ARTHUR
RISLEY
Letter in Patchogue Advance
1918
After leaving Washington barracks we
hiked to the depot and were loaded with all our equipment
on a troop train for the point of embarkation. There we
waited all one Sunday in the broiling hot sun, with packs
and arms, until things could be arranged to get a place
on one of the out going troop ships. We finally marched
single file aboard the ship. My! It was hot in the hold
of that ship. The ship soon left the wharf and crept
toward the open sea amid the deafening cheers of
thousands of people along the shore. The air became
cooler as we sailed north towards Halifax. After two days
there we resumed our voyage across the deep blue sea. We
only had two days of rough weather on the whole trip. We
made our first landing on this side in England, where we
stayed in camp three days. The people both old and young,
gave us a royal welcome. From England we sailed in a
small steamer for the nearest seaport in France. After
landing safely we were sent to a "rest camp." I
fail to see why it is called a "rest camp." In
less than three hours after arriving there we had orders
to roll up our packs and move on. So we hurriedly ate our
"chow" and moved out without our much needed
rest. At the station they loaded us on one of the French
freight trains. The French box cars are about half the
size of our cars and on each one is stenciled words that
mean "40 men, 8 horses." Mt sympathy is
extended to the 8 horses that have to ride in such close
quarters. They took a little pity on us and allowed us to
travel with 30 men in each car, including our packs,
rifles and barrack bags. Even then we were cramped for
space. In this condition we traveled five days- day and
night. We saw a great deal of the country and found the
people eager to greet us along the way. At our
destination we went in large auto trucks to camp in one
of those little French towns. Here we were
"billeted" in farm houses, haylofts and barns,
with all sorts of domestic animals for neighbors,
awakening each morning with sheep, pigs, cows and
chickens adding a pleasing accompaniment to the bugler's
first call. After taking a two week course in the use of
the French pontoon equipment we were set to work,
transporting pontoon material and actually building
pontoon bridges. Our company has built a number of
bridges across the Moselle river and a few across the
Meuse. Straight away pontoon and narrow foot bridges are
used for the infantry and heavy reinforced pontoon
bridges for artillery to cross over. The people over here
treat us mighty well and they have a pretty country, but-
I long to get back home in good old U.S.A. once more
Letter
provided by
Mrs. Grace Shaw
April, 2000