World War I Collection

We went over to the station to find out what time the next train left. Found that it left at 4:30 in the afternoon. Then we wanted to know if we couldn't go over some other road and get there sooner. We found that there was a train leaving Chaumont at 9:18 for Neauchateau and that there was a train leaving there for Grougrecourt at 4:30. It was then 7:20 and how were we to get to Chaumont by 9:18. There was a freight pulling through the station. We asked the chef de Militaire if it were going to Chaumont. He said yes but we were not allowed to ride on it. We repeated Chaumont a couple of times and he said yes. We bolted out of the station with him shouting defendu, defendu behind us. We gumped the thing and had a fine ride on the top of a flat car to Chaumont (46 km.) Whenever we would stop we would hide. At Chaumont we got into a first class car and made Neauechateau O.K. but had several narrow escapes from the U.S. M.P.s who wanted to see our traveling orders. One time one of us acted as an officer and got us by. Another time he asked for traveling orders and we kept him outside of the car busy talking until the train pulled out.

We got into Neauechateau ten minutes after our fellows. We had a good meal with the whole bunch at a hotel, and left for Grondecourt at 4:45 got here at 6:30, and was too late to get anything to eat.

Saturday Apr. 27. '18.

Drew our guns, helmets, and belts. Went over to the flying field in the afternoon. Didn't get up. Met Bob. Blake down town in the morning and had dinner with him after I got home from the aviation field. Bob and I went over to the artillery school and spent a very pleasant evening with Clare Lorey.

Sunday Apr. 28 '18.

Bummed around camp all day.

Monday Apr. 29. '18.

Started school. Had an hours drill and games from eight until nine. Started in on the Lewis machine gun at nine. Tried to remember so much today that my head nearly split. We have three days for the Lewis then exes. It seems as if it would take me a year to learn all that we have to learn