Sidney D. Light's WWI Diary, Postcards & Letters, 329th Battery Book Accounts

        Getting and issuing equipment and materiel is only a part of the work, the most important and nerve-wrecking end of the game is the accounting for government property. Many a night was spent on paper-work and not only nights, but Sundays and holidays found the office staff laboring at their desks while the mules and drivers were assisting the Engineers at road-building, consequently the coveted Detroit and Battle Creek passes were not as numerous as the demand warranted, but the company toiled on uncomplainingly.

         Spring came and passed, and the same routine garrison duties were performed, but with the coming of Summer, old Dame Rumor was busy spreading reports concerning an early departure for European service and soon after rumors became facts. After ten months of Camp Custer service, the news was received with much enthusiasm and nobody failed to work at top speed in order to be ready to leave when the order arrived.

        Enough lumber, strap-iron, nails and paint was drawn to almost start a new camp and within a short time each organization had built a stack of neatly made and stenciled boxes and crates which when packed filled five real U.S. box cars.

        The trip across the sea on the Maunganui was uneventful and not the least bit exciting. The daring submarine failed to make an appearance, not even to amuse the boys who joined the army to see the world and all it contained.

        After eleven days of seafaring the coasts of Ireland and Scotland were sighted and before many hours had passed all troops debarked at Liverpool. The stop at this city was indeed a short one, as transportation was awaiting to move the regiment across the country to Southampton, where the 329^th encountered its

first experience with a rest camp. Why such places were designated as "REST CAMPS" is a puzzle that will never be solved, yet there was one thing comforting and that was the fact that the floors of the barracks were of SOFT wood which helped considerably to rest weary limbs.

        The next day the company sailed across the English Channel to France and landed at Le Havre where another rest camp was found. After a night of rest, orders arrived directing the first move over the famous 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux route. When 32 men occupied one of these renowned French Pullmans, it was more or less a novelty to make an effort to get a sleep, there were entirely too many feet in the car, and but for that fact, the trick might have been accomplished with a few previous drills by the numbers. It seemed quite evident that the originator of the plan had some idea of creating a four-in-one combination, sleeping, dining, parlor and horse car and for some unknown reason, perhaps German propaganda, the vehicle passes censorship.

       The journey ended at the little French town called Messc, where the company spent about ten days hauling rations to the other organizations and ten nights sampling the various brands of wet goods.

        After these few days of leisure and a long hike with full packs, Camp Cöetquidan was reached and here the Company resumed the duties it had dropped at Camp Custer.

        Equipment was drawn according to the latest Manuals for Service in Europe. The faithful mule was a thing of the past. Horses replaced them much to the regret of the wagoners, and the fine army escort wagons gave way to what was known as British service wagons, which were a poor substitute for the excellent train that was left under the sheds in Michigan, thousands of miles away. Before departing for the front, however, the wagoners assembled another train of American escorts which made traveling a good bit easier.

        With rations for a five-day period, and all combat equipment, the company left Cöetquidan for the front on October 26, 1918. Railroad transportation ended at Domgermain, where the regiment assembled for the march into the advance section. The column, composed of supply train, rolling kitchens, ration cars, water carts, caissons, pieces and timbers, together with long lines of troops wearing steel helmets and gas masks, was an impressive sight and made a fellow feel proud to be serving under Old Glory.

        The period of the front was long enough to give the Supply Staff a few sleepless nights wondering how to get the necessary rations and supplies from the base sections for the troops in the pits. With the exception of a few shells during the nights, Fritz in no way harassed the Supply Company, nevertheless, it was a big relief when news of the signing of the armistice arrived. It meant that difficulties in obtaining food and equipment were over and with no regret the village of Bouillionville was evacuated two days later and the never-to-be-forgotten hike to Pont-a-Mousson commenced.

        Over the shell-torn roads thru No-Mans-Land, up hill and down hill the boys who joined the artillery to ride, hiked on, with heavy packs loaded down with souvenirs, and on November 15^th settled at Pont-a-

Mousson, a town that had been a target for German artillery and aerial bombs, rendering a once thriving town a mass of ruins.

        From this time, the big question was—When do we go home?—and scarcely a day passed without some rumor about leaving for America.

        Life in this town was at its best monotonous. The place was deserted and the boys awaited patiently for the wrecks, that were at one time lively cafes, to resume business and as a matter of fact, this was the first line of business to be established, which helped much to make life worth living and likewise afforded a means for disposing of accumulated francs.

        As a joy-killer, rumors with some foundation were spread to the effect that the outfit was to be sent to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. To strengthen these rumors and to damper home-going hopes, truck loads of equipment were drawn from Toul. However, all noises about troop movements seemed to sift down to mere bubbles which finally burst, leaving the disappointed or sometimes heartened boys to wonder what the next would be.

         It was in the early days of February that the order to make ready for moving to the coast arrived. This news was received with more enthusiasm than the signing of the armistice and with exceptional speed the equipment was disposed of at Salvage Dumps and the various depots and within a few days all were ready to board the French sleeping care for the journey into the Le Mans Embarkation Area.

        The trip required a period of three days and nights, but nobody complained. Home was in sight and nothing was too hard to go thru to reach that destination. Even the much despised bully-beef was relished on that trip.

        At a small town called St. Calais, the company was billeted for about three weeks. It was a big relief to be settled in a place that was surrounded by pretty green farms and void of the damaging effect of shell fire. There were restaurants here, also cafes and regular stores all of which benefited greatly by the sojourn of the company, the members of which found it a novelty to test all the various brands of spirits and to buy as many souvenirs as their packs could hold.

        Personal equipment which was much in demand at this time, was drawn at Le Mans, a distance of about twenty-five miles. The trip to the warehouses and back to St. Calais was an all-day grind for the motor trucks and details unless something went wrong with the engine or the road was lost, making it necessary for the crew to camp in some French barn over chickens, pigs, cows and horses, awaiting daybreak for help to arrive.

        The next stop was at Camp D’Auvours, which had been at one time a Belgian artillery training camp. This place afforded an opportunity to replace all shortages in personal equipment and after the customary inspections the company again resumed its advance on Brest, the much-talked-of Port of Embarkation. Living conditions in Camp Pontanezen were as good as any the outfit encountered during its wandering over the so-called Sunny France. It is true, rain fell regularly almost every day and there was mud, but since the rain could hardly be prevented, mud was to be expected. There were sidewalks and duckboards and no particular hardships resulting from the mud were felt.

        Considering the number of men to be fed and conditions in general, the meals served were good. There was plenty of food and while at times it was somewhat slummy, there was no reason why anyone should have gone hungry.

        One thing, however, that was given little or no publicity, and which seemed always to escape the notice of the numerous investigators, was the amount of fatigue work forced upon the men awaiting embarkation. Every man was willing to do something to help pass the time, but it was hard for him to understand why he should be called upon to work in a stone quarry on a Sunday in the rain, or during the night hours on any occasion.

        If the German prisoners and labor battalions were allowed the day of rest, it does not seem possible that the work was so necessary that men of good standing should be called upon to split a rock on a Sunday. This unnecessary fatigue work was the only condition at Brest that brought forth complaints from the men of this company. Even then they had no come-back. To protest would perhaps have meant a longer stay at the port.

        After a two-week stay at Pontanezen, the mighty Leviathan steamed into the port and orders were issued to the Supply Company to embark the next morning. It worked wonders with the spirits of the men. Home, without a doubt, was now within grasp and the company ceased to be a source of supply for the regiment. Why shouldn’t they have been happy?