Upon the conclusion of the 139th Amb. Co.'s part in the Argonne drive,
the company was assembled at Neuvilly. Here, orders were given for all
men who needed medical attention to report for examination, and the
Casual, after living on corn beef and hard tack once a day, no sleep to
speak of, and some experience with gas, concluded that he needed an
overhauling. Accordingly he went before the M. D., was sentenced to the
field hospital, and there being no field hospital in action, was sent to
Evacuation No. 9 at Vaubecourt.
The journey was made by ambulance and, upon his arrival he was taken to
the receiving ward. Here he was given a hot cup of cocoa by the Red
Cross girls, and a new diagnosis tag in exchange for the one he was
wearing. His helmet and gas mask were discarded since they could not be
of much benefit, and he was assigned a bed in Ward No. 40.
Here he lay for two days, waiting for his turn to go to the Base. The
bed felt good to his weary bones after months of no bed at all to speak
of. He let his mind wander to various subjects that he had been wanting
to think of for two weeks, but could not for fear of that soul
disturbing cry "gas!" He wondered why that shell that had distributed a
mule all over the landscape, had not distributed him instead, in the
same manner, and thanked the Lord that he was evidently considered of
more value than the mule. The third day found him on a French hospital
train, where he lived on French rations (including Vin Blanc) for two
days and one night. The evening of the second day found him at Neuves.
The trip was featured by the unsuccessful effort of the M. P's. to
protect the fine French vineyards from being ravaged by such of the
invalids as were not too sick to walk around. After all, it was a long
time since they had eaten grapes, for one does not pick grapes on the
front line and one used to living in that atmosphere is troubled by more
serious thoughts than property rights. When he got to Neuves he was to
be put through another receiving ward where the serious cases were
marked with a red tag, which means immediate attention. Not being so
badly off, the Casual was relieved of what clothes he still possessed
and everything else except personal articles. Next, came a bath and a
suit of pajamas and then, bed.
When he had gotten off the train those gallant heroes, the pirates of
the S. O. S. had immediately fallen on him tooth and nail, hammer and
tongs for anything in the line of souvenirs that he was likely to have
on his person. Having risked a great deal of his future in obtaining
these little remembrances of the Hun, he was quite naturally not very
much excited over the idea of getting rid of them, and especially to
people only by risking their reputation in trying to part a war-worn
Sammie from his only reminders of the fight. So he stood his ground
until he fell into the hands of the lieutenants of the receiving ward
from whom there is no escape. Here he was separated from all his
treasures with no regard whatsoever, for even common decency. He only
hopes he will meet and recognize them on the other shore, especially if
he could come upon them relating the story of their capture.
After the Casual was safely in bed, the ward master made a record of the
principal parts of his past life, which is called a "Clinical Record."
Next, a physical examination by the M. D. in charge who prescribed the
treatment. The man in the next car was suffering from a fractured leg
and in much pain, but he remarked to the Casual that he was glad that he
seemed to be getting reasonable treatment, for some places he would
have been given two O. D. pills and told to report for duty.
[Illustration: LEFT TO RIGHT: LT. GEO. MONTEITH, CAPT. PAUL R. SIBERTS,
CAPT. RICHARD T. SPECK, CAPT. BRET V. BATES, LT. COLIN C. VARDON.]
[Illustration: WEST TOWARD BAULNEY.]
[Illustration: COMPANY INSPECTION, CAMP DONIPHAN, OKLA.]
The Casual was put in Class C and had an in and out life of it. The food
was good but very little of it, at least, to a man with an appetite.
Occasionally there was a battle royal when enough parties had saved up
sufficient prune seeds to make an effective barrage, but when there were
no prune seeds, the time passed very slowly. The Casual went from Class
C to Class B in two weeks, and three weeks more of it found him ready to
depart for a Replacement Camp. When this time came, he was issued a new
outfit and put in a bunch of 40 men who were under the tender care of a
sergeant. That worthy one drew the rations and marched the detail to the
train. Side door Pullmans, this time. Quite different from first class.
Here the motto "Cheveaux 8, Hommes 40" was faithfully lived up to, but
the Casual thought the 40 hommes was a great deal over estimated. The
seating proved uncomfortable, so with much labor, seats were built
around the sides and through the center from stones and lumber, policed
from an American yard. Immediately after the job was done, an officer
entered and informed the sergeant that all the material policed should
be considered under the order of "As You Were." But he did not wait to
see if his orders were carried out, and the works were camouflaged with
blankets. However, the suspense proved too great, and the stuff was
returned for fear of the consequences. It is worthy of note that the car
was never inspected.
The train started, snail fashion, after the manner of French trains and
at one of the stops, a vin barrel was tapped, to the benefit of all
concerned in the tapping. The destination proved to be Toul, where the
Casual was put in a company and given the rest of his equipment and was
on his way back to his company the next day.
An hour and a half later, he pulled in after an eight kilo hike, glad to
be home and ready to eat some of the good old steaks. No more casual
life for him.