as when we left in

September, 1914. The streets are crowded with uniforms of every

description and every now and then an American one, but as yet they are

very much in the minority.

_July 24th._ Lunched with Lillie Havemeyer and Freddy. The afternoon,

more errands, a lemonade at Fouquet's, and dinner with Mrs. Duryea in

the evening. A very pleasant home dinner, just four--a Miss Carrol

making the fourth. In the evening M. Robinson came in. He apparently

had the affairs of France on his shoulders.

I left early and walked down the Champs Elysées. It was very dark.

People were sitting on the benches and strolling about. It is

practically all one can do after nine in the evening.

_July 25th._ We left Paris in the early morning and after nine hours

of sweltering heat and dust found ourselves back in the same old

place--grimmer than ever. It was hard to get in the dirty old bed after

the clean white sheets of the Ritz, and come down to one dirty towel

till you could get another, always a matter of uncertainty. I began my

struggles with the mess again.

Coming down on the train we met a Dr. Water with the Johns Hopkins

unit. He had been making a tour of the hospitals. He said they had come

over with the first expeditionary force and had been at St. Nazaire for

some time, and while there they had witnessed the disembarkation of

all the American troops. He estimated them at about fifty thousand.

I played head waiter at evening mess, trying to get the men who

are working as waiters licked into shape, and in consequence got

indigestion.

_July 26th._ The mess again. Am trying to arrange prices so that we

can buy a little cheaper, but it is difficult. Excessive charging

can be brought to the attention of the authorities, but every one, I

suppose, tries to ring in a few extra sous. However, I am getting the

tradespeople to submit prices and shall buy from the cheapest.

All the men are working at their French. It is quite funny to see

them, and their accent is something terrific. The French are very

good-natured and many of them sit in the garden and give lessons for

pure love.

Time drags very much.

_July 27th._ A day of absolute inactivity. There are no golf or tennis

balls, so there is absolutely nothing to do except lie about and try

and talk French. I spent the morning sitting in the garden in one of

the twenty-five-centime armchairs. A few, not more than three or four,

demi-mondaines arrived, and they are at least a little more refreshing

to look at than the old rheumatics.

I am struggling with the food problems. The coffee we get is rotten,

in spite of the fact we buy the best. The French are a curious lot.

I tried to stimulate competitive bids on food prices, but they show

absolutely no desire or interest in obtaining our trade. In America

every tradesman in town would be after our trade; here they are

absolutely indifferent and hardly take the trouble to submit prices.

_July 28th._ Hot as hell and nothing to do. No tennis or golf balls can

be had. Up at eight, breakfast, talk to the greasy cook, look at greasy

meat, go to greasy stores and buy greasy food. Such is the day for

which Uncle Sam pays us $7 per day and expects you to cough up at least

$4 for food and clothes.

C'est la vie!

_July 29th._ Cooler, overcast. There is a rumor of tennis balls being

procurable. Also about twenty pages of directions regarding mail

censorship, etc. All of which was duly read and all the information

which could be derived therefrom was that you could mention the

weather, the state of your health, and there it ended. No date, nothing

on letterhead, signature in a certain corner, and a thousand other

things. About five hundred letters and postal cards were returned this

morning marked "Improper to forward." The French term is "Achamement."

_July 30th._ Cloudy and later raining. A violent thunder-storm Sunday

night. This is the first rain since leaving U.S.A.

Major Hansell started classes on Field Service Regulations. We are to

have it two hours every morning, with an hour of drill in the p. m.

In addition, individual officers have been assigned special subjects

to report on. I have been given "Demography in so far as it relates

to the Vital Statistics of the Army." This is to be summarized and

reported upon from an article by Lieutenant-Commander Weston P.

Chamberlain. In the evening Russell and I gave Ward, Trinder, Hansell

and Peck a dinner at the Grand Hotel. Such things may seem trivial but

they mean much. Still no definite orders and simply marking time.

_July 31st._ Making up mess statement. Trinder, Floyd and Steiner went

to Nancy this morning to get funds for pay day tomorrow. The enlisted

men are much excited at the prospect of getting money. They have all

patronized the café freely, buying candies, chocolates and cigarettes.

Candy is in great demand. Even the officers are consuming it in great

amounts. It seems strange to see men using it in such amounts. I went

to the candy shop in the Arcade to get some this morning, and the woman

was practically sold out.

Two of the men go to Paris to-day at one p. m. to bring down a

motor-truck and the two mascot dogs that were given to the Unit. They

have been given a large number of commissions, among them one for

tennis and golf balls.

_August 1st._ After two days' hard rain a beautiful clear day. It dried

sufficiently in the afternoon for some fine tennis. The box of athletic

goods has been opened and it was a real pleasure to get a good racquet

and some new balls.

Russell, Stillman and myself dined at the Grand. At nine p. m. the

French officers tendered us a reception. We all sat around a long

table. Sweet champagne and a pyramid of cake were served with French

and American flags stuck in them. Major L---- made a speech of welcome

in French, then read a translation which somebody had evidently made

for him; his attempts at pronunciation nearly choked the poor man, for

he mopped the sweat from his brow and drained his glass at a gulp. At

the conclusion a toast to the American and French Armies was drunk.

Then Hansell arose and read a very nice little speech which Widener

attempted to translate, but all the jokes fell as dead as Cæsar

translated.

The surprising thing was that among our men only one can speak French

and only a few understand anything. The French were no better off.

Still we struggled along, and all had, or seemed to have, a good time.

The party broke up by our singing the "Marseillaise" in English and

then "Oh, Say, etc." and finally "Way Down upon the Swanee River." The

French tried to respond, but broke down and explained they never sang

like that.

Cave did not come home till one o'clock. Great excitement!

Pershing and some of his staff came in the Grand while we were there.

He is an exceedingly fine-looking man.

_August 2nd._ Just one month to-day since leaving home.

Collected my mess funds to-day from the men, paid cooks and strikers.

I hope I can manage the accounts. It is a fussy, nasty job. They are

not going to let us eat here much longer, so we will try and make

arrangements with one of the hotels. I shall be glad at least to eat

outside of this filthy place.

_August 3rd._ Nothing but rain.

_August 4th._ Rain in showers all day. Tried to get a walk in the

afternoon, but torrents of rain drove us to cover.

Moved to the Lorraine Hotel for our mess. This cuts me out of much

fussing.

_August 5th._ Rain. Separated from the Lorraine mess and am taking my

meals separately on the Terrace. It costs a franc fifty extra, but the

peace is well worth it.

In the evening a trainload of wounded arrived. There were over two

hundred and fifty--sixty stretcher cases, the remainder gas and minor

injuries, principally involving the extremities. Our men marched up to

the station and the new ambulances were drawn up on the siding. The

train pulled in packed with the wounded. They were all very quiet and

uncomplaining. I questioned several men. They came from Hill 304. They

said there was a new gas used there, which when launched was invisible,

producing no fumes and not creating any injury until the body comes

in contact with water. Thus a man getting wet or washing his face the

next day would receive a skin burn. If this is true the gas-mask would

afford but little protection. On coming back to the hotel I saw many

burns of the extremities; they had marked conjunctivitis. The stretcher

cases seemed mostly wounds of the extremities.

In talking with the French, and this observation is borne out by

others, it seems that on the whole they are taking the war in a very

matter-of-fact spirit, and the blood-thirsty desire to extract the last

sou from our soldiers is the same as in the old tourist days.

_August 6th._ Bright and clear! Oh, what a relief, after a miserable

week of drenching rain, in which all one's clothes are damp and soggy

and the feet are never dry.

It is rumored--in fact, Major Hansell told me last night--that it is

more than probable that we will ultimately be quartered in barracks at

Chaumont. The high command have motored over there this morning to look

over the ground.

_August 9th._ Nothing of any particular event. The days have been fine.

We have had our morning classes each day. Some of these classes are

fairly interesting, but the majority are rather dull. Russell and I

left the mess for a few days, but everywhere we went the French made

some attempt to do us.

Several days ago we had definite orders we were to move to

Chaumont--going into barracks. Chaumont is a town of fifteen thousand

and at least will be more pleasant than this dirty little place.

After lunch I applied to Major Hansell to be temporarily detailed for

field service. He did not seem adverse to the idea and told me to

bring the matter up later. I certainly want to see active service. This

present situation is not my idea of an able man's job, but something

that can be carried on by "any old person." I should like to get where

there is a little "red blood" and hear the last of the damned old

laundry and ice plant and whether the nurses got in on time or not.

_August 12th._ Still waiting and doing nothing. Yesterday the men

played the officers at baseball, the latter winning 2-1. It was a

surprisingly good game. In the evening the first real instalment of

letters from home.

I was officer of the day Friday. On making my ten o'clock rounds found

not a single light in the village streets and only one or two small

groups of people going home. It was a wonderful night, the wind just

whispering gently through the tree tops. I walked a bit in the park.

Nothing but silence. One might have been in a deserted village. On

coming in one could see the gun flashes toward Nancy, but we were too

far away to hear the sound. I stood on the balcony a long time watching

them. It all seemed so strange. All peace and tranquillity here and

forty miles away men struggling and battling for their lives.

Today No. 6 Field Hospital came over and played our men at baseball.

Score 6-10 in favor of Roosevelt. The special interest of the game, as

far as the French were concerned, was the yelling and shouting of the

enlisted men, who simply outdid themselves playing Indian.

There is a young fellow, Le Sieur by name, who escaped two weeks ago

from a German prison in Mayence. He and a friend forged passports and

boarded a train for Switzerland. It was their third attempt. The first

two were failures. He is here on a thirty days' leave with his mistress.

Some officers came over with the baseball team from Gondrecourt. They

are a fine-looking lot of men. They are as disgusted with their lot

as we are with ours. Everything is apparently at sixes and sevens, but

at least they are apparently having much more activity and are able

to move about the country and see things. I am terribly keen to be

transferred into a Field Ambulance.

The Chaumont question is all up a tree. Apparently the French are not

willing to turn the buildings over to us. At first they say, "Come

on and we will do all in our power," then when you come, the path is

strewn with every kind of petty annoyance.

I felt very proud of the United States to-day when I saw the

Gondrecourt crowd. They certainly were a bully looking lot.

_August 14th._ My birthday. Rain. Yesterday we motored over in the

ambulances to Bezoisir where Finney is located with Base 18. He is a

delightful man and I enjoyed a nice little chat with him. He is much

disgruntled, both personally and on the situation as a whole. In the

first place he is at odds with ---- ----, and in the second place, the

whole organization is all at sea. He thinks the Government is sending

over hospitals in greater number than there is any immediate demand

for; that they are furnished with no adequate quarters and given no

work. In the third place, Finney thinks that the whole system is

wrong; that where the best results are to be accomplished is close

to the firing line, where the cases can be seen comparatively early;

that there should be less handling and transportation of the wounded.

The French are already trying to do this by cutting out some of their

clearing hospitals.

We lunched at Neufchâteau, a small town of about, I should say, five

thousand inhabitants, very charmingly situated in the valley with a

small stream--I think the Meuse--running through it. We visited one

very picturesque old church on a high rock. There was some military

activity in the town, as it was on the main line. We also saw some

German prisoners working with an armed guard.

In the afternoon played some tennis and then we gave the French

officers a return champagne and cake supper. A terrible ordeal. I

struggled with Genevet, who is the best appearing of the lot. He was

sick and hard to talk to, and I simply could not squeeze any French

out. After we got started the men came in and sang. The hotel guests

were tremendously interested in this and crowded into the room to watch

us. The men let it go in good old college fashion, and I am sure they

regarded us as a lot of semi-maniacs, although they all enjoyed it

hugely.

_August 15th._ Stillman, Russell and James gave me a fine birthday

dinner at the Grand last night. It was mighty nice of them and we

all had a good time. We opened up with sherry and bitters, Burgundy

and two bottles of "fiz" and came home feeling comfortable. Old Mc

was in bed. We pretended we were drunk and he dressed us down. In

spite of the extra liquid, woke up feeling in fine form. Sunshine

with tropical showers, but it is getting colder all the time. Great

excitement to-day; we are going to Gondrecourt to hear a lecture on war

surgery by Major Claude Bernard. We arrived there at three p. m. via

Neufchâteau, then about fifteen miles further on to G. A dirty, sloppy

little village simply packed with troops. On the road over, just as we

were coming in, a tropical downpour, which was followed by brilliant

sunshine five minutes later.

Gondrecourt is simply packed with men, geese and chickens. All seemed

tumbling one over the other. All the officers and men that can be

are billeted on the town, and consequently the little courts have

improvised tables and racks for guns and accouterments. Besides, the

6th Ambulance Company has division hospitals. On the outskirts other

regiments are encamped. We did not go outside the town, so did not see

the latter.

Claude Bernard spoke in English. He was a clean-cut Frenchman of the

best type, with a sense of humor. He spoke of the best disposition to

make of the wounded. Experience is teaching them over here that the

nearer the front the main hospital is, the greater its efficiency. It

seems ridiculous that our best men should remain in the rear only for

the old cases, while the younger and less experienced should have all

the real work. Our Government is discussing breaking up or reorganizing

our present system, and very logically so. It means three to four

stages for a wounded man, whereas, if he can be received within twelve

hours in a field hospital, there ought to be 80 per cent. better

results. At least, so says Bernard.

My great fear is that we shall be broken up and that I will be sent

inland to take care of a lot of uninteresting sick. And I want to see

the real thing and not sit back twisting my thumbs.

On the way back we stopped at Domremy, the town where Jeanne d'Arc was

born, and saw the little church where she made her First Communion. In

a park right across the way is an old house with the upper story done

over, which is supposed to be her home. It is a museum with busts and

pictures of her. I doubt if any of the original house is standing, for

in the wall is a small, worm-eaten bit of timber covered over with

wire netting, which is apparently all that remains of the original

structure. The church is of the simple village type without anything of

special interest, other than its historical association.

We made rapid time home and got back in time to brush off some dust

before dinner. Peck told me to-night that I would be sent up in advance

to start the mess at Chaumont. This probably means Saturday or Sunday.

Higgins broke his leg yesterday. Haberman, the man with the

pneumothorax, is no better to-day. They had the priest in yesterday.

_August 19th._ How can I tell all that has happened in the past three

days? I left Vittel two days ago in the ambulance with four sick men

on stretchers and a nurse. We jogged along through pleasant country,

via Neufchâteau to here, where we arrived at about three thirty

p.m.--fifty-three miles or thereabout. The country is charming, but

cold stone barracks like prison cells, a great bare court over which

dust swirls in clouds, covering the clothes, hands and face--in five

minutes boots and gaiters are white--it drifts through into the rooms,

covering beds and furniture and clothes. And then a blazing, dazzling

sun, fairly blinding as it is reflected from the white earth. Only one

little scrap of green can be seen in the whole surroundings, and that

is toward the west. We are in the new Artillery Barracks, which, since

the beginning of the war, have been partially used as a hospital. We

are taking it over in part from the French, with the understanding that

later we will be in whole charge.

The country itself is beautiful. Situated as we are on the crest of

a hill, by going outside the compound on the east and west is an

extensive view, stretching away for miles over the valley on each side.

Well, I arrived here and all was chaos. We got some beds up, and I

slept in a large cell alone, without a hook to hang anything on. No

toilet or bathing facilities. Chaumont is two kilometers away, and

if one were marooned on a desert island the isolation could not be

greater. My job is the mess--always the mess. No kitchens except the

general ones. No sinks, but I scratched around. We buy through the

French. The endeavor is to keep down the prices.

The rest of the crowd turned up late last night, and we pulled off a

good dinner in spite of many difficulties. Our same crowd is together

again.

Captain Edmond Schwander, formerly an apothecary de première classe,

is the Quartermaster in charge of the barracks. He is a real live

proposition, and seems to be a mighty nice fellow.

Now we have the job of fitting up our rooms for the ordinary

conveniences of life. Also, it is up to me to get maids to take care of

them.

I took two meals at the French officers' mess. It was most amusing.

A little room over an apothecary shop in town. I cannot describe the

scene, but it was reminiscent of some of the scenes from "Trilby." The

room was plastered in posters--some proper and some more improper--and

the conversation was equally mixed. I was sorry to leave them and come

out here.

We walk at least two hundred yards for our baths, across the court in

full view of an admiring crowd--and here is when I take my first one.

_August 20th._ Mess! Mess! Mess! All is mess! New Job! Care of

officer's quarters. Boss of four old ladies, three teeth among

them--one has none--total sum of ages--four hundred years.

Telegram calling Peck and Russell to French front to observe. In town

with the motor-cycle to do some shopping. Home! The orchestra is

pounding away with a vengeance, surrounded by an admiring crowd of

invalids--some healthy ones.

Broke the crystal on my nice little watch--otherwise, life a blank. No

sensations except hunger. No emotions except disgust.

The French officers gave our officers a champagne breakfast at eleven

a.m. this morning from which all returned in genial spirit. Such is

life in Chaumont.

_August 24th._ Back to barracks after three days' absence. Monday last

they brought in fifteen hundred patients in the twenty-four hours. Jim

Russell and Peck had gone, and finally, in sheer desperation, I got on

one of the ambulances and rode in to town. They were just finishing

unloading and Peightel was talking through an interpreter with the

Médecin Chef in charge of the train. The Médecin was asking him if he

could not make a trip with him and personally see the hospital at the

front. Trinder was standing by and thought it would be a good thing,

but was sure that Hansell could not put it through. I told him I would

go with him. Trinder said, "Go and see what Hansell will say." So back

we rushed. Hansell, like a trump, said "Yes." So back we went over

the bumpy old road, pitch dark, and found some "big gun" Major, who

telephoned to St. Dozier, the military headquarters of the zone of

the interior. Got permission, then walked back, threw a few things in

a valise and carried it between us to Chaumont Station. It was about

eleven o'clock then and everything had pretty well settled down for the

night. We found the Commissaire de Gare was expecting us, and he had

written out for us directions or orders to proceed to St. Dozier and

report to the Commissaire Regulatrice, and she had been informed of

our coming and would tell us what to do.

After many vicissitudes, as daylight was just breaking, the train

pulled out, and about an hour later when we reached Robert Espagne

the sun was coming up over the hilltop, the little town lay below in

the valley with the mist still hanging over the river. On the right,

explosions were heard, which we later found were from a party of

recruits practising bombing. From the same hill two years ago the 6th

Division of Artillery made a stand and drove back the Germans in their

drive on Bar-le-Duc. If they had cut that line and taken Bar-le-Duc

it would have divided the French Army. This was in the days of the

Marne. The old Guard Communal, whom we met on the road, told us in a

most vivid and simple manner how the Boche shells were pouring over

the woods and how the French stood their ground. Later he went out and

found a German flag.

Beyond Robert Espagne we were in the zone of the active army--miles

of wagon trains going both ways and smothered in a cloud of dust.

At Rivigny we entered on the military railroad, the regular line to

Verdun having been cut on the Verdun drive. Also a little later we

caught constant glimpses of the Voie Saire on the road that supplied

Verdun after the railroad had been cut. There were still thousands of

motor-trucks going both ways. Now and then soldiers' graves dotted the

fields or lay along the lines of the railroad. The French had a helmet

hanging on the cross, the Boche a little wooden fencing around it,

which will soon break down and mean that many a poor chap will lie in

an unknown grave in foreign soil. At Rivigny, or just beyond, here and

there a half-destroyed village, or perhaps just the church. It seemed

always the church that was marked.

At Évers the village was practically wiped out.

Then as we approached Fleury toward sunset the air was alive with

aerial activity. Planes were constantly flying one way or the other.

The French can tell the difference between their machines and the

Boche, by the hum of the motors. And now as far as the eye can reach,

a long line of observation balloons. We could easily see twelve or

fifteen, and as the train pulled in there was a terrific bombing, with

dozens of little balls of white smoke in the clouds and a dozen aeros

circling in that vicinity. The men cried "bloins," which meant that

there was a Boche plane trying to get through.

The air was dead calm. The cotton balls slowly turned from white

to black and then faded away. Suddenly a burst of flame which shot

precipitately to earth, and murmurs of delight from the officers

standing about. The Boche had been winged and fallen to earth.

We went through the hospital. I was not much interested. Salle de

Tirage, where the cases were sorted--Salle d'Opération--Salle du

Stérilisation--Salle du Pansement et Tisane. But it was all dealing

with wreckage, and one wanted to go on and up where men were living and

doing.

As dusk came on, flash, flash, some small, some large. Great blasts

from a Vulcan's furnace that lit the skyline from horizon to horizon,

and through the still night the constant purr drifted back.

The motors kept pouring back from the front, each with a load; driver

covered with dust, its contents a mass of dust, grimed and plastered

on, often with blood, but the eyes flashed--for they had been _there_.

Captain Félix Melin was shot through the shoulder circling the right

side of Hill 304. His arm was in a sling, his coat hung about his

shoulders, blood spattered down trousers and over suspenders, but

he was the Real Thing. Several men of his Company file down the

gangway into the train--soldiers of the 9th Company of the 303rd

Regiment--they were his men and he had led them! A handshake and

a pat on the back were waiting for each man. From all the line of

wreckage--tired, weary men--never one word of complaint, but on all

sides friends met, or members of the same command met and compared

experiences. Many were going back for the second, third and fourth

time--all had been out in the heart of things, and were coming back for

repairs to make the trip again.

Finally we got our load and started back, but just before leaving,

the cry of "Boche Aéroplane" was heard. All lights went out. The

plane passed over us, then we went crawling back with our load. St.

Dozier again, Montdidier, Brienne. There the men were fed meat,

bread, wine and cheese. Piney, Troyes and Mesgrigny, where they were

all discharged. It was with much regret that I saw Melin go, and his

Lieutenant Broule. They were the best.

Then back to Troyes where we gave Major Costacy and his Adjutant

Aubert a dinner at the hotel, and opened a bottle of "fiz." I

proposed drinking it with dinner, but they seemed horrified with the

idea and said it was for dessert only. So we had white wine first

and then "fiz." They enjoyed it and mellowed out. It improved my

French tremendously, and when we had finished dinner and gone across

the street to the Café for coffee, I was talking fluently on war,

petticoats, and soaring prices. However, we all walked out to the

train, two kilos outside the town, singing the "Madelon." We climbed

into our little compartment which seems like home now.

The Adjutant Aubert--I can't describe him. But to me he was fascinating

and I could not keep my eyes off him. A face like Christ, with a full

beard, even white teeth, a calm, serene face, but with an eye that

flashed hell-fire when he spoke. Ten years in Algeria, through all the

North African campaigns, and covered with a mass of decorations. Cora

seemed the only thing in life he cared for. Cora was a fox-terrier

picked up in the streets of Chaumont and Cora was everything to him.

She followed him everywhere, slept on his bed, and he watched over her

like a baby.

During the night we pulled into Joinville and then into Chevillon,

where the train pulled into a siding for further orders. We took the

train back to Chaumont and came down through a beautiful valley into

the town, arriving just in time for lunch at the France. Then back to

barracks. Jim and Peck had returned and we exchanged experiences, which

were about the same.

Trinder and Hansell have gone to Paris for their examinations for

promotion. I spoke to Hansell about being transferred to a regiment,

and he said he would try and arrange it. I want to get into the real

thing and be with real men, and not sitting around here just taking

care of sick people.

_August 27th._ Life has settled down to the same old routine. A violent

thunder-storm last night, but fine and clear and much cooler to-day.

The weather has been fine now for the past ten days.

Hansell and Trinder are coming back to-night and we are preparing a

spread for them--cocktails, sweet champagne. I have been tearing all

over town to find some gin, which I finally accomplished at la maison

of M. Henry, who was well stocked with every kind of wine.

There has been a lot of kick about the food. The men seem to be always

hungry--an enormous breakfast and then howls for more lunch--then tears

when the bill comes. I had a meeting two nights ago and told them they

could have what they wanted, but they would have to pay for it. They

finally voted a French breakfast, which began this morning. I did not

come down till late, but I was told they were a doleful lot. However,

they will get used to it later. Nothing but housekeeping. It takes from

two to three hours to get the work straightened out.

_August 30th._ The dinner was quite a success. Every one limbered up,

and laughter, loud and plenty, was the order of the night. Since then

nothing worthy of note.

At last I have an orderly and he is working on my books. And perhaps

life will now be pleasanter.

_September 3rd._ The golden morning sun came pouring in the window

this morning and Trinder came smashing in the door at six thirty a. m.

demanding the key of the storeroom.

Yesterday we took a nice walk, climbing the heights on the west bank of

the Marne.

I went to Colonel Hansell this morning and asked permission to resign

from the job of the mess. He immediately granted my request. To-night

at dinner he made a very pretty little speech, thanking me for my work

under very trying circumstances and calling for three cheers for the

retiring mess officer, which were given with a hearty good will. It was

a most courteous thing, and I was deeply touched. What a relief to

have the thing off my shoulders!

I walked to town with my wash and felt like a boy out of school. Cave

joined me and we went down to the new headquarters. Everything was

humming with activity. Tents line the road on both sides. Motors and

motorcycles are flying in all directions. Engineers stringing wires

and newly-made majors swaggering about, greatly impressed with their

own importance, all looking very debonair and rather foolish. They

are rather a fine-looking lot on the whole, the Western type easily

predominating.

We lunched peacefully at the Hotel France.

Peck told me Bradley had asked for teams to go to the front for a two

weeks' tour of duty and McWilliams had chosen me as a team mate. Hurrah!

_September 13th._ Haven't written. Little to write about. The evening

of the 10th, Kildare and I walked along the canal to a little town

called Luzy. There we made a find in the form of a nice, good-natured,

well-nourished woman who keeps a little restaurant near the station.

She cooked us a good omelet with potatoes and salad, with plenty of

bread and good butter. Eating it in the court in front of the house,

it was all right, and fired me with a sporting spirit of adventure and

a bit of life in the open away from all this chaos and turmoil. So, on

returning, I proposed to the room that we take a walking trip. Henry

James was the only one who took me up and so the next morning, having

obtained permission, we started with no definite destination other than

to get lunch at Luzy with Madame and then push on to any old place.

Madame at Luzy told us that Nogent-la-Haute was an interesting old town

about fifteen kilometers away, so we started off with full stomachs

to reach it. We strolled along the canal with its sides lined with

beautiful Lombardy poplars. The afternoon was hot, but, other than an

occasional fisherman who never seemed to catch anything, there were no

signs of life alongside the canal. The Marne babbled over the stones,

here and there turning a water-wheel, and great gray cattle grazed

peacefully in the meadows, and we breathed a deep breath of freedom,

and joy of the open road crept into my bones. It seemed once again

that care and responsibility had rolled away and that I was a boy with

nothing to do but to wander where the spirit willed.

Then an idea struck us. How nice it would be to board a canal-boat

and just idle along with it. But none came. Then a plan for taking

a train and going to Belfort and from there out to the French, but

at the station the timetable said the last train that day had gone,

and then again the distance was given as one hundred and fifty-four

kilometers, much too far in the short time at our disposal. So finally

it was decided, at Faulein, to take the little narrow-gauge road to

Nogent-la-Haute. So narrow-gauge it was; and it puffed up hill for

twelve kilometers to a snug little village perched on a high rock

surrounded with gardens and the biggest pine-trees I have ever seen.

The tower of an old castle spoke of seigneurial days when "barons held

their sway."

I looked forward to a nice, quiet, cozy little dinner and a good sleep

and a morning's loaf, strolling about the town to the wonderful view

from the great precipitous height on the west. But nothing of the sort.

As we descended from the train a dozen urchins cried, "Les Américains!"

and in half the time it takes to write it, a dozen more sprang up,

taking up the cry, so that walking along the main street there was a

troop of urchins crowding about us and from the windows heads appeared,

the whole town coming to life. The urchins ran into the hotel and told

Madame "les Américains" were on the threshold. Madame rushed out all

a-flutter and courtesied us in. Mother and sister courtesied. Were we

spending the night? Did we eat? We assured her we ate and were spending

the night. Then, what would we eat and where would we eat it? This

latter point was unfortunately settled by the chief permanent boarder,

acting as a delegate and asking the honor of having us join them. There

was no alternative. We simply had to dine with them, and we marched

bravely in.

Talk! My God! My God! There was no end to it! Words rolled out

in avalanches. Special brands of red wine were ordered, coffee,

liqueurs--but always talk. Now, if you are not a professor of the

French language and you are tired after a day's tramp, and if it is up

to you to appear half intelligent (for James was lucky enough not to

speak a word of French and so it was up to me), it is exhausting. Those

moments were like sitting on a chair and having hot needles stuck all

over one's body.

Talk! Talk! The war! Every one had a son or brother, or at least a

brother-in-law, killed or wounded. We were doctors, so a minute account

of their deaths or how they acted after they were wounded. Then what

the war had done to them, and what they had done to the war. Then

politics. What America would do. How independent the Americans were.

They smoked cigarettes with their meals. They only smoked them half

through, etc., etc., etc.

It seems we were the first Americans since one Gillette, of

safety-razor fame, had established a factory there some twelve years

ago. Gillette! Gillette! We heard all about razors till I wished

Gillette shaved into fragments. We must see the factory in the morning.

We must visit Collin's surgical instrument emporium.

At seven thirty in the morning they were on the job, but we stayed in

our room and watched the market going on in the public square.

_September 14th._ A fine driving rain and a beautiful cold in the head,

and all the rooms have a dampness that drives to the bone. Finished my

twenty-four hours as O. D. at nine this morning--nothing happened.

_September 16th._ Time drags interminably. It is a glorious day, but

absolutely nothing to do, either in the way of play or work. I feel as

if my brain were jellifying, or that if something did not happen I must

simply run away. Army life! It squeezes every inch of individuality

out of a man. Its rules are those of the Medes and Persians, and no

blue-black Presbyterian could be more strict in their observance. In

the fighting line it is all right, but in the "administering angel" job

it is Hell.

The men are playing baseball and the Frenchmen Rugby football. James,

Cave and myself lunched at the France, but it was deadly. The streets

contain only old women with few teeth and look bedraggled out of all

proportion.

_September 20th._ Tuesday night Kilbane and I dined at the Signal Corps

quarters. They are in the Château of Chaumont, down under the hill.

It is a wonderful little place, resplendent with a hundred memories,

for the place was built by Louis XV for a hunting lodge, and, to all

appearances, remains unchanged to-day. It is built on a court, only two

stories high, and much of the old fittings still remain. The garden

is overgrown with weeds and the flowers are sadly neglected, but in

spite of everything one's imagination harks back to former times, for

the atmosphere is all there. As we were shown around by Major Dodd it

seemed almost sacrilegious to turn it over to the unappreciative hands

of officers.

Colonel Churchill was the Commanding Officer. He impressed me very much

as a gentleman and a personality of much charm.

_September 24th._ Two glorious autumn days with wonderful sunrises and

sunsets. Only small bunches of clouds are appearing, which in all

probability means trouble for tomorrow.

Everybody is getting very restless and unless something happens to

break the calm tranquillity of the daily routine, something is going to

blow up. Saturday the officers played the Johns Hopkins unit at Bazoirs

and, although they were beaten, they came back full of enthusiasm over

the good times they had and the hospitality shown them.

Last night a telegram saying, "War Department offers you commission

gastro-enterologist, rank Captain, base hospital here. Only thirty-two

appointments. Will you accept if transfer possible. Cable immediately."

I answered, "Prefer France."

I do not want to leave now because, in spite of the awful waste in time

and money, the game is just beginning, and I want to see it through.

There is a rumor that Brewer will be here for lunch. I hope so, as it

means a little news of what is going on around us. Steiner and I are

planning to go to Troyes for Saturday night for a bit of a change.

_September 25th._ Brewer arrived about noon and after lunch recounted

his adventures at the front. They were exciting and they all had narrow

squeaks. He was on the British lines East of Ypres and while he was

there the Evacuation Hospital was bombed three times.

Darrach was asked to join in a poker game one night. He said he was

tired and did not want to play as he had been operating all day,

but they kept urging him and as he was ahead of the game he finally

consented. They had not been playing fifteen minutes when there was a

terrific crash. Darrach went out to see what had happened and found

a bomb had fallen squarely on his tent. Nothing remained but a few

fragments of his overcoat; there was a hole six feet deep and about ten

feet in diameter.

A few moments later, when Brewer was in bed, a second crash followed by

a shower of fragments. He rushed out and was told some of his nurses

were hurt. A bomb had fallen right in front of the kitchen, blowing it

to splinters. A fragment had struck Miss McDonald, his former operating

nurse, just below the right eye, and fragments of shell wounded two

others. There were seventy people wounded that night.

He then went on to recount many little instances of life in an

Evacuation Hospital. How the officers finally dug themselves in. They

did not like to do it at first, as they were all new at the game and

no one wanted to show that he was nervous. They heard Boche avions

passing overhead frequently, and at those times they would climb

in the dugouts. O---- had a narrow escape. They heard bombs in the

neighborhood. He rushed in his tent for his helmet. His servant was

there and as soon as they found it they both rushed out. As they ran

along, the servant about twenty feet in advance, crash--and the servant

was wafted off the face of the earth.

All day and all night shells were passing over them. Also he told us an

authentic story of one of his patients who was wounded in a charge, the

wound proving to be a compound fracture of the thigh. He crawled into

a shell-hole where he met another man with a compound fracture of the

arm. They remained there using their rations and water. Then the man

with the arm crawled out and brought in food and water from the dead

that were lying about them. And so they existed until the forty-ninth

day. On that night the arm man failed to return and was never seen

again. So the leg man waited two more days, catching some water in

his helmet, and then realized he must get out or starve. So starting

in the direction in which he knew the British lines to be, he crawled

across no-man's-land when, to his surprise, he came up to a trench and

found it filled with Germans. He then realized that this trench had

been built while he was lying out there and to get home he must cross

it. So he waited for a time, until a moment when there were no Germans

near him, and jumped it landing on his good leg. Crawling further he

at last arrived in front of his own trench where he was seen and a big

fusillade opened. He escaped this and finally by yelling in English

they realized it was one of their own men and he was taken in. This was

after fifty days. Brewer states the story has been corroborated in all

details and is true.

Stillman has sent McWilliams a letter in which he says there are

altogether too many shells flying around and very little to do.

I am looking forward to the day when we will get up there and see some

of these things for ourselves.

Later the order came. It reads that we report in Paris at nine a. m.,

Saturday, September 29th, report to the 2nd Army, British Expeditionary

Force for a period of fourteen days.

_September 27th._ _Paris._ McWilliams and I came on last night,

leaving Chaumont at five thirty reaching here ten p. m. The city was

better illuminated than the last time I was here. We are stopping at

the Continental Hotel--not as nice as the Ritz and more expensive. The

breakfast room here this morning was filled with ambulance drivers,

doctors and nurses.

Called on Henry Clews and Lillie Havemeyer. Both out.

Paris to-day looked actually down at the heel.

_September 28th._ The following medical clinics are held at Paris:

Heart Diseases--Hop. St. Antoine Vacquez; General Medicine--Hop. Cochin

Vidal; General Medicine--Hop. Cochin Chauffard.

Lunch with Lillie Havemeyer. Called on Dorziat and met General Brook,

who is a son of Lord Warwick. D. asked him to give me letters to some

of the officers with the Second Army Corps, which he has promised to

do.

Last night was a real party. McW. and I started out for dinner, met two

British officers at Henry's bar. We had a few, and then went around

to Géney's for dinner. It was fine. We all sat down in a little room.

Dinner was served at seven thirty to all. There were several very nice

girls in the party and we had a very jolly evening.

Dined with Henry Clews to-night.

_September 29th._ Reported at nine a. m. at Medical Headquarters, 10

Rue Ste. Anne, and there got our orders. We leave at one fifteen for

Amiens. Spend the night there. The following morning proceed to Albert,

arriving at six fifty-five a. m. There report to the Liaison Officer at

Headquarters, 2nd British Army, and then to Director of Medical Service

at the same place. A pass has been issued to us and so we are all ready

for whatever comes.

Saw Pool and Colonel Winter, who was very cordial. Now to pack and

lunch.

We packed up, caught one fifteen train, and a few minutes before six p.

m. pulled into Amiens.--On July 30th, 1914, Helen and I spent the night

here and met Sir Seymour King in the Hotel Rhin. How well he conceived

the magnitude of the whole thing. That evening after dinner he said,

"This will be a veritable Armageddon, in which you will be eventually

involved." And here we are now after three years and two months.

McWilliams and I dined at the Hotel Rhin and sat in the garden. How

memories come back. The dinner was poor and the price high.

Just before dinner we visited the Cathedral. The carving on the outside

and inside is piled high with sandbags and was invisible. There were

absolutely no lights in Amiens and the streets were simply crowded with

Tommies. We managed to get a nasty room in the Belford near the station.

_September 30th._ We were called at four forty-five a. m. after a

horrible night of little sleep from screeching railroad whistles, and

in the dark hurriedly shaved and dressed. The porter brought a cup

of coffee and slice of bread, for which they had the nerve to charge

two francs. Then carrying our own bags we started for the station. In

spite of the early hour the place was crowded, both with military and

civilians. It was pitch black, but the train was found and we all piled

in and started for Albert. As day dawned a thick mist prevented any

range of vision, but just before reaching Albert it began to lift and

ruins of villages, or villages partly in ruins, could be seen. Then the

train pulled in.

The station was full of shell-holes, in fact, half demolished--but we

stored our baggage in a shed and started down the street to find the

Liaison Officer. But the city was in ruins. The walls were pockmarked

by machine-gun fire and only about one in ten habitable. And then as

we turned a street corner we saw the Cathedral, or rather the shell of

what it once was. From the top of the shell-shattered tower the Virgin

and Child were suspended at right angles, the Child extending far out.

As the mist lifted the sun struck the gilding. It was like a miracle

and one fairly gasped. We were all much impressed and somewhat awed,

for there was silence for some minutes afterward.

The Cathedral was totally destroyed, only the four walls and tower

standing, and large holes through all the walls. For blocks around

there, no houses were left standing and only a block of stone and a

few piles which marked doorstep and entrance hall. Some houses had no

roofs and some roofs had no house, but remained suspended when all

the remaining structure had gone. It was like wandering through some

recently excavated city.

At Albert one first comes in contact with English efficiency and

there is only one word to express it, and that is "Marvelous." The

gaping windows and doorways of shattered houses are wired across to

keep out marauders. The streets are fairly polished, signs posted

in English--regarding roads, officers' quarters and different staff

traffic guards, but above all, one is amazed at the wonderful neatness

and order.

After wandering about for about an hour we finally found the S.F.C.,

Rest House and Mess-Room. The roof was gone and the whole top story,

but that was boarded up and a little mess-room made, and around the

garden, which had been cleaned up, were rooms for stray officers. We

got the first good breakfast there I have had since leaving home. The

touch of England was everywhere. A Sergeant received you and gave you a

check in the hall. There is a parlor and reading-room, etc. Certainly

they know how to do things. But writing this twenty-four hours later,

what we admired then we marveled at now. For that same hand of quiet

efficiency is everywhere. No wonder they are the most wonderful

colonizers of the world. But more of this later.

There was no Liaison Officer, so we went to Medical Headquarters

(D.D.M.S.), and speaking about D.D.M.S., one needs a dictionary to

understand these initials. Everything is initialed. I am struggling to

get on to them, but it is very confusing to a beginner.

From D.D.M.S. we were sent forward in two ambulances, one for baggage

and one for ourselves. We left Albert on the Bapaume Road, and now

all power of description fails. One looks with mixed awe, wonder and

admiration.

The battlefield begins on all sides. As far as the eye can see are

trenches, shell-holes and graves. The country is one vast barren

stretch. Scarcely a tree remains. Not a habitation is left standing.

Barbed-wire entanglements run across the country for miles.

On all sides English soldiers are working, cleaning and salvaging the

French lumber and wrecked building material and remaking the roads. The

sites of previous hamlets are marked by a sign in many places, and by

signs and bricks and a few remnants of walls. In other places literally

not a fragment remains of what once was a little French village.

Words can never paint a picture of what unfolds before the eye. You

feel that at the top of the near crest this desolation must end and

life begin again, but it goes on and on, mile after mile, a dreary

waste of torn-up ground and blighted tree stumps.

And the English. No words can tell of their wonderful efficiency and

sanitation. Water-tanks, horse troughs, latrines, water for washing,

water-tanks where canteens may be filled, manure dumps where all manure

is collected and covered with earth to keep flies away. It all speaks

for wonderful order and efficiency.

At crossroads a traffic man stands to regulate vehicles.

Crosses of white, crosses with the tricolor of France, and black

crosses, mark the graves of English, French and German, respectively.

Here and there little cemeteries of white crosses are scattered through

the fields where they have been able to collect their dead.

Fifteen kilometers to Bapaume, which is a mass of wreckage, and on to

Battencourt. Here we met Colonel Westcott, who looked us over, and

then shipped us to the 2/1 Field Ambulance of the 62nd Battalion at

Fevreuil. We get out here, our baggage is unloaded and we enter our

shelter. Now a shelter is a round piece of corrugated iron with a

wooden floor and serves for winter quarters.

_October 1st._ I sha'n't attempt to describe a Field Ambulance

personnel. Everyone has explained it to me and that is sufficient,

because I didn't understand it and probably never shall. Only, it is in

three sections and each section is in three parts, so we are part one

of second section. Thus 2/1.

We are comfortably quartered and the men are all nice fellows. The

colonel is on leave and Captain Pope is in command. The officers are

all fed up on the war as they have been at it since the start and have

all seen trench service.

All morning we rode around with the Sanitary Officer inspecting camps

and sanitation in general. The English make a separate sanitary service

under trained sanitary men and not doctors. In the course of the

morning we met Major English, a charming fellow, not over thirty, who

took us over his battalion of Lewis guns. They had just come back the

night before, but quiet, order and cleanliness reigned everywhere.

Truly a remarkable people.

In the afternoon we motored over to Péronne with the same Sanitary

Lieutenant (Hafflin), and again a vast track of devastation as far

as the eye could reach in all directions--trenches, barbed wire and

graves. Literally, not a habitable house left standing. Péronne has

a school of sanitation where the men are detailed for two or three

days for instruction in general camp sanitation. It is a remarkable

institution. Every bit of waste material is utilized. Petrol cans make

wonderful stoves. Boxes are sawed up into latrine covers, wash benches,

meat-safes. Tin cans are cut up and reshaped into many utensils. Hinges

are improvised from bits of leather, pieces of tin and wire. It has all

been carefully worked out and nothing left to chance. Then again all

wagons, bits of equipment, harness, etc., are groomed with just as much

care and attention as they would be at home. Autos are washed, shined

and polished. It is all simply a marvel.

Péronne is a mass of wreckage like everything else. Evidently a once

charming little Cathedral lies in a mass of wreckage, and on the

doors of the Hôtel de Ville is scribbled in chalk "Eintritt fur 40

Sanitatespersonnel." The destitution of the Cathedral is so complete

that it must have been blown up.

_October 3rd._ Yesterday morning about nine o'clock we started

for Écoust-Longatte, going out in the motor ambulance about four

kilometers. We were fitted out with steel helmets and two gas-masks,

the second as an emergency in case anything happens to the first.

After going about two kilometers there is a sign "No traffic beyond

this point." Here the steel helmet is adjusted and the gas-mask drawn

up in front, the bag opened and everything made ready for immediate

adjustment. Then over about a two-kilometer stretch of road in full

view of Fritz and under the range of his guns. The road is lined with

small dugouts. Here and there empty shells are hung, to be rung in case

of a gas attack. The condition of the wind is noted on boards as "Wind

dangerous" or "Wind safe" depending upon the point of the compass from

which it blows.

We crossed the two kilometers on the crest of the ridge. On all sides

not a sign of life. This absence of all visual signs of life is almost

appalling, for on all sides as far as the eye can reach not a cat is

seen. Yet there is the creepy feeling that some one is always watching

you.

At Écoust is A. D. S. (Advance Dressing Station) in the cellar of a

ruined brewery. The men sleep, eat and live at least twelve feet below

the ground. At the doors are two sets of curtains soaked in a solution

of hexamine to be lowered on the sounding of the gas alarm, also with

apparatus standing near to keep them sprayed with the same solution.

After speaking with the officer in charge we set out on foot through

Longatte, which is a small suburb of Écoust. Here the road for a

strip of two hundred yards is in view of Fritz and it is camouflaged

with wire netting to which small particles of green cloth are tied.

We passed two enormous mine pits in the center of the road which the

Germans blew up on their retreat to the Hindenburg Line. Bullecourt

could be seen about three miles in front of us. All that remains now

is a pile of white rubbish. The English line runs up to the suburbs of

this town.

Now, at this point we took to the communication trench. It is called

Bullecourt Avenue, and we followed it for about three miles. It is

just wide enough to walk in and the floor is covered with duck boards.

And now shells begin screaming overhead. The first desire was to duck,

but it is surprising how soon one grows accustomed to the sound. In a

quarter of an hour we paid but little heed to them. Occasionally we

passed little groups of men working their way back, when one or the

other of us had to stand and flatten ourselves against the side and

squeeze past. Twice we met groups of officers on inspection. One was

General Lord Harnbleu. In about twenty or thirty minutes we came to a

trench running at right angles. This was Railway Avenue, paralleling

the railway embankment. In front of this were only outpost points, so

we were practically in the front trench and about fifty yards from the

Boche at places.

The most surprising thing was the few men that one saw. At intervals

of about one hundred feet were sentries while scattered along in little

bunches of two or three were men eating or sleeping. Every here and

there gun points or men stationed with Lewis guns or Victor automatic.

The sunshine was warm and pleasant, so we stood around, chatted, looked

at the maps and looked at the German positions through the periscope. A

wonderful thing, because it was absolutely similar to peeking through a

hole in the embankment. Not a sign of life from the Boche, except the

constant whiz of shells both coming and going, but they all appeared

to be dropping on our left. Every little distance were deep dugouts,

twenty-five to thirty feet under ground and well timbered. On this

line were two Regimental Dressing Stations. It was like living in a

mine shaft. There were quarters for officers, officers' mess. The men

cook their own food and get good hot stuff. What cannot be cooked is

brought up in large cans built on the principle of thermos bottles.

From Railway trench into Tower trench, where we inspected another R.

D. S., and then back to the railway embankment. From one line of this

trench where the ground sinks there is an open road leading back to

Écoust. Captain Pope said that Fritz seldom troubled small numbers

of men walking back and that this road was frequently used by the

stretcher-bearers. So we started back over it and after about one

hundred yards one could turn and look full into the German trench with

its wire entanglement in front of it. Standing there I fully expected

to be fired at, but nothing happened, although our shells were breaking

on his parapets not four hundred yards to the left, throwing up big

columns of dirt. So we spread out and started along the two-mile

stretch.

The whole ground was pocked with shell-holes, a fallen aeroplane was

lying there, a dead horse, but all the bodies had been apparently

gathered in as I saw none. All the time shells kept screaming overhead.

Some English battery would fire a salvo, and then Fritz would reply,

trying to find out where our guns were.

We finally reached the A. D. S., had lunch at three thirty, and then

climbed out on an old crumbling wall and watched one of our batteries

shell Fritz's trench. It was a fascinating sight to see the shells

throw clouds of earth in the air. I walked home with the Padre, Michael

Moran, an R. C., a bully fellow. On our left was Vaux. Like all the

rest it was a heap of rubble. Below was Beaumont Hamil. All this

country was the scene of the wildest, bloodiest fighting of the war.

Below I note some of the Boche's tricks and his ways as given by the

British Padre, Reverend Michael Moran of West Riding Field Ambulance: