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COMPANY G IN FRANCE

Boevange, Luxemburg, Nov. 28, 1918.

           Dear Mother:—The Censorship regulations have been revised so much so that a whole year's operation is open to me as a theme. I will, however, confine myself in my movements, which are largely those of the Battalion, and touch on some of the more important incidents of this most eventful year. Inasmuch as this is Thanksgiving Day and the orders covering the censorship only arrived last night, we have much to be thankful for. We have no turkey for dinner, but we have managed pretty well notwithstanding. Following is our menu—Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes with Brown Gravy, Creamed Carrots, Bread and Butter, Coffee, Coffee Cake. The coffee cake is the piece de resistance. Our own cooks bake it to perfection—using Lux­emburg yeast. We have that very necessary adjunct to good baking—a warm room to raise the sponge.

           NOW—We embarked on the U.S.S. Covington (afterwards torpedoed) on the 18th of October 1917, passing the three mile limit on the morning of the 19th. Arrived at St. Nazaire on the morning of November 1st.

           On November 6 we entrained having spent the intervening days on board ship. We detrained November 8 at Sauvor (near Vancoulers) marched to Boyee via Broussey (headquarters Department only, Co. B went to Broussey, Co. C to Maligny Le Grand, Co. A to Vacon.) We were met at the detraining point by Major Conway, the Brigade Adjutant, who broke our hearts by announcing that General Headquarters had decided to break up Machine Gun Battalions and give each Infantry Battalion a Machine Gun company. We were scattered on this account. Battalion Headquarters and each company being billeted with the Infantry battalion to which it was planned it would be united. We were within hearing of the guns of St. Mihiel and saw air fights quite frequently. We have laughed at our condition many times since, inasmuch as we had neither gas masks or helmets and were within a zone where their wearing was later rigidly enforced. On November 25 Major Hall, the three Captains and the senior 1st Lieutenant of each com­pany went to 1st Corps school at Gondrecourt. This left me the senior Officer and nominally in command of the Battalion.

           The entire division moved on December 12. Company A and Battalion Headquarters going to Amanty (headquarters via Broussey, Villeroy, Mau, Vages, Rozieres and Badonviller). December 13 we marched to Brechainville via Gondrecourt, Dainville and Grand. Here we had our Christmas though we didn't get our packages till later.

           December 26 we marched to Ozieres via Ailliavville (where we picked up Company B, Co. A and Headquarters being together). Lafouche. Pres sous La Fouche, Semilly, Chalvaraines and Clinchamp. December 27 we marched to Bannes via Montigny Le Roy, Ferme de Chezoy and Frecourt. December 29—marched to Villiers les Aprey via Langers, St. Geosmes, Bourg, Longeau, and Baissey—At Villiers les Aprey we were rejoined by the officers who had been at school and on January 1 got our machine guns and mule carts (24 per company), 12 guns and 4 spare guns per company. Also got our Christmas mail and packages and the news that the battalions were to remain as independent units. All this time we were more or less under the infantry and it was more or less unpleasant. (Langres was the "fairy city" I described. It's on a high hill and was covered with a frost when we first saw it. Here are located the army schools and here I attended Machine Gun school in October.)

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