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  • Thursday, January 16, 1919

    Spent most of the day seeing the city and shopping, and we took a walk across the Rhine. Met some boys from the 4th Corps Park Art. and saw the 168th Reg. of N.Y. City drill in the park across from the hotel. Saw another Co. drill on parade. There are many airplanes continually fling across the city.

                The end of the most wonderful trip. We were in the city we had started for on Jan. 7, and it was on the 15th we arrived. It was a wonderful trip because of the good company and the fine scenery, the opportunity of seeing the graves of the boys I had known and to whom I felt as a sister. And the battlefields where so many had fought to the finish for the right; forgetting all the rainy days, thinking only of the bright ones.

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  • Monday, January 13, 1919

    Had an early breakfast and took a look around the city. All of us liked Belgium very much; felt right at home. Left at 10:30 and started for Luxemburg. Arrived there at noon and secured rooms at the Gaisaer Hotel. Had lunch and spent the afternoon sightseeing. The boys had great sport trading soap and chocolate for German souvenirs. Had a wonderful course dinner. Went to bed. We started out early the next morning for Germany.

                We had been on the road just a week today. We passed through some fine places after leaving Luxemberg. Went over a bridge that is 325 feet high. McCutcheon used Luxemburg and the surrounding country for the scenes for his stories “Beverly of Graustork,” “The Goose Girl,” etc. The Revolution had just been voted and we saw some of their wonderfully dressed chocolate soldiers. Their whole army, including the bandsmen, etc. only numbered 250.

    We crossed over to Germany at noon and had lunch in a peasant’s house in the village of Fahren. The women did all she could for us but we saw it was not for love of the Americans but because of our positions. We felt all the time that if things had been her way our reception would have been anything but welcome. We left soon after lunch and were soon riding along the Mosel River, passing many beautiful and high hills covered with vineyards. Wonderful work was the vineyards.

    We stopped for the night at Cochen. No rooms at the hotel so the officers of Co. A. 12th Machine Gun, 4th Div. kindly offered us a room at headquarters, and we sure had a fine place. Their quarters were in the home of a wealthy wine merchant. A beautiful old mansion on the Mosel River. The breakfast room was on the second floor, and the view of the river was beautiful.

                We bought a few cards and souvenirs and left for Coblenz. Soon after leaving Kochem, we traveled over the hills and had the most beautiful ride of the trip. Over hills and down in to valleys, and at one place we were on a hill 500 feet high and we had a fine view of the Mosel on one side and of the Rhine on the other. We passed thru some very large vineyards; this is the country where the famous Mosel wine comes from. We arrived in Coblenz at 2:30 P.M. after crossing the world famous River Rhine. Went to the A.P.M. office and received passes to remain overnight. Went to the billeting officer and secured billets in the Trierche Hotel. We had dinner with the 9th Pioneers; were very hungry. We had cold roast beef, raw onions, and donuts. Their barracks are in an old monastery. There is enough room for two Co. 500 boys.

  • Saturday, January 11, 1919

    Had a blowout. Bill had gone on ahead. Dan followed him for five miles to get some tools, came back, and found he could not fix John up good enough to go over those bad roads so send John back to Verdon. We started out to get Bill and return to Verdun, but on finding him, we discovered we had covered the worst part of the road and that farther on it was better, so we decided to go on to the next town and stay there for the night; Dan would return in the A.M. and get Bill and some new shoes for the tires in Verdun. We met some of the 23rd Eng. We talked with them, and one of them knew Gen. Sheldon and told me the last he saw of him he was making little ones out of big ones. We passed the Valley of Death and Dead Man’s Hill where a half million French lives were lost. The 23rd were in an isolated spot. No way of getting good things to eat, so we left them a good supply of cake, nuts, and candy. And fruit. They sure were grateful and wanted to pay us, but we were glad to give them some cheer. We went on our way and our next stop was done.

    We could not find billets, so the top orderly of Co. B. and Corps Park Art. kindly offered us the use of his room. In a few minutes, we had a good light, and orderly supplied us with mess kits and chocolate. We got up at reveille and had chow with the boys. Dan went back to Verdun for John. Miss Lowe and I went sightseeing. We visited a very old church on top of a high hill, also a big dug out that the Americans had destroyed with a gas shell a direct hit, and then went in with their 45s and cleaned out three thousand Germans. Nearby is a German cemetery where over three thousand Germans are buried; it has been hit by some shells and parts of the bodies are strewn around. This place has been held by the Germans for four years and they have made some changes, built some modern homes. It was taken by the Americans eight months ago. The old church was built in 900 and destroyed in 1400 and rebuilt. It was destroyed again eight months ago.

    We had a good dinner with the boys and left at 3:30 P.M. Made our way into Belgium and picked up several refugees on the way. Our first stop was at Vitron, and while waiting for the boys to get some cards our cars were surrounded by young boys eager to see the American ladies, and they very proudly showed us their shoes and clothes, telling us they were given to them by the Americans. We next went to Arlon and secured rooms in the Hotel du Nord. We had supper and retired soon after. We ran into our first snow storm just before reaching Belgium, and the whole land was covered and very beautiful.

  • Thursday, January 9, 1919

    Raining and the house was far from water tight. Had breakfast and started on our way. Bid goodbye to the ruins and the Cathedral monument of the place.

                We went many miles but saw nothing but ruined land and homes. Stopped at a place called Fismes; bought some cards. Saw two old people in an old place, the only room in the place, trying to get a few things together to start life again. Such struggling. God help the poor old people.

                Picked up a Frenchman who had been in the fight for four years. He had been with the 1st Div. and others in the Soissons drive. He was on his way to the place where his home had been, two see if he and his wife with two babies could start life anew. He showed us a place where he had worked before the war. It had once been a rich farm, but now it was as all other farms in this country, ruined, one would think beyond all reclaiming. We gave another man a lift who was on his way trying to sell horseshoes so he could get bread. We gave him all that was left of our lunch, and he thanked us with tears of joy.

    We stopped at Reims for gas. We girls secured passes to see the old Cathedral and arranged to meet the boys there. It was near dark when we had seen all there was to see and looked for the boys, but they were not near. We walked the streets for a couple of hours till we met a Red Cross nurse who had been working in Red Cross Hospital No. 1 in Paris, had a piece of pie I had made for Carter in Ward 249. The boys appeared and “Little” Willie Fenton had been held up by the French M.P. and they had taken all the souvenirs had gathered from him. They had had trouble getting gas.

    The Cathedral was very interesting. It was started in 1112 and completed in 1229. Charles VII was brought here by Joan of Arc and where she crowned him. One of the guards gave a piece of glass from it built in 1400. In the Cathedral there was a 325 dud which had landed there. The Cathedral had been shelled for ten hours. The organ and altar were covered with debris. The walls are still standing.

    On leaving Rheims, we saw a Salvation Army sign and followed it, and came to a French Salvation Army hut. We were invited in by Adj. Carey and had chocolate. It was a great pleasure to lunch with this fine brave woman. She has s stayed here during all the heavy fighting and had cared for the wounded and helped in every way she could. The French government have given her the Croix de Guerre. The building in which she works is the home of a wealthy wine merchant who allows her the use of the few rooms not destroyed. The village is famous for its Champagne. Miss Carey took us all around the grounds; they were beautiful. We met the British Vice Counsel. His home has been destroyed, and Miss Carey was the means of helping his two sisters to escape from the cellar of the building; he is very grateful to her. Ever since, he makes his home at The Salvation Army quarters. He is president of some large woolen mills in Rheims.

    On leaving, we passed through the trenches where the famous Champagne battle was fought. There are wonderful trenches and dug outs and terrible torn fields that had once been fine vineyards. We lost our way several times and had to turn back on account of bridges having been blown up. We finally took down the obstruction on an old bridge and took a chance on crossing. We girls decided to walk across and bid the boys goodbye and told them we would tell the sad news if they went through, “Safety First” being our motto. They got over all right and were all happy again.

    We had some night! There was no room in the inn and we arrived at 12 P.M. in Chalons. We made the best of the situation by getting our rations and were soon feeding our faces. We were all chilled to the bone as the night air was very cold. We had hard bread, sardines, and lemonade. It was raining hard. We headed for Clermont and got there at 4:00 A.M. Mrs. Springer was there and cheerfully came to our aid, and in a few minutes she had our bunks made up and we were in them.

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  • Wednesday, January 8, 1919

    Had breakfast at 7 o’clock and left at 9. After a short ride, we came to where the Huns had been only 1 mile from the village, in 1914. Then we came to the forest where the French and Huns had fought the hard battle. We picked up a few shells and German helmets. There were many graves. All the homes were utterly ruined. Saw an English tank that had been badly shelled. Here were trenches where the Americans had made a big drive, in 1918, on the Soissons front. Saw one of the fields where some of our boys fought and were sleeping, and the dear old flag is floating over them. They were mostly from the 16th, 18th, 26th, and 28th infantries. As I looked at the graves of the brave boys, I promised again to do more, to live better and be braver in the struggle of life; and to love the flag more. We Salvation Army girls knew most of these boys, had worked with them in the camps and dressing stations; we had bid them goodbye as the left on their long journey. God bless our brave boys and their brave Mothers and wives.

                We arrived at Soissons at 2 P.M. Ruins everywhere. Not one building in this large place had escaped. There were about six standing but they were very shaky. The whole village is nothing but stone and dirt. We had lunch in a place where the people had been back for six weeks and had cleaned up a bit. Got a room for the night also. We went out to see the place and buy a few cards.

    Had our pictures taken and went to see the old Cathedral that was destroyed by the Huns in 1870 but which had not been harmed in 1917. The tall steeple was all that was left in 1870 and all that is left now. One can see it a long way off.

    We went to see the battlegrounds of the place called Chepin des Dames. It was a large forest before the struggle. Now it is a stretch of miles or shell holes, some fifty feet deep; not even a stump of all those trees can be seen. They say that in one of the battles, 25 million rounds of 75s were fired. We rode for several hours and saw nothing but shell holes. It is impossible to describe the condition of the country. No villages, just heaps of stone. We returned to our cold room, had some eats, and went to bed to get warm. The people we are staying with had left their homes and came back. Then they stayed till the last train had left. The train had been followed by planes and bombed. These people had lived in the cellar for weeks at a time and now were praising the American for their deliverance.

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  • Tuesday, January 7, 1919

    Good morning and what a fine morning it is. Had breakfast and went to the station to see if my trunks had arrived. They had, so back to the hotel to pack my clothes for my trip to the land of the Hun. Had dinner and then made a packet lunch and started on our way to see the war ruined land of France. In the party, there were three boys who had come over with me Sept. 12, 1917, and now we were the first to see Germany. We were going by motor and left Paris at 4:45 P.M., all in good spirits and out for a good time.

    My trip into Germany: Party—Bertha Lorve, from Newark, New Jersey; Margaret Sheldon, Chicago; Dan Andrews, Connecticut; John Marshall, Minnesota; “Little Willie,” Fenton, Massachusetts.

    Our first stopping place was the village of Meaux where we stayed overnight. In 1914, the Germans were only 4 kilometers from this place. We walked around and saw some of the fine works of art. We went to the hotel and got a room. It was very large. Large enough to hold a dance in it if we had the fiddler and time.

  • Monday, January 6, 1919

    I got up and found it raining. Oh my, rain. Went to the station to get my trunks, and after a lot of talking and looking and asking in French, I found that they had not traveled as yet, so went back to the hotel and had dinner. Then I got things together for my trip; it took all afternoon. Had supper and retired. Outside it was a very discouraging day, but God kept me happy and smiling. Praise Him for all His love to me. Goodnight.

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  • Sunday, January 5, 1919

    I did not get up until noon and went to dinner and read all afternoon. Then had supper and wrote some letters. It was a very cold and rainy day. We had a good meeting at night, and there were some of the soldiers from the hospital there. It was a farewell for some of the workers; they were going home. They were tired out. God had blessed their efforts here, and they were glad because of the opportunity He had given them. The meeting closed with a good song and prayer. Goodnight.

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  • Saturday, January 4, 1919

    Arrived in Paris at 8 o’clock and dodged the M.P. because I had no travelers pass. I could not get one because there was no O.P.M. where I was. Got a cab and went to the hotel. Cleaned up and had breakfast. Had a talk with the Col. and went shopping. Had my hair cleaned. Had dinner and rested. Had supper and went to bed early. Very lonesome for the boys at Cornay.

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  • Friday, January 3, 1919

    Got up after a night. Had breakfast then cleaned my shoes and coats. Repacked my things and got all ready for my trip to Paris.

    Left at three and got to the station and had a look around till train time. The place was all destroyed and looked rather distressing. Then found I could not buy a ticket because I was not a man. Such a time and it looked as if I was to sleep in that station when I found some boys who were on their way to Paris and got them to get my ticket. We just had time to get on the train. It was crowded, but I was the only girl and had a good time. There were three French officers, two American Marines, officers and a Red Cross man, and a Segt. Read two hours when we changed at Rivighy. We waited there several hours and could not go in the station because it was for French soldiers and civilians, so we stayed out in the rain. We got our faces washed and visited the Red Cross and had cocoa. Looked around the town. It was very badly destroyed. The train came and it was crowded and we got packed like sardines. Here were 12 in a compartment. Had a good time and arrived in Paris at 8 o’clock on Jan. 4.

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