The first men to receive furloughs in this company received word on the
24th of October to be ready to take the train at Ancemont at 5 A. M. the
next morning. Only four places were given each company, and lots were
drawn to see who would go. Three places were drawn by "buck" Privates
Piatt, Smith and Wise, and Wag. Lawrence Putman was the fourth man. The
balance of the day was spent in hurried preparations for the trip.
Nobody had made one of these trips before, and no one knew what was
required. Full field equipment was the verdict from Headquarters as to
packs.
As no alarm clocks were handy, the men took turns sitting up so that
they would leave on time in the morning. Like the small boy, they were
all up and at the station long before time for the train. First guess
was 10 A. M. for the "furlough special," but it was 7:30 P. M. before
it finally arrived. About a thousand men from the division were to make
the trip, so that it required a good-sized train. The Sanitary Train men
were lucky in loading, as they drew a second-class coach, but French
coaches, even second class, were never intended for sleeping purposes.
All of the men were loaded with rations, issued for the trip, and of
course the jam disappeared first, as it usually does under like
circumstances.
Next morning a strangely peaceful country and welcome sunshine greeted
their vision. Hot coffee was served by a Red Cross canteen for
breakfast. Lyon was reached by noon and a short stop was made there.
The train arrived at Grenoble at 3:30 P. M. on a beautiful Sunday
afternoon. One captain, four or five M. P.'s and the entire population
of Grenoble was at the station to welcome the train. The reception royal
was explained by the captain, who said "Grenoble has just been opened as
a leave area, and this is the first lot of Americans to arrive." When
the men were lined up outside of the station to be marched to the A. P.
M. office, they started out in a column of fours, but it wasn't long
until they were lucky to get through the crowd at all. All the people
wanted to see the Americans and shake hands with them, and not a few
wanted to kiss them. It was surprising to hear so many of the people
speak good English. They explained this, saying that Grenoble was a
popular European and American pleasure resort before the war. Arriving
at the office of the A. P. M., passes were stamped and tickets issued
for rooms and meals. The men were divided among several nearby towns and
pleasure resorts. The last four hundred, including those of the Sanitary
Train, were left in Grenoble proper.
Grenoble is built especially for tourists' trade, and the hotels are all
large and well furnished. They seemed like palaces to the men just from
the barren wastes of northern France. Real beds with white sheets and
soft mattresses, lace curtains at the windows, polished floors, neat
little wash stands, clothing cabinets and fire places greeted the men in
the rooms they were shown to. Single or double rooms were furnished as
desired. Meals were served in the dining room of the hotel, and the men
were informed that all they had to do for seven days and nights was to
enjoy themselves--no reveille, retreat or drill calls to mar their
pleasure. Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:00 A. M., dinner at 1:00 P. M. and
supper at 6:30 P. M. were served at long tables, family style, and they
were real meals. Best of all there were no mess kits to bother with
after eating.
Needless to say, it did not take the men long to get used to living like
white men again, and before long they were all stepping out to see the
town. The barber shops, restaurants and souvenir stores were soon doing
a rushing business. Most surprising was the fact that prices didn't
take a jump the first day and keep rising thereafter. The trades people
even made reductions for the Americans. Modern stores with plate glass
windows and electric lights at night greeted the men, and it is
gratifying to state that the word "finish" was never heard in Grenoble.
The Y. M. C. A. had a well supplied canteen, and every day several of
the "Y" girls led a party of sightseers to nearby places of interest.
Every night some kind of an entertainment, either dances, picture shows
or vaudeville, was staged by the Y. M. C. A. The French shows were all
closed on account of the influenza, so the men had to furnish their own
entertainment.
Grenoble is situated close to both the Swiss and Italian borders, and is
snuggled right up in the Alps. The mountains are snow-capped the year
round, and form a pretty background for the town. Some of the mountains
were close enough for a climb, and several parties took trips to them.
The town is cut in two by the river Isce and three large concrete
bridges span the water, making a pretty setting. The buildings are all
large, of modern and substantial construction, and from the top of the
nearby mountain the town makes a beautiful picture. Of the eight days
spent in Grenoble, seven were sunshiny and clear, so the men were
convinced that there actually was such a thing as a "Sunny France."
The mademoiselles all seemed to think it an honor to show the Americans
a good time, and the men were never lonesome for feminine company. They
seemed more like American girls, as they spoke a little English, wore
good clothes, and were very good looking. As the time for departure drew
nearer, it was hard for them to think of leaving, but like everything
else that sad day rolled around. Many were the promises made to keep up
a correspondence, but how many of these promises were kept, only the
writer and the censor know. Almost as large a crowd bid them good-bye as
welcomed them.
That the men of the 35th division made a good impression on the people
of Grenoble is evidenced in a letter from the mayor of Grenoble,
thanking our General for the good conduct of the men and asking that
more men of the 35th division be sent there.
Whatever the impression made by the boys upon the people of Grenoble, it
is certain that the people of Grenoble made a good impression on the
boys.