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

        We are going to Germany and Russia, where we will board the Mauretannia and Leviathan at Brest and Bordeaux, St. Nazaire and Liverpool. We will draw 150 horses, no horses, motor trucks, 1,000 horses, 50 horses, bicycles and finally 101 horses, with which we will turn in our pieces at Belleville, Nancy, Toul and go into Germany. We will also take our 75's back to the States.  The same with the pistols. We will turn them in here (Pont-a-Mousson), take them back to the States and turn them in when we are mustered out, and be allowed to keep them when we get out of the army.

        Preparatory to the grand parade in New York, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, on the same day and the same hour---said hour and day will be nine, eleven and two o'clock on Christmas Day, January 15th, February 22nd, Decoration Day and the Fourth of July.

        We are to rig out in the following raiment and insignia---all of it: whipcord uniforms, the suits we are now wearing, serge uniforms, mackinaws, short pinch-backs, long pinch-backs, no overcoats, leather jerkins, overseas caps, campaign hats and helmets, silk sox, woolen sox and cotton sox, spiral putties, cuff leggings and leather putties, also one pair each of russet and trench shoes and rubber boots.

      Upon the right and left shoulder there will be a red and white "2" and the numeral "2" that should be on our left shoulder will be removed. The red CD will be sewed on the collar, left sleeve, over the heart, and 'round behind, above and below the belt. It will be one color, red, simply designed and bordered with blue, white and green.

        We will demobilize at Camp Mills and Camp Custer, and upon demobilization, will be given six months' pay, three months' pay, one month's pay and receive $100 from the people of Wayne County.

      While these paradoxical events transpire we will remain in France until all the others of the A. E. F. are gone and then go home with the first 300,000.  After that it will become known that Germany is not yet licked and we will stay here to finish the job.

      As regards to our movements before sailing, which will be next week and next year, we will mobilize at Pont-a-Mousson, Rimaucourt and Toul; scatter to all parts of France and start tomorrow for the base ports and Luxembourg, where we will be a salvage outfit, be made into a doughboy unit, do M. P. duty and parade in Paris.

       Everything possible is being done to get us into the Army of Occupation and sail for home at once.  All the officers are signing "Yes" to the questionnaire regarding their willingness to remain in the military service and scrambling over each other to get out of the army.

       But ours is the most splendid regiment in the army and its personnel is the finest set of Americans in the world. The last is no rumor! ---Frank Kunert of "A" Battery, with apologies to "The Highwayman."