Roys
TO THE
Battlefields oj Rurofie
701
^ruait ^'tutun
ijjJjgUaWLplgta, |I ut.
press of
J. R. KERR & BRO.
Chambersburg, Pa.
ROYAL A. CHRISTIAN
Roy s Trip
to the
Battlefields of Europe
Being the Diary of
Royal A. Christian
Confidential Messenger to
COLONEL MOORHEAD C. KENNEDY
Deputy Director-General of ^Transportation
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
IN THE WORLD WAR
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields
of Europe
*8? *8?
TRYING TO GET IN THE ARMY
ON Friday, Oct. 5th, 1917, President M. C. Kennedy,
of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, sent for me
to come to his office and said, "Roy, I am going
to France; I am sorry I cannot take you along but
when I get over there, if I find a place for you, do you
want to come?" I said, "Yes, sir." And I at once had
visions of France.
On Sunday, Oct. 7th, I went to Ragged Edge to pack
for him, and packed trunk and suit cases. Car 41
came out 3.55 and was put on Train No. 10 for Phila¬
delphia. The party was Col. M. C. Kennedy, Mrs. M.
C. Kennedy, Miss Margaret Kennedy and A. G. Houser
—Mr. J. B. Hoyer, Chief Clerk to the President riding
as far as Harrisburg. On arrival at Philadelphia the
party went to the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel for the
night. We left Philadelphia at 4 P. M., Monday for
New York, the party going to the Waldorf for the night.
As Hotel room was very scarce the President allowed
several members that had joined the party at Phila¬
delphia and that were going over in the same party to
sleep in Car 41 at New York.
At 4:30 the Boss rang for me and said "Roy, you may
get the uniform out, I want to keep on these clothes as
long as possible; about 5 P. M. I will change." At
5:12 he said "Roy, we will, I guess, have to do it."
Everything was ready and he donned the natty uniform.
Of course, Roy had the honor—and I might say here
that I am feeling shaky that if I don't soon get "over
there" some one else will be gitting in on me with that
honor.
4 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
He was commissioned Major and he sure looked good.
Mrs. Kennedy said so and I know it was right cause I
thought so before she saw him. I asked the boss if
he wanted the stock collar or his regular collar; he
said "I am not going to let them rob me of all my
trimmings, I will stick to the high collar.
After taking all baggage to the Waldorf, I came back
to the car and Capt. Jack Study and wife, Maj. Carrol
Bunting, Major H. C. Bo'oz, Capt. I. A. Miller, Capt.
C. A. Walter, said they would sleep on Car 41 that
night, and they did.
I went to the Waldorf at 7 A. M., Tuesday, where
I helped dress the Major for his trip across the pond.
Left Hotel at 9 :25 in taxi for Pier 60—Major Kennedy,
Mr. T. B. Kennedy, A. G. Houser and Roy; and after
standing on the pier and meeting all the other railroad
men that joined the party, the party walked aboard
at 10:45 "The BalticI had it in my head all along
that such a thing was possible as to get into the state¬
room and hide but I found when you get on the pier
in these war times you do not get such a chance. The
entire party told me they would have me there with
them just as soon as things could get settled. So as to
be ready for the call, I got vaccinated Oct. 26, and
shot in the arm for typhoid Dec. 17, by Dr. Gelwix,
the C. V. R. Ii. Surgeon; and on Friday, Dec. 21st came
the following letter dated France, Dec. 7th, 1917:
My Dear T. B. K.
I would be very glad to have Roy over here if he is
willing to take the risk of the ocean voyage and the un¬
certainty of when he will be able to return to the States.
If he still wants to come, please explain the situation
to Major Charles A. McKenney, sending a copy of your
letter to his brother, Frederick D., so that in case the
Major should be out of town, Fred will know what steps
are necessary.
Possibly it could be arranged in one of the following
ways:
1. Roy could enlist with the distinct understanding
that he would be detailed to me as orderly on arrival here.
2. Come over on the transport direct to France in
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
5
some capacity as officers servant or waiter.
3. Come over as a second-class passenger on a French
liner.
4. Come over as Arthur Houser did, that is as a field
clerk.
If it would expedite Roy's coming and assure him of
decent accommodations, I would willingly pay his regular
passage. This would of course involve obtaining a pass¬
port which would be difficult. I would not want Roy to
come if he were crowded in among a lot of colored
stevedores or men of that class, I have no doubt Major
McKenney can arrange it in some way when he learns
how useful Roy would be to me.
My present impression is the best way would be if Roy
can obtain a passport and second-class passage on a
French liner to come over via Bordeaux to this City.
If he goes through England there will be double compli¬
cations about passports and usually a good deal of trouble
and delay. If he enlists there might be much delay in
his getting over and he would be bound down to a
definite number of years of service. As far as his status
with the Railroad Company is concerned, he should be
treated as others who have accepted foreign service. If
he comes he should bring plenty of warm clothing.
Blankets and one pair of reasonably heavy shoes. This
winter climate is very trying and while not severely
cold, it is at times damp and penetrating. Roy should
bring enough money to land him safely in this city, but
he had better not have much of value with him, due to
the danger of having it lost or stolen. He should bring
only hand baggage. If he is coming, the sooner the
better.
If when the time comes, the matter can be expedited
from over here, advise me by cable, although for many
reasons it would be better if everything were arranged
in Washington. You would have to furnish Roy with
what money is necessary which could be adjusted later
either out of his pay or by me.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) M. C. KENNEDY.
Note: If Roy comes over on a French liner, I can
probably arrange to have him taken into the service on
arrival at my headquarters. M. C. K."
As there was a Staff Meeting on Monday morning
as to the merger of the C. V. & Martinsburg R. R. Co.,
6 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
at which Mr. T. B. Kennedy was compelled to be
present, he detailed Mr. H. A. Logue, Signal Engineer,
who understands the ropes, to take me to Washington,
to consult F. D. McKenney, Esq., and his brother,
Major C. A. McKenney as to the proper way to get
passports for Roy.
We left Chambersburg Sunday, Dec. 23rd, Train No.
8, arrived Baltimore 8:10 P. M. As Hotel room is very
bad in Washington, we put in the night at Baltimore,
leaving Baltimore 8:20 A. M., Monday for Washington,
arriving there 9:35 A. M. Went at once to Hibbs
Building and waited for Mr. F. D. McKenney, who came
about 10:00 A. M., and as he is well known to Mr.
Logue, they at once began to size up this trip of Roy's
to France, which lasted until 11:15; then they went
across the street to the Director General of Railroads,
Mr. Felton, and when they returned they sent the fol¬
lowing cable to Col. Kennedy :
Dec. 24, 1917.
"Civil list closed. Impossible secure passport. If you
cable request through regular channel headquarters here
will promptly enlist and forward man with orders to
report to you for duty. Merry Christmas. Good luck.
McKenney."
We leave Washington 3:07 P. M., home on C. V. No.
11, and from that on I am dreaming of France and am
studying the maps, the seaports and the country in
general. On Wednesday, I get another shot in the arm
from Miss Minnich under the direction of Dr. Gelwix
at the Chambersburg Hospital. On Thursday, while in
Philadelphia, with Mr. T. B. Kennedy, Asst. to the
President, I see Mrs. Atterbury at the Bellevue Strat¬
ford inquiring for her bag. I saw her bag under the
porters desk and handed it to her. I knew the bag as
I handled it on Car 41. I also told her I was going over
to Colonel Kennedy. She said she would like to go
along and that if I left her know she would get right
in my pocket and I could take her over; she also said
she would have things to send over to Director General
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
7
Atterbury and that the office here should keep the office
at Broad St. posted.
I went to see Mr. Fahnestock as to whether he had
heard anything of the apples sent by Mr. Davison and
Mr. F. W. Hankins, and as to whether I could take
apples, cocoa and sugar, as Mr. C. M. Davison heard
that those articles were very much needed and he would
like to send along with me anything that he thought
would be of service to Col. Kennedy and his party.
"HEADQUARTERS
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
Jan. 7, 1918.
Mr. Thos. B. Kennedy,
Chamber sburg, Penna., U. S. A.
Dear Tom:
General Atterbury received a cable from Major Charles
A. McKenney, reading as follows:
'Civil list closed. Impossible secure passport. On
receipt cabled request through official channels head¬
quarters here will promptly enlist and forward Roy with
order to report to Kennedy for duty. Merry Xmas.
Good luck.'
As it seems to be against the policy to apply by name
for anyone from the States, General Atterbury does not
feel it would be advisable to cable direct for Roy.
However, I have just sent the following cable to Major
McKenney, reading as follows:
'Noting cable. Suggest Roy apply to Wilgus through
Felton.'
Colonel W. J. Wilgus, Deputy Director Genera) of
Transportation was to reach the States some time during
the Xmas week in order to recruit a number of railroad
men for all branches of the service and I have no doubt
that he could, if the cimcumstances were explained to
him, see his way clear to include Roy in some capacity.
I have sufficient confidence in the resourcefulness of
Major McKenney and yourself to feel sure that ^ou can
work this out.
If Roy should be enlisted in any organization and come
to France I am fairly well satisfied that upon his arrival
here I could ask for his detail to the Transportation De¬
partment and have him sent to me for duty. However,
as above stated, it might be better if it could be arranged
8
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
through Colonel Wilgus to have him come over with
one of the forces he is assembling. I am sure Colonel
Wilgus will do everything he consistently can to oblige
me in this matter.
I am
Your affectionate brother,
(Signed) M. C. KENNEDY.
O. K.
Col. M. C. Kennedy, N. A."
Sunday, Jan. 20th, having heard nothing from the
Cable they called up Mr. F. D. McKenney on the phone
and asked him to have the Western Union show service
of the cable, and on Thursday, the 24th, they received
a letter from him as follows:
"Washn. Jan. 22, 1918.
T. B. Kennedy, Esquire
Office of President, Cumberland Valley R. R. Co.,
Chambersburg, Pa.
Dear Mr. Kennedy:
Replying to a telephone inquiry which I assume came
from your office yesterday, I would say that on Dec. 24,
1917, I sent the following cablegram to Gen. Atterbury:
'E. F. M. Amexforce, London.
Brig. General W. W. Atterbury.
Please advise Kennedy civil list closed. Impossible
secure passport. On receipt cabled request through
official channels headquarters here will promptly enlist
and forward Roy with orders to report to Kennedy for
duty. Merry Christmas. Good luck. McKenney.'
I am informed by the cable office here that no report
having been received with regard to the above cable¬
gram, it is assumed that same has been delivered. I did
not send a cablegram direct to Col. Kennedy, as I was
advised that same might not be delivered to him and that
the cablegram to Gen. Atterbury would be more certain
of delivery.
Some time since sending the above I was talking with
some gentlemen of the railroad fraternity, it occurs to me
it may have been Mr. Gray of the Western Maryland,
and upon my referring to the above matter he stated Roy
had already gone; I therefore assumed that the matter
had been settled and dismissed it from my mind.
I have, however, taken the matter up with my brother,
Maj. McKenney, who advises me that he has received
a cablegram from Col. Kennedy stating that the cable-
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 9
gram of the 24th untimo had not been received and asking
if something could not be done.
Maj. McKenney is now taking the matter up with Col.
Wilgus, with a view to arranging for Roy's being sent
to France, and advises me that he will communicate with
me again within a day or two. In the meantime, he
suggests that Roy be given all of the necessary vaccina¬
tions, so that if satisfactory arrangements are made he
can leave at once.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) F. D. McKENNEY"
* * * *
(Text of various official correspondence between the
dates of January 25th and February 13th, 1918, relative
to difficulties encountered in securing Roy's enlistment,
is here omitted for brevity.)
* * * *
Now after this matter had been hanging fire, on Sat¬
urday, February 16th, the long-looked message arrived
—saying "Send Royal Christian to see me at Washing¬
ton and I will give him papers sending him to Camp
Lee, Petersburg, Va."
Mr. Logue, Signal Engineer of the Company, was
again detailed to put the job through and he said he
would see that it was done right. We left Chambers-
burg Monday, Train No. 8, to Baltimore; put up for
the night there but found it was as bad to find a hotel
in Baltimore now as Washington. We found that
Washington being dry now, the big people come over
to Baltimore at night to have their "wet nights" and
as you know how hot things are in Washington now,
there are a good many come over to get cooled off. Mr.
Logue went to five hotels before he finally was ac¬
commodated.
We left Baltimore at 7:14 Tuesday A. M., for Wash¬
ington and the pulling of Avires for this trip was started
in earnest. We went direct to the National Defense
Building, arrived there 9 :10 A. M., waited until 9:45
when in came Major McKenney. After shaking hands
with Mr. Logue, he said "And is this Roy?" Roy, you
10 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
have caused me more trouble than all my money, but
I think we will fix you up all right this time." To Mr.
Logue he said, "Now let me see, what have you to do?"
Mr. Logue said, "Nothing but to see this boy off. I will
stay with him until I see him in uniform." "Well",
said Major McKenney, " we could enlist him here but
suppose you take him to Camp Lee. What time would
you leave here?" "At 2:30" said Mr. Logue. "Now,
suppose you meet me at my brother F. D. McKenney's
office at 1:00 P. M.; I will give you a letter myself and
get a letter from Colonel somebody (I could not catch
the name) and you will give these letters to Col.
Spaulding, at Camp Lee, and I think you will have no
further trouble" said the Major.
We met him at 1:00 P. M. at Mr. F. D. McKenney's
office and he gave the letters referred to above. As he
gave the letters to Mr. Logue he said "You will have
some more trouble yet, in a peculiar way", and to me he
said "Now Roy, when you get over there—I mean if you
ever get there, you tell Col. Kennedy I am all right and
that I send my kindest regards to him." I thought that
sounded rather queer but thanked him, oh, very politely.
You know, I was game and felt I was going through
with flying colors. Mr. Logue suggested to the Major
in the morning "How about having this fellow examined
here—we could make that much better time by having
that done." Major said "Oh no, there is no use. He
will pass" I felt good at that, too, you know.
Well, we left Washington for Camp Lee at Peters¬
burg, Va., at 2:30, due to arrive there 5:25. We pulled
out two draw-heads on the train and the air hose blew
off a coach, and we arrived there at 8:15. Can you
beat that for passenger service under the Government
Control of Railroads? Of course leaving Washington,
Roy rode in the "Jim Crow" part of the coach. I do
not think at first Mr. Logue had thought it was the
dope down that way, for he looked so queer when he
saw I was in that part; but I had seen all along that
the great part in the whole thing was my color. It
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 11
lot being a pleasant subject to discuss, I thought the
>est thing to do was to lay pat and let him discover
umself—and in due time it came to him.
Going into Richmond, Va., I saw the brakeman
mtting so many suit cases in the toilet room and locking
he door. I thought that looked funny. Finally it
;ame to me that Virginia is dry and that the suit cases
vere wet. At the station in Richmond a big cop came
m and began shaking suit cases for liquor. He did not
jother me nor question me but he did pull off four
'ellows in the rear of the coach; they did have liquor
n their suit cases. Well, he put them in jail—at least
;hey did not get on the car again. When we pulled
)ut of the station, I noticed the brakeman bring back
;he suit cases to the people and among them was a jug
in a bag. The fellow sat it on the seat not very secure
md the train gave a jerk when the air hose went off
md on the floor went the jug and broke; two gallons
jf the precious fluid ran down the floor of the coach.
Well, one could not help but laugh at the fellow's
foolishness and at the same time feel sorry for him.
[ think I had once or so the odor of that stuff but I
cannot blame the train for parting—I think it was the
strongest stuff the world over. The conductor yelled
when he came in and got a whiff of it, and I am sure
tiad the odor reached an Indian Reservation, they would
all have gone on the war path.
Mr. Logue got a room at the Stratford Hotel, up the
street from the station at Petersburg, and I find a little
room up town near Halifax and Union Streets. I
walked around a little before I turned in and I saw a
car that looked like a private car by the blind, and I
went after it and found it to be Mr. N. D. Maher,
President N. & W. Ry.—his car had dead-headed from
Roanoke to pick him up coming from Norfolk. So I
had quite a talk with the porters until the train pulled
in. Well I then turn, smoking some of the N. & W.
cigars, turned in for the night, to meet Mr. Logue at
3 :00 A. M. at the Stratford Hotel. He had a wonder-
12 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
ful time getting breakfast. Baked Apples were on the
bill of fare. He said give him one. The waiter left
and came back and said "Sorry we have no baked
apples." He then asked for an orange. She left and
returned and said "Sorry, we have no oranges." He
said "Well, give me some hot muffins". She left and
came back and said "The cook for cakes did not come
this morning." Well, he said "Now you just give me a
breakfast and you and I will not fall out." He finally
got something—some oatmeal and a few things and we
met and took a taxi for Camp Lee, which is just out¬
side of the town. The road for a part way was fair.
We were riding in an Overland car that was not
hitting properly.
"HEADQUARTERS 305TH ENGINEERS
CAMP LEE, VA.
Feb. 20, 1918.
From: Commanding Officer, 305th Engineers
To: Recruiting Officer, Base Hospital, Camp Lee, Va.
Subject: Enlistment of Royal Christian (colored).
1. Request that Royal Christian (Colored) forty-three
years of age be enlisted in the 511 Service Battalion.
(Sgd) GEORGE R. SPAULDING,
Colonel of Engineers, N. A.
Recruiting Officer
O. K. enlist this man.
D. O. KEEFE,
Asst. Adjt."
We went at once to Col. Spaulding, Col. of the 305
Engineers Div. Mr. Logue had a talk with him. He
treated him awfully nice, signed the paper saying O.
K. enlist Royal Christian in the 511 Labor Battalion,
and told Mr. Logue that they would sail soon. The
paper had on that Royal Christian was forty-three years
of age all along and my service record with the C. V.
R. R. Co., and no objections were raised any place
among all the people we had come in contact with.
He sent a clerk with us to some Adjutant who in turn
signed O. K. enlist this man, and everybody was going
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 13
so good I thought there was plenty of time to get the
names of these people. The clerk talked smooth, told
it was good to be loyal to the U. S. A., and I was all
proud over this stuff he was doling out to me. He
then took us to the Base Hospital. Mr. Logue was
right with me. I see them looking very strong at Mr.
Logue for being with me. Had he had hand-cuffs on
me I guess it would have been all right but it always
causes some stir when white people down there in the
"stix" see a white man with a colored man. The clerk
from Col. Spaulding's office here handed us over to a
clerk at the Base Hospital. He in turn took us to
another building and we could not get fixed up there
we were sent to the Eye and Ear Hospital, a little
further down the row. The clerk that had us in charge
went into a room, came out with a Doctor who looked
me over while he .was talking to Mr. Logue and said
he was very sorry he could not examine me before 1:30
that afternoon. This was about 11:30. Mr. Logue ex¬
plained the situation to him but he still hung to his
story, saying that he was doing some particular work
now that he could not stop. Well at that we went
over to the Y. M. C. A. and left our coats, as the sun
was very warm, and looked at the soldiers learning
how to charge with bayonets and saw them blow stumps
out of the ground with powder. Looked the new theatre
over. It will seat 3500. I felt so sure I was going to
be a part of the Camp Lee I did not get any cards,
thought I would get them later.
We got dinner at the Hostess House, which was very
reasonable and Mr. Logue there got in touch with
Lieut. J. S. Trainer on the phone.
Well, at 12:45 we went to Base Hospital to be there
early. A soldier came up to where Mr. Logue was
sitting and he looked me in the face and said "They
ain't going to take you." I said "Why". He said "You
are too old." I said "How old am I?" He said
"Forty-three". I said "How did you guess it?" He
said, "I was told." Mr. Logue then said to him if he
14 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
was Uncle Sam he would have all that loose soil made
into war gardens and make you fellows work them.
The fellow did not like that so well and said he did
enough work walking around the Base Hospital eight
hours a day. He then walked around to me again and
said "You don't look like a pauper, you have good
clothes on, you better stay out, they ain't going to take
you." The thought occurred to me the fellow wanted
to tell us something but the Doctor came and we went
in and this is what followed:
We walked back to the door where the Doctor ex¬
amined the men and I sat down and waited. I was
the first there. I wanted to get it through with, that
Mr. Logue could go back and leave me there a full-
fledged soldier in the Khaki. I was the same as a
prize fighter in the pink of condition. I knew of
nothing that would keep me from passing any kind of
an examination and I was willing to go to it.
The Doctor came past and looked at me and said
"Come in here". Up I jumped in the room and handed
him the papers that had O. K. on them and said enlist
Royal Christian (colored) in the 511 Labor Battalion.
Age forty-three years.
This little Doctor, only if I remember right with the
commission of Lieutenant, said "I cannot enlist you."
I asked for my spokesman, Mr. Logue, who was right
outside the door. He came in and explained the whole
thing to the Doctor and do you know he would not
change one particle. He said the only thing that can
be done is have the Adjutant General waive the age.
Well Mr. Logue said "Where is he?" The Doctor said
"In Washington—I will get him on the phone." Then
I think Mr. Logue commenced to tumble to it that the
Doctor did not want Mr. Logue to talk to the Adjutant
General but he wanted to talk, and I had thought that
this was just about the place they intended to run Roy
off the track. Then Mr. Logue said "If I take him
along with me to Washington and am able to get the
waiver, can he then come back here alone and will you
take him?" That was all O. K.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 15
Now the first thought in my mind was between 11:30
A. M. and 1:30 P. M. there was some wires pulled.
How on earth did that soldier come up to us on the
porch that had never seen us before and say he heard
they was not going to take me in the service? He sure
must have heard something. I felt all along my color
was holding back.
The Doctor said he was very sorry to Mr. Logue; he
said nothing to me. Well there you can see Roy met
his Waterloo, and you can take it from me if I ever
catch up with Col. M. C. Kennedy he will never get
3,000 miles from me again, believe me, if he does it
won't be my fault.
It was decided that Mr. Logue would call on the
Adjutant General at Washington the next day and
that if he would waive the three years for me, Mr.
Logue thought it would be best to have the Doctor look
me over while I was there as to whether I would pass.
The Doctor did not seem anxious to do so. Mr. Logue
insisted and the Doctor stated he would look me over.
He laid me on the bed, sounded my heart, lungs, tested
my eyes, cracked me on the knees, had me read letters
on a black board about twenty-five feet while he held
a book over the other eye, then changed to the other
eye and tried the same thing, and believe me, I was
passing through everything all O. K. He tapped me
all over the back, took by blood pressure, said I was a
pretty good chap. Stood and looked at me, then told
me to open my mouth, put some sort of a stick in and
there it seems he found something that he could use.
He says "You have not enough teeth." He goes and
gets a book out of the table in the room and looks up
something in there, comes back and goes into Roy's
mouth again.
Then he went to Mr. Logue and said "I guess I will
have to reject him on account of his teeth, as you must
have two molars on each side of his jaws, while he
has all on one side but none on the other, so I guess
I would have to reject him on that." In other words,
16 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
lie put that peg in, in case the Adjutant General did
let Mr. Logue out-talk him, he had this to hang on.
Again he said to me "You are a pretty good chap.
Have you ever done any hard work?" I told him I had
been Steward at the Elks Club in Chambersburg for
nine years and went to the C. V. R. R. from there and
had been there twelve years. He said "If you were
compelled to eat hard tacks you would be short two
teeth, which would hinder you somewhat. Now just
think of it, me going to be an orderly and a small thing
like teeth keeping me back—can you really believe that
really and truly the teeth is the only thing in the way?
He asked me, "Can you eat" I said, "Yes sir, I can
eat any thing." Mr. Logue took the book and it was
really there that one must have at least two molars on
each side of his jaws. I have not changed my mind,
I still feel that was the siding that I was to be run off
at, I don't think for a moment every time I passed an
officer he would open my mouth to see if I had enough
teeth if this little enlisting officer had passed me on,
and I am surely positive I could have eat my share
of all the food the U. S. has to spare and had no trouble
with indigestion at that.
Well, we caught a trolley which was the quickest way
to get to Richmond at 4:30. Arrived there 5:20, got
a train out there 6:50, arrived Washington 10:25.
Mr. Logue said he would study the matter over going
to Washington and then decide what he would do.
He did so and he begins to see the hand writing on the
wall; he seen there was a nigger in the wood pile; he
got mad and said "By God, I am going to fight this to
a finish." I said, "Well, Mr. Logue, I will do as you
say. I will obey you; but I will say it's all up—it's
my color and I cannot change it." "Well", he said,
"I will make someone say No before I go back." We
parted, to meet at 8:30 A. M. at the Ebbet House. I
stayed at a colored hotel that tried to freeze me out.
I got up and put on the knit stockings Miss Kennedy
had given me saying I might need them, and they felt
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 17
very good. I could not sleep for I thought of the frost
that I felt sure would meet us in the A. M. I felt that
the train had run about long enough and all in all I felt
that I was going to lose.
We met at the appointed time and went to the Na¬
tional Defense Building, to Major McKenney's office.
Mr. Logue was standing in the door, I was on the inside.
Finally up the hall came Major McKenney. I could
recognize his voice. He said, "Hello, Logue." I looked
out of the door. He said, "My God, are you back here
again?" "Thought I sent you to France?" Well, Mr.
Logue explained the whole situation to him and he is
surely some slick and shrewd officer; just as easy he
plans his doings, nothing rattled, no fuss, everything
quiet, he said, "Suppose you meet me at the Metro¬
politan Club at 2:00 P. M. I will see how we can out¬
line this matter. I possibly can get him to waiver
those three years for you." Well, he looked at me
and laughed "Boy, we are trying to land you with the
Colonel." I thanked him—I saw he was trying, too,
as far as he could go.
At 2:00 P. M. we went to the Club and after waiting
we met the Major. He went over some more little facts
I could not get then. They were minor though. The
main thing was this waiver act. That was the big
show. He said he would call Mr. Logue at the Ebbet
House at 3:00 or 3:30 P. M. At 3:00 P. M. I walked
in the Ebbet House, stood back against the wall. In
about twenty minutes I heard a boy page "Mr. Logue,
Please." I said, "There you are, Mr. Logue." He went
to the phone and the Major said he would not waiver
the three years that it was an Act of Congress and he
could not go back of that. At the Club I heard him
say to Mr. Logue that one of the Adjutants said "What
did the damned nigger say he was that old for?" Well
you will see I was not so far wrong in thinking it
was about time to run Roy off the track. Mr. Logue
said "Is there anything else for me to do, Major?" He
said, "I fear not. I have done all I can and you have
18 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
done all you can. I think yon had better go home and
report to Thos. B. Kennedy. We can not go any
further. If they want to do anything further it would
not do for either you or I to have anything in it, as we
have gone the limit."
We got our baggage and started home and the curtain
has closed on that part of Roy's trip to the Battle-fields
of Europe.
"Wash., Feb. 23, 1918.
Mr. Thos. B. Kennedy,
Acting President, C. V. R. R. Co.,
Chambersburg, Pa.
My dear Kennedy:
It was with a great deal of regret that I saw Mr. Logue
turn up from Camp Lee with Royal Christian still
hanging on his coat-tails. Curiously enough, none of us
seem to have realized that Roy was beyond the age per¬
mitted by Act of Congress for enlistment.
I took the matter up with the Adjutant General's office
and they advise me that absolutely no waivers of the age
limit had been or would be made, as they did not con¬
sider that they had authority under the law to make
such waiver and, further, that in a few cases where the
recruiting officer had actually taken men who stated that
they were over forty, as the papers came in through the
Adjutant General's office, discharges for these men had
been immediately issued. It is rather unfortunate that
Roy seems to be so positive as to the date of his birth.
If his faith were shaken in that respect, it is possible that
he might get by the recruiting officer. Otherwise, I
think that it would be an absolute impossibility to get
him sent forward by assignment to your brother. I send
you herewith certain papers pertaining to Roy, which Mr.
Logue left with me by error.
I am extremely put out in not being able to accomplish
the thing desired by Colonel Kennedy in this case, and if
you can suggest anything further that it is possible for
me to do, I shall take great pleasure in exerting every
effort.
With very best regards.
Sincerely yours,
(Sgd) C. A. McKENNEY,
Major, Engr. R. C.
BOOKED FOR THE OTHER SIDE
July 17, 1918.
AS some who may read this book may know, Colonel
M. C. Kennedy, President of the Cumberland
Valley Railroad, Chambersburg, Pa., went to
France October 9th, 1917.
And it had always been my desire to get with him
again. I was always looking for some word that he
might send that would wind up in me getting to him.
About June 1st, Mrs. M. C. Kennedy in talking to
me about doing some shopping for her in Philadelphia
said, "Roy, you might still get over there but keep it
very quiet."
And I did. About the latter part of June nothing
more was heard about that but an awful lot was heard
about some changes that would be made in the manage¬
ment of the Railroads, particularly the Cumberland
Valley. I could tell by the air and attitude of some of
the officials whom I had studied very well, that there
was something coming off.
On June the 28th it came out that Mr. J. H. Tonge,
the Superintendent, would be made General Superin¬
tendent, with headquarters at Hagerstown, Md., and
that Mr. Lowman would be the Superintendent, with
headquarters at Chambersburg. Well that started the
things to move fast. I was told by the General Superin¬
tendent that there would be no porter in the Superin¬
tendent office any longer and that if I wanted to be
his porter on his car it would be all right, but that
if I did not accept that I would have no job. I began
to study the situation over and all the time praying
that my kind friend, Colonel Kennedy, would soon
snatch me from the condition I had found myself con¬
fronted with. I was also told that I would have to
19
20 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
move to Hagerstown. I left that order stand a few
days. I then told the General Superintendent I would
not move to Hagerstown. I began to feel that if I had
to jump off I just as well go now as later. He then
in a few days told me I could go back and forth but
up until this time I was still in the Superintendent
office in Chambersburg. The appointment was effective
July 1st. On July 9th I was ordered to go to Hagers¬
town to take a suit case over to the General Superin¬
tendent J. H. Tonge and while there his Chief Clerk,
Mr. Andy Moore, said "I understand your name is Roy."
I said, "Yes, sir." "Well, I would like to know if I
can borrow you and the cook on your car to make a
trip to Cumberland with Mr. Tonge with W. M. Private
Car 200." I said, "You will have to ask Mr. Kennedy.
He said, "Get him on the phone." I did so. It was
finally decided that he could have me but not Wells.
I was told to go to Cumberland with Mr. J. H.
Tonge and also asked to get a cook for the trip, which
I did. We left Hagerstown 12:15, arrived Cumberland
3:15 with the W. M. Car 200, with Mr. J. H. Tonge,
the General Superintendent of the Potomac Division on
the throne. After arriving I looked the whole matter
over and never was there a more disappointed porter
on earth than Roy. I said to myself, "God knows this
aint no place for me." I tried to play the game and
get by but it was hard to do it after working for four¬
teen years for the real people to come down to this.
Well, the car was well-stocked and we had good meals.
The officers that we had for meals spoke well of the
service and that of course pleased the powers that
hoped to be. Then again the persons that were enter¬
tained were not the kind that really knew, so I could
not bank so much on their judgment. Well I got by at
any rate.
We laid in Cumberland until Saturday morning, when
we left for Elkins, W. Vav over the W. M. R. Rv ar¬
riving there 12:45 Noon, Saturday, July 13th. Left
Elkins 6:14 Sunday, the 14th, for Hagerstown, via
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 21
Cumberland, arriving Hagerstown 3:35. Went over to
the C. V. Station and on to Chambersburg on 0. V.
train 10, arriving there 4:35 P. M.
On arrival the General Superintendent called me and
said, "Now, Roy, I am going to keep you and the cook
and I will pay you $80.00 per month both of you. Have
the cook be very careful of his habits and I want you
to go to Baltimore with my car and superintend the
changes that I want made." We had the Master
Mechanic, Mr. Weiseckle, and showed him all he wanted
done in Cumberland. I said "Yes, sir," and was
thinking "How long will it last?"
On July 4th I had been asked to take a suit case to
Hagerstown for the General Superintendent and I went
over on C. V. Train No. 3, and came back on No. 8. The
General Superintendent was with me. He said to me,
"Roy, you are a dam good porter and I want you. I
will take care of you and treat you all right," and "As I
said before, things will be very much changed around in
the office at Chambersburg and what I fear is unless
you do come you will have no job." I began to read
through the lines, but the fact that he was all the time
making arrangements with Quivers to get a man and
that he should take my place in the Superintendent
office did not agree very well with me and with the story
he was trying to tell me.
The whole thing was, if I refused to go with him, he
was going to oust me. So I told him how glad I was
that he had gotten this appointment and that there
was no use in talking, he sure was going to go higher,
and that I was expecting this, and that I knew he
would have a car soon. I had told him that before,
trying to keep peace in the family, and he sort of raised
his shoulders and said, "Now, Roy, am I going at it
all right?" I said, "You surely are." He said, "Tell
me that again." He meant about how he was going
to go higher in position. I told him all over again and
he said, "Roy you stick to me." I said, "Yes, sir. I
have cast my lot right with you and I am grateful how
22 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
good you are." And I began to spread it in good shape
and was praying for the Colonel to "deliver" me.
At Cumberland, when the other Superintendents came
on the ear and had dinner, I was saying to him, "Well,
Mr. Tonge, you are like a new man. You are certainly
buckling right down to it. I am surely glad to see you
have the ability to handle these Superintendents like
you do. You are doing wonderful work." "Am I all
right, boy?" he asked. "You certainly are, sir", I
said. Then he said, "Tell me that again." And I went
all over it. Whenever you handed him a nice line of
talk he would have you tell him over often. And you
know I was all the time learning just how sweet he
wanted his coffee. But what is the use, you know.
I also got from Mr. Logue in New York that it was
said I would not leave to go to the other side. Well, I
guess they did think that but you can all see now what
I had in mind; having not enough of this world's goods
to retire, I just played along enough to stay on the
payroll and slide at the right time—and I think I did
the act pretty well.
On Tuesday, July 16, I was ordered to Hagerstown
with the cook, William Howard. We went to Hagers¬
town on C. Y. 5 and to Baltimore over the W. M. 3:32,
arriving Baltimore 7:30 P. M.
I was to go to Union Bridge in the A. M. and look
after the alterations that were to be made on W. M.
Car 200. I went to Union Bridge on the first train
leaving Baltimore Union Station 8:05 A. M. arriving
Union Bridge about 9 :45. When I reached there, found
the car, put on my overalls and a khaki shirt that I
had bought for the occasion and started to work, and
I judge I had worked just about thirty-five minutes
when one of the shop men came to the car and said "Is
there a porter here named Boy?" I yelled, "That's
me." He said, "You are wanted on the phone at once."
I went to the phone and it was Mr. Hunsecker, Mr.
Tonge's Stenographer. He said "Roy, your wife said
you must come home at once. You must be home by
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 23
night." My God, wasn't that some message. I did
not know at that time but since. Well, I tried to think
but you can see it was a pretty hard thing to study out.
I knew my wife would not call me unless something
had happened and as I had only left home the day
previous and all was right, I kind of thought Mr.
Hoyer must of got something. I told him it did not
matter where I was, if he got word to me I would come
—and I guess all in his office knew that.
Well said I "What is the first train out of here?"
The Foreman of the shop was right there; he said "Is
there any one sick?" I said "I don't know." I had
asked Hunsecker what was the matter and he said she
won't say—just said you must come home at once.
Must be home by night.
I went out of the shop over to another shop where
there was a pretty sensible boy clerk. Asked him about
trains; he said there is no train out of here until 6:50
this evening. I said "My God, I can't wait on that."
I then asked how about trolleys, can I get one to West¬
minster? He said "No." The best thing you can do is
take an auto to Ricetown, then trolley to Baltimore."
It now being something after 10:00 A. M., thought I
could possibly catch C. V. No. 7 out of Baltimore. I
said "See what auto will cost." He ran; came back in
about eight minutes and said $10.00. I had just that
much of the General Superintendent's money. I said
"Get it." He flew after it and was only gone a short
time until he came back with a new Overland Car and
the Chef and Roy got in and I said "Let her go. Open
her wide." And he did. Ricetown is thirty-five miles
from Union Bridge and we went there in one hour and
thirty-five minutes. Got a trolley and was in Balti¬
more 1:35 and took the 4:20 for home.
My wife met me at the station and gave me the proper
dope—that I was to go to Mr. Hoyer's house at once—
that Colonel Kennedy had sent for me. Now if that
aint lifting a man out of misery then I don't know.
24 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
COPY OF WESTERN UNION CABLEGRAM
IP GY 15 PEY
London, 0035
Loco. Kennedy
Chambersburg.
British Consul New York instructed by Cable Issue
Passport Roy. Communicate Franklin.
KENNEDY.
7.35 A. 7-17-18
I had went some but when I got that dope I was
really ready to go some more. I went to Mr. Hoyer's
house and he took me into his dining room and we
went over the situation that landed me in the care and
attention of Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Deputy Director
General of Transportation, American Army; and if he
ever gets 3000 miles away from me again, I will be
sick or something else will have happened.
After being behind closed doors with Mr. Hoyer from
9 :25 P. M. until 11:15, it was decided that I should go to
New York in the morning with Mr. H. A. Logue, and
we were to see Mr. P. A. S. Franklin, President of the
International Mercantile Marine. I thought, well, my
boss surely reached up high enough this time to land me.
I went home, packed up, met Mr. Logue as directed
and away we went to New York arriving there at 2:15
P. M., July 18th, went at once to the office at 9 Broad¬
way and was taken in hand by Mr. Franklin and his
chief clerk, Mr. McGloone, who handled the matter from
there. It was found that the passport that was cabled
for me would have to go through Washington and that
might delay some, and I feared some little technical
matter might stop me. Mr. Logue said, "Why not give
him something to do on the boat?" Mr. McGloone said,
what can he do, and Mr. Logue said, "He can do any¬
thing." Well that caused more talk and Roy Was
taken before Mr. Spencer and Mr. Archer of the Pas¬
senger Department of the Clyde Line, then Mr. Fennett,
who has the charge of stocking up the vessels was called
in. I was taken to the pier. I looked out, saw ship
"Grampian", thought sure that was the one I was
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 25
going on until Mr. Spencer said "This boy will just fit
in on steamship "MinnckahdaThat name will ever
ring clear in my ears.
It was then decided that I should sail as third class
steward on the ship "Minnekahda" and that I would
sign up as that. Then the trouble arose as to my birth
certificate. I had none with me as we never knew one
was expected. Well, it being near 5:00 P. M., I was
told to get four photos of myself and we would meet
at the office at 9:00 A. M., Friday. I got half dozen
pictures taken, and was to meet Mr. Logue at the
Imperial Hotel at 8:00 A. M., Friday morning, July
20th. I was there and we went to Mr. P. A. S.
Franklin's office, 9 Broadway, through the Tube, ar¬
riving there 8:45; find no clerks there yet. You know,
New York clerks don't show up before 9:30 and 10:00.
While Avaiting on a clerk I said "Mr. Logue, if you will
get me a typewriter, I can make out the affidavit," as
it was thought as I had no birth certificate an affidavit
would get us through. He said all right, told Mr.
Archer; he called me back in the office and said "Go to
it." I did make out the affidavit. Mr. Logue signed
one saying he knew me for twenty-five years and Mr.
Fennett signed the other saying he knew me for three
years. Well, we took them over to the Custom House
and the clerks began to ask questions. It seemed Mr.
Fennett was wise to all courses to take. He bought a
hand full of cigars and he just placed them at the right
places. Wherever there seemed that there would be
something to stumble on Mr. Fennett had it smoothed off.
I was a little worried at the Custom House; they
would not allow Mr. Logue to come in. I did not like
that as I wanted him to be close by me at all times.
For I could feel that he was sincere. Well, they took
my photos, chopped them up the way they wanted them,
and there were eight clerks in all that had some part
+o do in making out the passport. I got through there
at exactly 12:00 o'clock and Mr. Fennett who is cer¬
tainly a valuable man, as his position was important;
26 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
but he spent the entire morning with us, says "I will see
you through" and he did. We then went to the Sea-
mans Home for identification card. The clerks were
just going out for lunch—that meant one hour wait and
we wanted to catch the two o'clock train for home, as
the boat was to sail Sunday.
Mr. Logue finally greased a fellow to fix us up, which
was done, and then we were, we thought, through. Mr.
Fennett said I will drop in here and see if the British
Consul will clear the ship in port or down the river.
Well, of course I knew nothing about clearing any ship.
Once I was on that was all there was to it with me.
Well, the British Consul was not in, so Mr. Fennett
thought I would be all right. They then asked me what
time I could get back from Chambersburg. I told them
1 would leave Chambersburg 10:25 Saturday night,
arrive New York 7:15 A. M., Sunday morning, and could
be at the Pier not later than 8:30. Mr. Fennett said
he would meet me at the pier, and I was there.
COPY
State of New York:
County of New York:
City of New York:
Royal A. Christian (Colored) being duly sworn deposes
and says that he resides in Chambersburg, Franklin Co.,
Pa., where he was born of American parents on April
4th, 1875.
It has been arranged for the deponent to sail as a
member of the crew of a British Steamer on Sunday,
July 21st, and is therefore unable to procure a birth cer¬
tificate from the Chambersburg, Pa., records in time to
permit him to sign on the ships articles as above.
Signed ROYAL A. CHRISTIAN.
Sworn to before me this
19th day of July, 1918.
C. Walter Smith, NY.
COPY
International Mercantile Marine Lines:
General Passenger Office,
9Broadway, New York
July 19th, 1918.
Bearer, Royal A. Christian, is employed by us as a
3rd class Steward.
CROSSING THE POND
I left Chambersburg on Train No. 14, Saturday night,
July 19, 1918, arriving New York 7:15 A. M., Sun¬
day, July 20th, and arrived at Pier 62 West 23rd
Street at 8:30. I met Mr. Fennett at the Pier as per
agreement.
He took me at once to the steamship "Minnekahda",
where I met Chief Steward Mr. Sizmay, 2nd Steward,
Mr. Boorne, and Purser Mr. Adam Smith, who had been
instructed to look out for me, by Mr. McGloone, who
is the Secretary to Mr. P. A. S. Franklin, President of
the International Mercantile Marine, of No. 9 Broad¬
way, New York.
I was appointed Bell Boy, wait in the dining room,
use the gong calling them for meals, make out reports
with the typewriter for the stewards, sign the rooms
and make a list of them for the purser. Well in all
I was kept pretty busy; they always managing to find
something for me to do.
I signed up and sailed as third class steward, and in
that way worked my way across, for which I received
$25.00 for the trip.
There was a very happy lot of soldiers on board the
ship, which made things lively for all.
Sunday: We steamed out of the river from pier 62
at 3:30 P. M., and sailed down the river, where we
anchored for the night. I asked the gunner if there
was any danger of subs in the night and was told not.
I went to bed feeling contented, having spent my first
day at sea.
The first day was mostly spent in assigning the
rooms, getting the meal hours to suit the officers and
assigning the watchmen.
It was a wonderful sight for me to look over a large
ship like that. I had been on a few of the Ocean Liners
27
28 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
but had only saw on the decks; but now I was privi¬
leged to go all over and I was a busy boy for a few
hours.
I could still see the Statue of Liberty and even that
looked good at the distance.
Monday: We pulled anchor at 9 :00 A. M. and slowly
moved out to sea. I noticed a great many other boats
moving about, and when I was up at the pier with
Mr. H. A. Logue, there were several then loading. I
shortly found out that there would be several other
ships in the convoy. One of the first things I wanted
to know was how fast this ship could travel, and I
was told it could make twenty-one knots per hour but
as there were several ships in the convoy that could
not make more than fourteen knots per hour that this
ship would be held to that time, too.
I counted about thirty sub. chasers slipping in and
around the ships and one cruiser marked C-41, and
there were four air-ships sailing over the convoy. I
now count fourteen ships in the convoy and one of the
crew tells me that that is about the number we will
have all the way over.
There are 3700 soldiers on the ship I am on, and about
the same number on the other ships, which makes
about 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers in this convoy. Count¬
ing the crew, there are about 4007 souls on this ship
et Minnekahda."
I find that this is a British built ship and is 700 feet
long and about 65 feet wide and in port flies the British
flag, but I see they have taken it down, as it is in view
of the gunner and you can feel assured I had no objec¬
tions to that. I see two large funnel shape affairs on
the aft of the ship and find that they are used to
make smoke and are called the smoke screens used in
getting away from an enemy. They put a sort of an
oil on the bottom of a pan and burn it. It was not
needed on the trip over.
In asking how they tell the speed of a ship, the
gunner showed me a long rope that had on the end a
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 29
wheel. This trailed in the water about 300 feet, the
wheel revolving around a turn a wheel in a sort of a
dial they have on the upper deck of the ship that
registers a certain number of revolutions by which they
tell the speed of the boat. There is also wooden ar¬
rangement shaped like the front of a plow made of oak
wood braced with iron or steel. Now this trails along
about 500 feet long behind the starboard side of the
ship and is used when it is very foggy. This trails
along and makes a wide spray which the ship following
will see and know how close they are on the ship ahead.
I also learn that this is this ship's third trip across,
it being a new ship. I am told the sub. destroyers
will go back after Monday night but the Cruiser will
continue with us.
By order of Mr. Franklin's office, I was to have a
room alone all the way over, but it seems that James
Witter and George Bryne want to bunk with me, and
the second steward says all right to them if I am sat¬
isfied, so I was pleased to have them, and they proved
very good mates. I being a member of the crew now
we all sleep in the "Gloryhold," that is what it is called
and it is the lower deck under the rear end of the ship.
They are regular seamen and Witter was on the
"Titanic" and Bryne was in the Halifax trouble and
they had plenty to tell me of the sea, as both had been
going to sea for twenty-five years.
So Monday night I went to bed about 11:30 P. M.,
thinking I had about all the dope I could remember
for the first full day at sea and was not long in sleep¬
ing, being told no submarines come in close to shore
and that we were safe until near the coast of Ireland.
I believed all that.
When at exactly 3:05 A. M., Tuesday, July 22nd, Mr.
Earney went through the ship saying "Everybody on
deck. Submarine sighted. Submarine, Submarine."
Needless to tell you I was dressed in record time and
on deck with my life preserver on. I have at many
30 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
times dressed fast to catch trains but never as fast as
that time.
I ran up on deck and went to the port side of the
ship and some of the soldiers, as a great many of them
slept on deck said "Here he is." And over to the star¬
board side I went, and the sub was passing alongside
the boat. It happened this way. The submarine came
up just in front of the ship Minnekahda and the
gunner in the forward deck put a depth charge after
it at once but missed it and a man came up and said
"My God, don't shoot on an American submarine."
The forward gunner wired the gunner on the rear, who
had his gun trained right on the sub. not to shoot.
The man on the sub. also asked "What is the name of
this boat," but no one would call the name. They
then shot off three green lights and submerged. It all
happened in a few minutes but the fright remained a
long, long time, and it was the main topic during the
remainder of the trip.
All that came on deck remained there until daylight.
I was very much surprised that a great many soldiers
only swore and would not come from their hammocks.
Tuesday: The chief talk of the day was the sub.
He was talked of every place, as to what he looked like
and was it a real American sub. or a German sub., the
thought of the two men in my room was that the
gunner should have made them heave to and put out
a crew to examine them as to who they were, which
later turned out to be true.
I was told to go through the boat and count the
number of fire Queens and fire hose and report to the
Chief Steward. On doing this I looked very carefully
at the water tight doors and compartments that I had
read so much of. There was about seventy-two fire
Queens and forty-eight reels of fire hose, and from what
I saw of the water tight compartments they may do
some good-
In making my report to the Chief Steward I over¬
heard an Officer say it was a German sub. all right and
Boy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 31
that lie may give us more trouble. That was all I could
catch there. I was very much worried for some time,
thinking he might come around that night.
Well, things sort of quieted down a bit and I made
up my mind that there would be no more sleep or
rather taking clothes off for me until I got on the other
side.
The soldiers all wear life preservers all the time and
take them into the dining room with them. They have
very good meals. They have seven tables in the dining
salon, each seating fourteen persons; two waiters to
each table. There were 160 officers on the boat and
they had two sittings. The officers all eat in the dining
salon and the soldiers eat from their mess. They all
had plenty, some times they would bring their food
up on deck and would sit on deck and eat, and at other
times they would remain below.
The sea was very smooth and plenty of sea grass to
be seen. They say when you see the sea grass you are
in the gulf stream. That may be but at that you have
a long look for land, as I found out.
Wednesday: I had attempted to keep a diary on the
boat, but was cautioned by Witter that the Skipper
would not allow that, that if we were taken over by a
sub. it would give valuable information to the enemy.
I had thought that and was trying to keep from being
seen, but he was in and out so much and seen me
writing, that is why he spoke. I will leave it to you
if you think I missed very much. When George Bryne
came into the room this morning he said to me "Roy,
that was a German submarine and they have caught
him." He said they had three American prisoners on
it and they made them at the point of a gun say "Don't
shoot on an American Submarine." The ships wired
back after the sub. had passed and it was picked up
and they went after them and got them.
My heart beat a little easier for a while but I thought
there was more than one in that large body of water.
We received wireless every day from Eiffel Tower,
32 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
France, giving baseball scores and telling of the advance
the Allies were making, and the stock market.
Thursday was a dry day, not much excitement. I
went down and had a talk with the fireman. I asked
him about how much coal it took to drive a ship across
and he said about five hundred tons. The ships only
made about fourteen knots per hour and ran a zig-zag
course the whole way, which made the trip about five
hundred miles longer. But they claim it is much
harder for a sub to hit a ship when they run that way.
They began examining the soldiers and watching their
condition. They found that several had a breaking out.
They were isolated to themselves to see what it would
turn out to be. It did turn out to be measles and after
several days the doctors had that under control. I
did not bother that part of the ship while they were
there. The doctors also found many of the men had
"Cooties" in various forms. And they gave them the
attention that was needed. The soldiers shoot a good
deal of "crap" but the officers after several days stopped
them from gambling—that is, when they saw it. Of
course you know the officers did not see all that went on
with that many men on board.
The weather again today was fine, the sea very
smooth.. I had expected to get a little sea-sick, but as
yet I have had no trouble along that line, but I have
seen a good many of them in a bad way.
Friday: The weather today was cold and rainy and
not much to see. The wireless message this morning
tells us of the sinking of the large ship "Justicia" off
the coast of Ireland, and of course everybody is sorry
to hear that and at the same time wondering how we
will pass that place that has caused so much trouble.
We also pass a ship going toward New York. It was
the first ship we seen since leaving New York. I fina
the MinneJcahda is the flag ship of this convoy—that
is, all other ships take orders from her. She was in
the lead nearly the whole way over and I often noticed
one of the sailors coming out of the upper deck and
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 33
with two flags of various colors he would signal to the
other ships, and shortly they would run up a string
of flags.
I very often watched the watchman come down from
the crow's nest and see the relief man go up. He is
up so high you can hardly see him when he sits in his
sort of a basket arrangement.
Major Edwin O. Baker was the Commanding Officer
and in the evening they would have some talent from
among the soldiers come into the smoking room and
sing or recite and spend the evenings that way. They
also had boxing matches very often on deck, and they
had some pretty fair scrappers in the bunch. They
made a ring and finally they would make up a purse of
a few dollars and they would scrap to beat the band.
I was anxious to see the mine sweepers on a ship,
so one of the sailors on the forward deck showed them
to me one day. I thought I could get a card to show
them as I do not feel that I can describe them that one
can understand, but as yet have not been able to find
such a card.
Saturday: This was another cold, rainy day—makes
one feel bad. In talking to the gunner on the aft of
the ship he asked me what I thought. I told him I
thought the Captain or whoever had the compass must
of lost his course, as it was too cold for this time of
the year. He said we will be all right after while. To
which I replied "Brother, I hope you are right."
About 11:00 A. M. Captain Gates came into the
Purser's office and he was talking to Mr. Sizmay about
putting a cover over the stairs that lead from the dining
salon up on deck, that there was too much light showing
out at night. All parts of a vessel are closed up at
night. It was also my duty to close all port holes in
the dining salon just before dark after the Captain ex¬
plained this. I was on duty as Bell Boy. He said to
me "Well, my boy, how are you standing the trip?" I
said, "Very well, sir," and he said "I hear you are
going over to polish Mr. Franklin's shoes." I said
34 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
"Yes, sir." "Now let me see/' he said, "What is his
title now—Captain ain't it?" I said, "Yes, sir."
"Well," he said, "I want you to take good care of him
and have his shoes that one can see their faces in them.
I said "Yes, sir." Then he said, "You are certainly
going over in great style. You are the only passenger
I have on this whole ship." "Well, sir," says I, "I
thank you sir. I hope you will be successful in landing
this one passenger safely." He laughed aloud and said
"Now don't you worry, my boy. I will hand you safely
to the Captain. Just you stick to the ship."
When the officers saw and heard him talking to me
they did wonder; it seemed all along that it was a kind
of mystery of my being on the ship. The Commanding
Officer, Major Baker, asked me one day where I was
going and whether I was going over for a valet. I
always changed the conversation by asking them some¬
thing and I never told anyone what my errand was.
I also said to the Captain when he said it was a little
cool "I think we must be near Greenland's Icy Moun¬
tains by the way it feels." He said we had changed
the course.
In a talk with the baker about how much bread they
bake in a day, he said they bake 3800 loaves a day and
between 600 and 700 rolls. He could not guess how
many barrels of flour that takes. The bread was very
good, in fact all meals were good. I think the salt air
has a good deal to do with a fellow's appetite. Really,
I was hungry for every meal and I surely did get plenty
to eat the whole way over. I was treated very nice by
the entire crew—a few cigarettes and a cigar once in a
while helps to cement everything all right.
Sunday: The ships in this convoy are: The Min-
nekahda, Grampian, Philadelphia, New York, Car-
mama, Corinthic, Eneous, Conopec, Orca, Franconia,
Amazon and Merian. There were two others but I was
unable to get the names. You know, fourteen ships as
large as these, keeping from fifty to three hundred and
four hundred feet apart cover a whole lot of ground.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefieds of Europe 35
There was several Y. M. C. A. workers aboard and
this day they held services on deck. There was a
Catholic Priest and a Dr. Dreaver and Dr. Clark. Dr.
Dreaver preached from some place in Luke telling the
boys to have their hearts right with God, and then when
you are called to go across No Man's Land there will
be no fear, and when you write your Mother don't tell
her that you have no good things to eat; tell her only
what will make her feel good. Try to make her happy
and don't tell her you have to sleep out on deck—that
would worry her.
Now it happened that the three ministers above named
were among the other soldiers chosen to censor the
mail on board, that it could be mailed on arrival at
Liverpool. When one of the preachers was reading
through a letter, who happened to be from one of the
soldiers that was on board from his Church, he was
telling his mother this :
Dear Mother: We had services on the deck this
morning and Rev. Dreaver preached, and he said that
we were not to tell you all that we had to eat, but only
tell you the good things. Now, mother, I have never
lied to you and I'll be darned if I am going to let Dr.
Dreaver tell me how to start now.
Every night about 11 ;00 or 12:00 P. M. some of the
officers would come into the kitchen and get sandwiches
and coffee. They always paid Witter for it. I don't
know how the managers of the boat came out but he
made quite a few dollars every night. Well, the
preacher was in the party one night and told this story.
He said he knew the fellow had no idea that he would
ever see the letter. It was very amusing and the Rev.
took it good natured, too. They sang a very appro¬
priate piece "Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me." I thought that
pretty good—and in the evening they sang "Brighten
the Corner Where You Are." There was always a
great many attended the services and the singing was
very good.
Monday, July the 29th, we had boat muster—that
36 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
is, at a certain time a bell is rang and every body must
march to their life boat and remain there until told
to leave. Must have your life preserver on. The roll
is called and any one being absent is fined five shillings.
Well, I was there. My ticket called for life-boat No.
7. I have not much to say about this life-boat business.
I am very glad nothing happened. It is more good luck
than good management.
Tuesday: It was thought we would dock on Thurs¬
day but they claimed the zig-zag course had knocked us
out so much that we would not get in until possibly
Saturday. It was very foggy that night and the
Carmania came near bumping into us. The vessels all
had their fog signals out but the Carmania was close
up on the side of the Minnekabda. The fog signal
blowed again. And several of the officers that were
sitting on the deck jumped up thinking it was a signal
for a submarine, knocked down a Doctor and two
soldiers running into the boat to get his suitcase, said
he had some important papers in them. Then they tell
you if anything would happen they would all go off
quietly—well that little dentist ran like a crazy man.
I looked now for the submarine destroyers all day
but nothing showed up. It is said they will meet us
in the A. M.
Wednesday: The crew was called every morning at
5:00 A. M. and we all went to the dining salon and the
second steward would get there about 5:30 and call the
roll, everybody answering to their name; then the next
in order was a strong cup of tea. Well, you never saw
such people about that tea business. So when we got
up this morning the cruiser was still with us, but we
saw something away back smoking like everything,
and some said it was the chasers coming after us, that
they had lost us. Well, we watched them closely.
Finally they caught up to us about 9:00 A. M., and
there was four sub. chasers and the cruiser at once
turned back. Well that is a great game, this sub. game.
I mean, they are in and out all around. And they
Roy'p Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 37
stayed with us the whole way. Everybody began to feel
better over the chances of getting into port safe.
Someone died on the Eneons and the flags were half-
masted on all vessels.
The soldiers were eating some cheese that they said
was bad, so they took it and wrapped it carefully,
carried it all around the deck and sang "Nearer My God
to Thee" and buried it at sea. All had their hats off.
It was a pretty little stunt they pulled off.
Thursday: Today we find six more sub. chasers
coming up to our convoy, and we sail along at a good
rate, everything is going fine and we are all hoping for
the best.
And in looking away over it looked like miles from
us, you could see something that looked like a ship.,
After a while it got up closer and I see the chaser
going that way. After the entire convoy got way
passed him he starts out after this vessel. Well, they
can make fifty miles per hour and that fellow simply
flew. And it was not long until he pulled up by his
side; they say they have to be very careful as some of
these ships carry petroleum for the submarines. You
see the submarines cannot carry a very large amount
of petroleum and they have these vessels meet them away
out in the ocean. It was pretty far away but the
gunner said they would put a crew on the boat and look
at the captain's papers, and if they were all right they
would leave her alone. Evidently they were all right
as the little fellows came back soon. There was no
further trouble for the day or night.
Friday: As we looked out over the sea, looking to
see what if anything could be seen. There was nothing
doing then. It was about 5:15 A. M. and the submarine
chasers and destroyers were in the lead and away over
to the starboard side.
The Minnekahda was leading the group of vessels,
the Garmania was on the starboard side of our ship
and the Philadelphia, was on the outer side of the
Garmania. They remained in that formation until
38 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
about 9:30, when the Grampian came in between the
Car-mania, and our ship, and that way they remained.
The destroyers were away over to the right and about
10 :30 we see the destroyers going with full steam ahead
simply flying. There were also two observation bal¬
loons up over near where the destroyers were. The
gunners had told us that this was the coast of Ireland
and that it was necessary to be very careful. Every
gunner was on the job, ready to go to it. Next thing
we heard several depth charges. They go off like a
well-muzzled blast. We heard about ten in very quick
time. Finally we can just barely see something going
up in the air. The destroyers then came back to the
convoy with a stream of flags flying from their masts.
The gunner says that means they got her. The ship
Grampian also took a shot at the sub. but missed.
And a soldier fell overboard when the Grampian shot.
He was leaning out over the rails. They did not stop
for him. Possibly one of the ships on the rear got him.
There is no explaining to any body how the fever is
when any thing is going on. Every body is strung up
to the last minute and you simply cannot explain.
They tell me about seeing a periscope in the water at
night. You can look until your eyes get sore. If you
don't see the sub. before you see the periscope, he has
pretty near got you.
In talking with the Captain later he said we had taken
the Northern Eoute and were near the Hebrides Islands
and we would then go south through the Irish Sea.
At 12 :40 we see the hills of Scotland .and the soldiers
simply scream at the sight of land. We came through
the North Channel then the Irish Sea, passing near the
Isle of Man.
The Irish Sea is certainly one still body of water.
You seem to simply glide over it. You put your watch
ahead from New York to London from fifteen minutes
to one hour and fifty-five minutes, and when you arrive
London you are five hours ahead of American time.
After coming through the Irish Sea we hit the Mersey
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 39
River too late to make the tide and had to lay out all
night, and as it is against the rule in war time to lay
still with a vessel, we had to keep amoving around.
We had hoped to dock about 8:00 P. M. Well, after
moving around all night, we started in in the morning,
and as we did, we hit a sand bar.
Saturday: The other ships went on into dock while
we waited until the tide at 8:30 floated us off. Then
we went into dock at Liverpool, arriving there at 9 :30
Saturday morning, August third, 1918.
The sight that we met there at the dock was the most
wonderful I ever saw. Such a mass of people. It
was really great. The band was playing "God Save
the King" and that made us feel "My Country 'Tis of
Thee". "We won't come back till it's over, over there."
"Star Spangled Banner". Oh, it was fine. The boys
on deck were singing and I mean things were just right.
All the soldiers were called up at 3:00 A. M. Satur¬
day morning and marched on deck, and they staid
there until daylight for fear that something might
happen.
I had been well posted by Mr. T. B. Kennedy and
Mr. J. B. Hoyer not to leave the boat until I had signed
off and was duly paid. I was sure that something
might happen that they might want to hold me for a
day or two after arriving, but I intended to carry out
my instructions, but I felt it all through my bones that
there would be some word for Roy when he arrived
at Liverpool. When we docked the head waiter said
"Now boys, we will gather up all the linen, silver and
china and pack away." That is the way they do and
the things are not gotten out until the ship puts out
to sea again. You see, it takes about a week to unload
a vessel this size.
I was helping them and I staid close to a port hole—
they act as windows. I began helping to pack and
every few minutes I would go up on the table and take
a peep out the port hole. The mass of people outside
made it very difficult to find anybody. But I thought
40 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
I could pick out either Colonel Kennedy or his Secre¬
tary, A. G. Houser. Finally about 10:25 I saw two
fine, tall gentlemen with canes walking toward the
ship and "Willis" who had charge of the smoking room
was at the gang plank and was looking around. They
said something to him and he turned around quick
and they headed for the ship. I thought by his
movements that they must be someone way up. I did
not know how to tell who an officer was, I mean his
rank, so in they came and went up to the purser's
office and I heard them say something about Roy.
Well them were happy moments for me. I was standing
just inside the dining salon door very handy, and Mr.
Boone said "Yes, he is here all right," and they called
me. Of course, you know I was not long in getting to
them. They shook hands with me and asked me how
I stood the trip.
He said "Roy, we will take you right along with us
now." I said "Yes, sir." I never thought about any
money. I had already brought my suitcase and had it
hid under the dining room table and was ready in record
time to go.
It was Capt. W. S. Franklin, who until the war was
Asst. Gen. Frt. Agent of the P. R. R. at Philadelphia,
and Captain F. S. Covell, of the English Army.
After it was seen that we could not dock until Sat¬
urday, I was told that I could not sign off until Tues¬
day, that Monday was a bank holiday in England and
that I would have to stay aboard the ship on that
account. I said "All right". But I really mean I come
very near understanding Colonel Kennedy. And I
thought there would come very near being some word
for me before any Tuesday. But I said nothing of that
to them. It was this way. Colonel Kennedy was on
an inspection of docks all through England and he put
it in the hands of these two Captains who are on his
staff to pull the trick. Well, they surely did pull it.
Why, when Captain Franklin spoke on that ship silence
reigned supreme, and he and Captain Covell could have
Boy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 41
taken the blooming ship and nothing would have been
said.
Captain W. S. Franklin is a brother to Mr. P. A. S.
Franklin, President of the International Mercantile
Marine, of No. 9 Broadway, New York, and everybody
knows what the P. R. R. officers can do and Captain
F. S. Covell knows England like a book, so there was
nothing to it.
They told me how to go to the Custom House and
register and then to the police station and register. I
won't say how much red tape I had to go through.
The thing is to do it. I did it. And to meet him at
the Nortli-Western Hotel at 4:00 P. M. I was there
at 3:15 and when he came he told me we would go
to London on the 5:20 train; so I left Liverpool
at 5:20 for London, arriving at 10:45. Mr. A. G.
Houser met us with a chauffeur and auto, and after
taking the Capt. Franklin home took me to the office
and met Sargeant Warren Smith who is the efficient
Assistant in the office. They whirled me to the room
they had for me and after a little talk, I, good and
tired, turned in for the night, sure of one thing—that
no sub. would get me that night.
LONDON AS I SAW IT DURING THE WAR
I got up at 7:00 A. M. and had breakfast and was
at the office at 9 :30, the time set, and Mr. Houser
and Sargeant Smith began breaking me into my
duties.
Colonel M. C. Kennedy is expected back at 7:00 P.
M. and I am to go to the house to see him. We work
pretty near the whole day and in the evening Mr.
Houser takes me through Hyde Park to the house where
I see the "Boss" and he never looked better to me than
he did this time. Houser remains a while, then he
goes and the Boss and I talk for some time.
Monday morning I start on my job as Confidential
Messenger at American Army Headquarters, Belgrave
Mansions Hotel, London, England, and as you see, that
is some title.
Hyde Park has area of 361 acres and is joined on
the west by Kensington Gardens, which contains 275
acres. The two together forming London's finest
"lung". From Park Lane to Kensington Garden is
about one-half mile. From Marble Arch to Hyde Park
corner is one mile. It was once the Abbey of West¬
minster. It was converted into a deer park and under
the Stuarts was used for horse racing. King William
and Queen Anne caused a number of improvements to
be made, but it is to Queen Caroline, the consort of
George II, that we owe its most attractive feature, the
serpentine, an artificial sheet of water stretching from
Lancaster Gate to the dell opposite Albert Gate.
The Marble Arch at the northeast corner of the park
was intended by George IV to form the portal of Buck¬
ingham Palace. It cost 80,000 pounds and the gates
3,000 pounds. Marble Arch stands directly in front
of Great Cumberland Place and No. 14 Great Cumber¬
land Place is the home of Colonel M. C. Kennedy,
42
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 43
Captain W. S. Franklin, Naval Constructor F. L.
McBride, Paymaster J. S. Higgins.
There are large gatherings in Hyde Park every
evening and yon can hear all kinds of religion discussed,
and they always wind up by singing many of the old
familiar hymns heard in the States. The singing is
perfectly lovely and truly there are as many as five
hundred and one thousand in the crowds singing.
Now there are thousands of benches and chairs all
through Hyde Park and there is a man going through
the Park that collects one pence from you. But most
of the young ladies with their soldier boys prefer sitting
on the grass, and as for kissing that is common. They
have several women police that patrol the park at
nights. Well, I have never seen them arrest any body
yet. They possibly don't see very well. I saw some
queer things in different parts of this world but Hyde
Park has got it on all places I ever saw.
Some persons might think London a great place for
style. I have noticed the dress of women and men.
To me it seems that the ladies here don't seem to get
the hang and they do not have the get-up that the
American women have. Mr. Smith and Houser were
talking that over in the office when I spoke of it. They
say it is true, they seem to be lacking of something.
But sure no gentleman would care to see the ladies
with any less clothes on than they wear on the streets
now, and no thinner.
You can see the search lights looking for the air
raiders nearly every night and always on Saturday
nights. But it seems that they are keeping Old Fritz
so busy now that he cannot get over this way. The
tops of the houses are nearly all painted green, making
them look like grass.
Soldiers that have been wounded are allowed to walk
around the city, and they all wear a light blue sort of
a flannel suit, but are allowed to have no intoxicants.
One told me it did not matter as the pep is all out of
the booze anyhow.
44 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
This is one city that you are never safe without a
rain coat. I have never seen it rain as quick and as
fast and hard.
The streets are all very wide and paved with wooden
blocks, and the driveways could not be kept in any
better shape. Some citizens of Chambersburg wanted
them to pave the city with wooden blocks, but they
would not have it that way. One of the troubles with
Chambersburg is they always elect two or three good
wide-awake councilmen, then they put in six or seven
that have never been any farther than Hagerstown Fair,
and the progressive ones are out-voted when it comes
to progressive improvements.
It has always been the rule with Colonel Kennedy to
smoke two cigarettes a year; but I note that he has
increased that a little since coming on this side. I
saw him and Col. Byllesby both smoking today going
out to lunch, and I also notice that when I change suits
for him he generally has his favorite brand in his
pocket. It really is amusing to pull a pack of cigarettes
from his pocket, having known him so long, that he
did not smoke. Possibly he will later take the same
brand cigarettes and cigars his brother takes.
I was just up stairs to Lt. Col. Byllesby for the
Colonel and saw Lieut. Geo. Sunday, a son of the cele¬
brated Rev. Billy' Sunday that set the States on fire
some time ago. He is one of the preachers that tells
you something a little different from the other
preachers.
The streets are all very dark at night and the store
windows have large shutters that are pulled down to
protect the glass in case of air raid; so you cannot
do much window shopping in London at night.
They have as many large stores here as New York or
Philadelphia and just as nice. They are up to the
States in that line. The prices I thing are some higher
than in the States. I at first had some trouble in
getting on to this money and more than once was it
necessary for the floor man to come and help the clerk
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 45
out, for they don't know the value of the U. S. money
and I did not know the value of their money. The
floor men mostly have a book that gives both, and that
way I would get fixed up. I think I lost some at first.
But Mr. Houser and Smith have taught me of the
English money and I am now doing all right.
The admiralty Arch stands at the Northeast corner
of Hyde Park and what is called the Mall. By going
straight down here you come to Buckingham Palace.
It is one mile to it and a beautiful walk. All along
are young trees, a separate road for riding horses from
the auto drive.
You will also pass a monument about quarter ways
down of the soldiers that fell in the African War. It
is quite a large one, shaped something like a half moon,
and engraved on it are the names. It has been very
hard to get cards of many things I have seen, as before
America entered the war, England would not allow
any cards to go out of this country. Since we are in
and helping them, it is now all right but the cards
are hard to find, as they are run out and did not have
others printed, as they say.
You will also a little farther pass the Marlborough
House, which is very nice. It is a little hard to see,
as so many trees and vines are around it, but by going
around by Pall Mall Street you can see it all very good.
Then you come to St. James Palace, right besides the
St. James Park. Well, where on earth these people
get all this money to build such places I wonder. At
the times that these homes were built surely. Well,
it must have been easy for somebody here. I never
saw such large and magnificent places in all my life.
Buckingham Palace: The front is constructed of
Portland Stone during the autumn of 1913 from
designs from Sir Aston Webb, R. A. the portico and
wings are given greater prominence by bringing them
forward and tall pilasters inserted between the windows
from end to end, lending a dignity to the building which
the former front entirely lacked. The Palace derives
46 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
its name for a mansion erected by John Sheffield, Duke
of Buckingham in 1703 and purchased by George the
II, some sixty years afterwards, when his family had
out-grown St. James'. His son and successor, George
IV, commissioned his favorite architect, Nash, to re¬
model it.
But the Palace was little used until 1837, when Queen
Victoria chose it as her residence. King Edward VII
made constant use of it an example that is followed by
King George V and Queen Mary. King Edward VII
was born in the Palace on the 9th of November, 1841,
and died here 6th May, 1910. With the wing added
1847 the Palace forms an extensive quadrangle. The
east front facing the park being 360 feet long. The
King's private apartments are on the north side. No
part of the Palace is shown to the public.
When the King and Queen-are in the residence the
changing of the guards takes place here instead of St.
James Place.
The changing of the guards takes place every morning
at about 10:30, the band passing right by the office with
about one hundred and fifty soldiers. I look for it
regular and always hear what they are playing and see
them, too. They look very good. They also have a
drum corps with them and if the band is not playing
the drum corps will be. But it is rarely the band is
not playing passing here.
The Gardens and Lake at the back of the Palace oc¬
cupy about forty acres, between Constitution Hill and
Grosvenor Place. The Royal Mews (this name is ap¬
plied to the stables. The birds are kept in the Mews
or coops) are at the south of the Palace in Buckingham
Palace Road. Here is also kept the magnificent state
coach with paintings by Cipriani.
The speed limit around Buckingham Palace is twelve
miles per hour. The roads and driveways and all very
wide and the flowers are beautiful.
There is a soldier on guard at every gate, carries a
gun with a bayonet on it. There is a small house of
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 47
shelter for them to go in in bad weather. There is also
a soldier at every door in the yard. There is an iron
fence about ten feet high in the front and the top is
painted gold. I guess gilt, but it has the gold ap¬
pearance anyhow.
I often go by the Royal Mews (stables) and look in
the yard. I want to get a peep of the inside but that
is not allowed and particularly now during these war
times.
At the gate where the teams come out a butler stands
with a long Prince Albert coat, a bright red, patent
leather boots with white tops, a high hat with white
gloves. That is his dress all the time. When one goes
off duty another goes on and he wears the same sort of
an outfit.
The police officers are generally patrolling up and
down the street very regularly.
The Buckingham Hotel, directly across the street,
has been turned into a hospital for wounded soldiers.
It is a very large hotel and finely situated.
All alleys here in London are paved and they are all
kept very clean. In fact the entire city is kept in very
good order. The white wings here do a very good work.
There are no trolley cars in the centre of the city.
The travelling is all done in the Trams. It is a Bus
of the doubledeck kind that they have in New York.
The fare runs from a pence to six and seven pence.
They make very fair time but you always feel as if
you are going to topple over. I hear they do go over
some times but they do not look any too safe to me.
They have mostly women conductors now as man power
is a little scarce. But if you look on the streets there
seems to me many men still.
Trafalgar Square, so named in commemoration of
Nelson's great victory, is a large open space, one of the
finest sights in London, though it can hardly be said
the best use has been made of it. On the Southern or
open side is the Nelson Monument, a granite column
145 feet high, surmounted by a statue of Nelson 16 feet
48 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
high. On the base are bronze reliefs cast with the
metal of captured French canon.
Every year on the Anniversary of the Trafalgar, Oct.
21st, the monument is decked with wreaths and festoons
in commemoration of the victory. During the war
Trafalgar Square has been the scene of many recruit¬
ings, and a rallying place for all classes. There are
also statues of Sir Henry Havelock, by Brhnes, Sir
Charles J. Napier, by Adams, General Gordon, by
Hamo Thronycroft and George IV by Chantrey.
Below the parapet on the north side of the square and
quite unknown to the majority of the Londeners are
set out the Standard British Measures, Inch, Foot,
Yard, Chain, etc. I was looking for this place last
Sunday. I had seen the Square often but not the
measures. As I asked a man about fifty years old he
said he never heard of such a thing, that there was
nothing to it. Well, I kept on walking and looking for
it and I walked right up on it. There are brass plugs
put right into concrete and the lengths are properly
marked.
At the north side stands the St. Martin-in-Fields,
sometimes known as the Admiralty Church.
Pews are reserved for the King and the Prince of
Wales and all the children born of the Koyal families
are entered in the register. The Church was erected
1721-6 by James Gibbs on the sight of a former
structure. The registry still preserved contains an
entry of the baptism of Francis Bacon, 1561. Nell
Gwynne was buried here.
As an office force we have Field Clerk Mr. A. G.
Houser, who was Secretary to Colonel M. C. Kennedy
for fourteen years, as President of the Cumberland
Valley Eailroad, Cliambersburg, Pa., and he is now
Chief Clerk, having had that experience in the trans¬
portation matters he is a valuable assistant to the
Colonel now.
He has only recently returned from Tours, France,
where he was examined for second Lieut., and it is
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 49
likely he will soon be wearing the Gold Bar which he
very justly deserves, and he is a good, honest hard
worker.
Mr. Houser was born and raised in Chambersburg
and after graduating from Chambersburg Academy
went into the C. V. Office and has been there since.
We also have as Asst. Sec. M. Engr. Warren E.
Smith, of Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Smith is also well
posted in the transportation matters having been for
nine years stenographer for President Flagler of the
Florida East Coast Railway Co. He has only one
regret and that is that his boss died so suddenly that
he did not have time to think of him and then Mrs.
Flagler became so busy after husband No. 2 that she
did not remember him; but now it is a real job he has
on his hands. A young lady in New York State has
got him just up to the pitch where he is willing to say
"I will for life take you," and so on. Well, they are
awful words and it is a long, heavy job. There are
some very nice looking ladies in this building and they
are looking both Houser and him over very closely.
Possibly he can hold out but it is a matter for him to
decide and the pleasure is all his. He says he will do
it just as soon as the war is over. I tell him to go to
it, brother.
In the office adjoining ours we have first Lieut.
Clarence T. Mackenson, who is Chief Clerk to Capt.
W. S. Franklin. He in peace times is Division Freight
Agent of the Penna. R. R., at Altoona. He received
his early training with the Cumberland Valley as Chief
Clerk to Mr. J. L. Eysmans, who was General Freight
Agent of the C. V., and was known as the live wire of
the C. V. Lieut. Mackenson is always on the job and
keeps the ball moving all the time. He is a hard
worker and you can always find him at the right place
at the right time. In fact, we all know when you have
any training with the President of the C. V., you either
come up to the point or you
50 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Bicycles are very much used here both by men and
women.
The news came across a few days ago that Miss
Margaret It. Kennedy had a Red Cross benefit at
"Ragged Edge" and cleared $250. They had dancing,
swimming contests, pool, etc. The Colonel said he
often had dances when he was home but he always had
to pay the bill. He did not know that they were going
to turn "Ragged Edge" into a carroussel.
Sunday, August 18th, I thought I would go to the
Westminster Abbey. I saw by the paper that the
services began at 6 :30 and that the doors opened at 6:00.
So I was there on time and when the door opened I
was among the first to go in. I had been talking to a
policeman who told me to go way up front on the
right-hand side, that I would be near the preacher. I
went up to the seventh pew on the right-hand side;
that was far enough for me. It was not the preacher
so much that I wanted to hear or see. It was the
Church. All preachers tell you about the same story
and in about the same way.
Promptly at 6 :25 the chimes hit up a little tune for
a few minutes then at 6:30 the organ broke loose and
that music, Oh, it was simply great. They chant the
Apostles' Creed and it seemed that you could hear every
voice in the choir separately. They sang so smoothly.
Then the minister showed up and read from the Bible.
I did not hear what chapter it was, I was looking at
the statues, but he did not read very long. Then he
walked away from a small pulpit or rostrum, whatever
it is called; then the choir chanted some more, and at
exactly 6:50 he started to preach and he stopped at
exactly 7 :15 and that was plenty long enough, as you
know men do not care for long sermons. Short ones
do just as much good. I think his sermon was from
some place in St. Luke. I know it was St. somebody,
anyhow.
Then the choir sang and shortly someone touched me
on the shoulder. I looked around and a lady was
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 51
handing me a sort of a pocket book. It was about six
inches square lined with red plush and had bead work
on the outside. It had a little handle on about two
inches long. I then tumbled to it that money was
wanted. I put my hand in my pocket and thought I
had what I wanted and it proved to be a shilling. Not
wishing to hold the precious thing I dropped the shilling
and passed it to the gentleman beside me. I looked
to see how much he was going to put in and he put
in three pence. Well there, said I to myself, "Stung
again." But they say God loves the cheerful giver,
and that seems to be all I have been doing since I hit
London.
They pass this collection book around and finally they
get it up to the altar, and the ushers meet there and
they do some chanting and then sing "Abide With Me".
Oh, that was simply beautiful.
The people next to me after the Church was dismissed
began to talk to me. They asked me if I had ever
been in the Church before. I said No, Miss, and they
asked me to look around. I thought it was not allowed
on Sunday. They were both elderly people and the
gentleman spoke up and said he lived in London all
his life and this was the first time in Westminster Abbey
for him. The other lady I had found was his sister
and she said, "Yes, I am always after him to come along
to Church, but he always has some excuse." Well, I
was not after any family history, so I began asking
questions—and I did ask some.
The lady well posted, could tell you most anything
and the sights were the most wonderful I ever saw, or
I guess ever will see. It really is hardly worth while
for me to try to describe this wonderful Church, for
I do not have the what is needed to express it.
I counted forty-one statues in the main part and
thought that was all—why it was not half. When they
took me around the left wing I saw them of Dukes,
Lords, Earls and all went well until I happened to
look on the floor which is of concrete. I saw some
52 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
kind of brass letters and from the shape they looked
like a coffin. I asked the lady what they were. "Oh,
yes," she said, "They are the graves of Dukes, Kings,
Earls and Lords." Well, yon should have seen me
Step aside. She said that is all right to walk there
but every time I took a step I was looking to see what
and where I was walking. It might have been all
right for her but I am not caring to be much around
the dead.
I did not know until later that you could buy any
literature of the Church. I wrote in my hat the number
of statues. I have since bought a book telling the
history of the Church.
I overlooked saying the Church dismissed at 7:40 and
until you get out of the Church it is near 8:30. I was
much surprised at the congregation. It was very
ordinary and not the aristocracy I had thought it would
be. Many soldiers were there. I was the only gentle¬
man of color that was there.
Tuesday evening, August the 13th, Colonel M. C.
Kennedy gave a dinner at 14 Great Cumberland Place
in honor of Lt. Col. D. B. Wentz of Tours, France.
Col. Wentz is a director of the Franklin National Bank
of Philadelphia, Pa., and the knowledge that he is from
there alone puts a feeling on a waiter.
Those present: Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Lt. Colonel
D. B. Wentz, Lt. Colonel H. M. By lies by, Colonel S.
G. Jones, Major J. E. Dunning, Sir Guy Colthrop, Mr.
F. L. McBride, Naval Constructor; Captain W. S.
Franklin, Mr. E. Land, of the Navy.
The dinner was a great success and all present wera
wonderfully pleased. Mr. McBride touched the lights
at the proper time and all were seated and what was
said made all feel happy.
These affairs go a long way to bottling up the Kaiser
and after the war it will be seen that the dinners at
14 Great Cumberland Place had lots to do with the
down-fall of the Kaiser.
Ice water was passed at the proper time, and once
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 53
more the Colonel smoked Ms favorite brand of cigarettes.
When the guests arrived, Lt. Col. Byllesby came in
auto with Major Dunning. Opened the door. When
Major Dunning saw me he said "By God, Col Byllesby,
he is here." Then said to me "Roy, we have heard lots
of you." Surely when people way up in the world like
that speak of a servant, who could but try to make good.
Later on in the dinner he said "I see, Roy, you under¬
stand how to take care of we fellows. You have
handled the dinner very nicely. Col. Wentz said the
same. But wait until they appear at "Ragged Edge",
then they will see service. These houses were built
when they first said "Let us build a house." And I
don't think a nail has been put in since they were put
up. All right for that time but things have now
changed. Oh, well, I will see them up the Cumberland
Valley later on.
It was thought once that Captain Franklin would
step over and smoke once but he would not yield.
Captain Franklin it is said is a quiet thinker but he
sees and always hears everything that is going on.
Hampton Court Place. No visitor to London, no
matter how pressed for time, should fail to see the
beautiful and stately palace built for Cardinal Woolsey
for his own delight and afterwards "presented"—not
very willingly we must believe—to his Royal Master
Henry VIII. It is the largest and in many respects the
finest of all the royal palaces in England, though it
has not been occupied by a sovereign since the time of
George II. It contains about 1,000 apartments, of
which four-fifths are occupied by royal pensioners and
privileged persons.
The Courts and the charming gardens are open to all.
In 1910 the old moat was opened up and a fine battle¬
ment bridge built by Henry VIII for his "own darling"
Anne Bolewyn was disclosed, after being buried for
centuries.
Some of the sights of the Gardens are the great vine
planted 1768, which I am told after a period of great
54 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
poverty is again yielding abundantly, in 1909 won the
silver medal of tlie Royal Horticultural Society. I
liad often in cities seen these large red grapes and
wondered what kind of a vine they grew on. Well, I
have seen now. This vine has a very great many
bundles hanging on and they are the very, very large
blue grape that would be sold by the pound and very
expensive.
The vine is several feet in diameter and covers a very
large space. The Home Park of six hundred acres is
bounded on all sides by the Thames River. Many of
the trees are said to be over two hundred years old.
There are many buildings, streets, theatres, apart¬
ment houses, hotels, business houses, named after Queen
Victoria, or some of the King's children. In fact, I
think if the King looked at a store they would put up
a sign "Purveyor to His Majesty."
The saloons and restaurants close at 9:00 P. M. and
these people are some drinkers, the women as well as
the men. Nearly any time you pass a saloon you can
see the women standing right at the bar with the men
drinking. They mostly drink ale and I have not seen
a half dozen drunken people since I have been here.
The saloons also open up on Sunday evenings for
about two hours, from five to seven. They all have
bar maids, as men are scarce now.
It is nothing to see the soldiers kissing the maids over
the bar. I saw two kissing the same girl at Piccadilly
the other night and she was a real fair looking blonde.
They are not slow taking a kiss but maybe the Ameri¬
can soldiers have not gotten this place or the girls
rather crazy over cigarettes. Why they are wild.
Crazy for an American cigarette. You can see them
in taxis, in the Opera House between acts, and the
latest was I saw two walking on the street, in Oxford
Circus, smoking them; and in the office building now I
see some of them puff while they are hammering the
typewriter. Oh it is the real thing now, this cigarette
habit.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 55
You never see a service flag over here on any house
and really very few of any other kind of flags. These
people just seem to take this war in a matter of fact
way. When it is over they will win.
And on they go fighting right along.
August fifth was bank holiday and everybody laid off.
The miners would not work; boats were held up for
coal, but they had to have their holiday. And as for
strikes, this place has got them all skint. If you look
at these people hard they strike. About the middle of
August the women conductors went on strike about
wages. They wanted the same as the men received.
They were out several days, and that is the shortest
way to travel to the stores. Well, they settled that
in about a week. Then the conductors on the Under¬
ground Railways went out for three days; then the
Police got up a row and they were out two days; and
Mr. Lloyd George got them straightened out and they
went back on the job; and now the Gas employes are
talking about going out. One thing these people don't
fight or get fussy. They just simply stop until they
get what they want.
I came down from the Hampden Court by boat
Connaught, down the Thames. It is one of the most
beautiful rides one can take. I counted twenty-eight
boat houses along the river. They were simply fine.
I have never seen anything so near them except those
at the Lake Geneva. I often wonder that the little
children don't fall in the water. They play right in
the deck with only a small rope around as a fence.
How the people keep their cellar dry with the yard
right up against the Thames I would like to know.
Coming down the Thames you go through two locks.
One at Paddington where your boat goes in the lock
and you take a fall of fifteen feet. Then the gate is
opened and you sail out in the river again and you
come to the Richmond lock, where you take a fall of
about four feet. It takes about twenty minutes to
make that drop in the locks. It is very simple after
56 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
yon once see it. And is on the same order of the
Panama Canal only on a smaller scale. The lawns
along the river look just like a picture.
After coming through the second lock you are straight
for Westminster where you dock. It takes four hours
and thirty minutes to make the trip and the fare is
two shillings (50 cents) leave Hampton Court 4:30
arrive Westminster 8:15.
While I admit the women are a cranky set in most
cases I must admit here they will work. They have
here a society called the Waacs. Well some funny
things are being said about them. They are willing
to take the man's places in many things, and it is said
they go up behind the firing line, to comfort and help.
There are about six hundred of them and they wear
dove colored dresses and have the word Waac sewed
on the arm in blue letters. They make a very pre¬
sentable body when they turn out and, well, they are
doing their bit.
The most of the porters at stations now are women.
They handle the baggage, use the trucks, call taxicabs
and handle the real man's work. I see nearly every day
three women really digging in the street with a pick
and shovel. It must be admitted the women here are
not afraid to work.
The most of the delivery wagons and trucks are
driven by women. And the milk wagons here consist
of a cart with a can that will hold about fifteen gallon.
They push and pull over a certain territory in the
mornings delivering milk. They always carry the milk
into the house. Never deposit it on the steps.
On Monday, Colonel M. C. Kennedy dined at the
American Luncheon Club with the Hon. Franklin D.
Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, U. S.
A. The Assistant Secretary made a brief speech that
made a good impression.
The same evening he attended a private dance given
at the home of General John Biddle and among those
he met there were The Duchess of Marlborough, Mrs.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 57
Willing Astor, Lord and Lady Leigh, and His Highness,
the Duke of Connaut.
At 12 :45 today, Brig. Genl. Henry W. Thornton called
to have Colonel Kennedy take lunch with him. He
said to me "Boy, I have heard lots about you and I
am glad you got over safely." Genl. Thornton is an
American but has been in England now for some years
teaching these people here how to run railroads.
He was General Manager of the Long Island Rail¬
road. He is now Brigadier General of the British
Army and is also General Manager of the Eastern Rail¬
way since 1914, Engineer-in-chief, Deputy Director of
Inland Waterways and Docks, Assistant Director Gen¬
eral of Movements and Railways. Was born at Logans-
port, Ind., U. S. A., Nov. 6, 1871. Attended St. Paul's
School, Concord, New Hampshire, U. S. A., University
of Pennsylvania, entered service of the P. R. R. 1894,
Engineering Department. Various positions in the
office of Chief Engineer, Division Engineer, Division
Superintendent, General Superintendent until he came
abroad. Clubs. London Wall, Junior Athenaum,
Royal Automobile, Queens, Midsurrey, Golf, Lotus.
I went over to Victoria Station this afternoon, to get
the evening papers and it really looks very sad to see
the fathers and mothers with small children in their
arms, seeing the fathers off. He is going back to the
front, no telling if he will return or not. The people
seem to stand up real well. They hug and kiss the
parent goodbye. Such is like Sherman said of war.
Colonel Shartle of the good old Cumberland Valley
dropped in to say "How are you" to our Colonel today.
He just came over from the States. He looks very well.
On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 31st, Colonel Kennedy
told me to get him a taxi and have it at the front of
headquarters at 1:45. Generally you have a little
trouble in getting taxis, as there do not seem to be
enough to go around.
Well, I had gotten one and was talking to him to hold
him for the Colonel, when I happened to look up the
58 Boy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
street and I saw a walk that looked very familiar to
me. I looked closely and saw it was Lieut. T. B. Wood,
of Chambersburg. Well, I waited until lie came up
to the door. I touched him on the sleeve and said
"How are you, Mr. Wood?" He turned around and
said "Why my God, Roy, what are you doing over here?"
I said "I am here with Colonel Kennedy." He said
"Where is he?" I pointed him out. They recognized
each other at about the same time and the hand-shake
they took was great.
I was glad to be on hand at the proper time and place.
Colonel Kennedy was going away in a taxi with Colonel
Proctor and a Major. Lieut. Wood made arrangements
to see the Colonel in the morning and after the Colonel
and party had gone he said to me "Roy, when did you
land here?" I said, "August third." He said, "When
did you see my mother?" I said, "July fifteenth. She
was sitting on the porch as I passed on my way to the
train." He said, "Was she well?" I said, "Yes sir,
she looked very well." He said "I am glad to hear
that." And you can be sure I was glad to be able to
give that much information to one from home.
Lieutenant Wood looked very well and it certainly
made a fellow think he was home to meet some one from
the old Burg that they knew so well.
He has been sent to London to buy various tools for
the American Army. I will surely be glad to see and
hear more of him in the morning.
In the evening Lt. Col. Byllesby gave a dinner in
the dining room of the Ritz Hotel to Samuel Gompers.
The other guests were: J. H. Frey, of the Moulders
Union; Edgar Wallace, Representing the Miners; Wm,
J. Bowen, President of the Bricklayers Union; C. L.
Baine, Secretary, Boot and Shoe Workers Union; Guy
H. Oyster, U. S. Labor Mission; General Biddle, Colonel
M. C. Kennedy, Colonel Powell.
This Labor Commission is here presumably to en¬
courage the British workmen to renewed efforts. The
labor situation here in England is far from satisfactory.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 59
Strikes are common and labor is very independent and
arbitrary. There is constant trouble with the miners
and the situation is most serious. Skilled labor for the
erection of hospitals is also very scarce and difficult
to secure.
The idea was, I think, to make a large boost in all
lines and that the concentrated effort would hasten the
ending of the war.
Saturday night I went to see Madame Tussand's ex¬
hibition of wax works. It was the best show of its
kind I have ever seen. I saw all but Napoleon's Room,
which I will see later.
I was certainly surprised to see Liszt, Gounod, Verdi,
Wagner and many other of the world's greatest musical
artists. They looked as if they could speak.
Lieutenant Wood called and had a long conversation
with the Colonel this morning and will dine at the mess
this evening.
I was at St. Paul's Cathedral Sunday evening and
it is some Church, much larger than the Abbey but a
much younger Church. It, too, has concrete floors.
The choir is composed of boys nearly all under fifteen
years of age. The music is wonderful. There seemed
to be something in the rear of the Church that I did
not see. Many people were coming from the rear saying
it was nice. I will see in this Church many times and
the next time I will get in earlier.
They have several men in this Church that have V.
A. D. marked on their breast and they carry a sort of
a soldier's canteen on their side filled with water.
Two women and one man fainted in the Church. They
carried them out, and some people in the Church said
they only wanted to be carried in some man's arms, that
you could not see them kicking any, that they were
satisfied as soon as a man took hold of them.
Sunday morning, September 15th, Lieut. T. B. Wood
dropped in to see the Colonel Kennedy and spent from
10:30 until 12:00 noon with him and also took dinner
with the Colonel at 14 Great Cumberland Place in the
60 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
evening. I met Lieut. Wood Monday morning and he
took me with him to his office which is above the
American Garage in Pembroke Mews, just off Chapel
Street, on the fourth floor. He has a very nice, cozy
little office there and he had bought a tool for the
Colonel, which I brought back for him.
Lieutenant Wood is stationed at Nevers, France, but
as orders are still coming in to him to get more tools
for the Army, he says he cannot tell how much longer
he will be in London.
He has not received mail from home for some time,
due principally because he is moved around so much
that it does not get to follow him.
I was at the house Sunday evening and made up for
the gentlemen a few of those things that always make
you feel sorta dignified. You know. And they en¬
joyed their dinner all the more.
On Monday morning, U. S. Secretary of War Baker
and General Hines dropped in to see the Colonel
Kennedy and were here in the office from 10:00 A. M.
until 11:55.
On Monday afternoon, the 16th, Mr. J. W. Lee, a
brother of Mr. Ivy Lee and who has visited in the Cum¬
berland Valley, called to see the Colonel and also took
dinner at 14 Great Cumberland Place, Monday evening.
Tuesday, Secretary of War Baker and General Hines
called again to see Colonel Kennedy, and was with
him and Captain Franklin for some time. I understand
they snapped him in front of the American Army Head¬
quarters but I have not been able to see it in any of
the pictorial papers.
There are very, very few homes here that have
furnaces in them. They nearly all have fire places.
In this hotel, which is one of the largest, they have fire
places in every room; and right across the street I see
fifteen chimneys in one home. They burn soft coal and
it will keep a room very comfortable.
There is a very great deal of thought being given
about the coal consideration for this winter. Many
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 61
persons think there will be a shortage.
Between Downing Street and the Treasury Building
is the Horse Guards and two mounted sentries changed
every hour. These guards sit on black horses and this
is their dress. There is always somebody standing
looking at them. They really do look fine and right
behind this is the Horse Guards Parade Ground, where
they take part in the changing of the Guards.
They also have a play they play on the "Official"
birthday of the King they call "Trooping the Color"
that takes place in the rear of the Horse Guards White¬
hall. They change guards every morning at 10:30.
Now right in front of the Hotel Cecil along the
Victoria Embankment is the "Cleopatra's Needle." On
the last night of the German air raid they were after
the Cecil Hotel, as the R. A. F. headquarters are on
the top floor of the hotel, and in dropping bombs they
hit the steps of the monument, the walk was broken up
in many places and a or rather several holes were
knocked in the statues that are on the side of this
monument.
I was down there and was shown the different places
that had been hit.
This Victoria Embankment starts at the Westminster
Bridge and runs for a mile and a half. There is a
double-decked trolley that runs the whole way and it
is a beautiful ride. It extends clear to Blackfriars
Bridge. It is one of the finest and most air-swept
thoroughfares in the Metropolis, with attractive
gardens, beautiful buildings and an always interesting
look on the river, the Thames. The granite protecting
wall is eight feet thick.
Throughout its length the embankment is planted on
both sides with shade trees, and it is lit at night by
electricity but during the war times they have very low
candlepower lights on and it is very dark along that
line.
Beneath the Embankment runs the District Railway
with stations Westminster, Bridge, Charing Cross, The
62 Roy's Trip to the Battlefiields of Europe
Temple, and beneath the Thames it connects with the
Hampton Tube. On the embankment facing the station
is a bronze medal by Sir G. Frampton, R. A. of Sir W.
S. Gilbert, the playright, whose "foe was folly and his
weapon wit."
Turning in the direction of the Westminster Bridge
we pass through pretty gardens decked with statues
of General Sir Francis Outram, the "Bayard" of the
Indian Mutiny, Sir Bartle Frere of South African fame
and William Tyndale, the translator of the New Testa¬
ment. Next comes Montague House, the Mansion of
Duke Buccluech. A few yards beyond is the dignified
building of Scottish Baronial style, known as the New
Scotland Yard, the headquarters since 1891 of the
Metropolitan Police, the lost property office, etc.
The House of Parliament is also right adjoining
Westminster Bridge. I had hesitated to speak of it,
as I thought I was going to have a look inside but
when I strolled by recently and talked to some man at
the door I was told no one was admitted during war
times. So I guess I just as well say what I have seen
from the outside as there does not seem to be any way
for me to see the inside.
The clock in the tower is called "Big Ben" and has
four dials, each twenty-two and one-half feet in diam¬
eter, was constructed by Dents under the direction
of the late Lord Grimthorpe. It is one of the finest
time-keepers in the world. The minute hands are
fourteen feet long, the hour hands nine feet long and
the figures are two feet long. The minute spaces are
one foot square. The clock is called "Big Ben" in com¬
pliment to Sir Benjamin Hall, who was First Com¬
missioner of Works at the time the Bell was cast. It
weighs thirteen and one-half tons and in calm weather
its clear note may be heard over the greater part of
London. The quarters are struck on four smaller bells.
The central tower is three hundred feet high, and is
used as a ventilating shaft. The Great Victoria Tower
on the southeast is three hundred thirty-six feet high
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 63
and seventy-five feet square. The archway beneath is
fifty feet high, forms the royal entrance and is used
by the King and Queen in opening Parliament. Beyond
are the Victoria flower gardens.
The House of Lords is directly across from the House
of Parliament. I will not write about what I have seen
of that yet as there may be some way for me to get
inside. If I find there is not, I will write up the out¬
side as I see it.
On Thursday afternoon, Lieut. Col. D. B. Wentz and
Lieut. Commander John S. Higgins had planned to go
to Cardiff, Wales, and at a meeting in the office Col.
Wentz was detained and could not go. I was sent in
a hurry up trip to head off Commander Higgins. I
got him taking things easy at the Paddington Station,
walking up and down smoking pure havana and they
are very scarce here. Dinner had been ordered for
him and Col. Wentz but all was cancelled and I came
back to 14 Great Cumberland Place in a taxi with
Commander Higgins. He has had some wonderful
trips and some more are in view. There was one time
he had wished for me while he and the other officers
were getting me across. What he had in mind for me.
Nothing would please me more and I can hardly wait
until another opportunity comes again.
He will take the matter up with Colonel Kennedy and
Captain Franklin, and here is hoping I can be spared
for that, as it is just what I had planned in my mind
from last January until the present time. I will surely
thank them and will surely make good.
The stations here in London are always crowded.
Commander Higgins tells me the Germans have tried
very hard to bomb Paddington Station but as yet not
successful in reaching it, but I hear they have been
near it on several of their raids. We are giving them
a merry chase now and they must cover pretty soon.
Well, I just came from the Westminster Cathedral.
This is Sunday night, September 22nd, and right while
it is fresh in my mind I will write it up. It is con-
64 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
sidered one of tlie largest Churches in London and I
can say it is not far wrong. I went in at 6:45 P. M.
and after looking around for about ten minutes I took
a seat about the fourteenth row and at three minutes
of seven some kind of real bells rang—they had a very
sort of light ring to them. Then at seven promptly the
organ began. It played for only a short time, then
they began to chant something. Many persons were
coming in; they kneel for a few minutes then sit up in
seat. But one or two knelt for an awful long time.
I do not know what that was for; possibly you go ac¬
cording to the amount of sins committed the week—
but I won't touch that part.
Then they chanted again. There are two men that
sit way up in the choir that wear red coats. I noticed
whenever they arose the whole audience arose; but
at other times they did not. There seemed to me to be
a great deal of rising and sitting all through the service.
The singing was not to me so good, that is you cannot
understand the singing like in other churches. I guess
it was of some high order all right—probably too rich
for me—but there was so much chanting I thought.
The Minister or Priest I guess he is called began to
preach or speak at 7:25 and he talked pretty good
about preparing in time, etc., and he wore a little dark
cap and a sort of cape of light color around his
shoulder, and he did not use a Bible. He seemed to
have it committed to memory what he was going to
talk on, and he had a pretty good delivery. I got some
of it. It was mostly along the usual line. Then the
choir began to stir about and light candles. He con¬
cluded at 7:40. Good time I thought, and several
men walked out in front of the candles in white gowns.
The choir is composed of boys in a sort of a dark skirt
and white capes, real long.
There are also voices that sound like there are ladies
in the choir but there are none to be seen. They are
all men and boys. Finally two men began to lift the
collection. I seen them coming so I got my contribu-
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 65
tion out early that I might make bo mistake; this
time I put in four pennies of the English kind. I
also noticed that he had more of them than he had in
silver. He uses a large brass plate about the size of
a dinner plate, with carvings of something all around.
He used two hands to carry, as I guess it was heavy
with the large pennies. The American soldiers call it
"iron money". At any rate they went over the Church
carefully and seemed to get all that was loose. Then
they disappeared, money and all. I saw nothing more
of them during the remainder of the service.
Books are sold at the Church right after service on
Sunday. I bought a book and cards. They have an
office there where these are sold at the entrance of the
Church.
They have in the basement which they call a crypt.
I think that is a sort of a vault, I am not sure but I
will not see that if it is.
In the right-hand side is the pulpit where the Priest
speaks from and at all the archways come into a large
aisle that would seat many hundred people. These
people do know how to build Churches, that one must
admit. The interior is of brick. No plaster work at
all, and many fine columns of fine marble all along the
aisles.
The Choir sits in front of the cross in the rear.
There are six beautiful candles about five feet high
burning all the time; then they light two clusters of
twelve candles on each side and sit on the steps directly
under the cross.
It makes a fine sight. Everybody seems to be on and
understand their job, and also on each side are rooms
called the Lady Chapel. They are used for Sunday
School rooms; the chairs are light and very comfortable.
These side rooms are plastered but the main part of
the Church is not.
I do not know how they keep these places warm in
real winter weather. If the winter here is anything
66 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
like it was in the Cumberland Valley last year, it will
be some more job.
On all the arches are drawings of Saints, Virgins,
Apostles and Confessors. They are in white and a
gold cross at the head, in a sort of a square about four
feet.
There are a great many dinners given by the officers
attached to this station.
And among them was one that was very much talked
of—the dinner given by Sir Sam Fay, Director General
of Movements and Railways, at Hotel Savoy, August
20th, 1918.
Those present were: Mr. S. M. Felton, Director
General of American Military Rwys; Major General Sir
W. T. Furse, K. C. B., D. S. O., Master General of
the Ordinance; Lieut. General Hutchinson, C. B., D.
S. O., Director of Organization War Office; Brig. Gen¬
eral H. O. Mance, C. B., C. M. G., D. S. O., Director of
Railways and Roads; Brig. General O. H. Delano
Osborn, C. M. G., Director of Movements; Major General
P. P. deB. Radcliffe, C. B., D. S. O., Director of Military
Operations; Sir Francis Dent, General Manager of the
South Eastern and Chatham Rwy.; Colonel M. C.
Kennedy, R. T. C., U. S. A., Deputy Director General of
Transportation in England; Captain H. M. Paul, A.
D. C. to Director General of Movements and Railways.
An extract from the New York Times of August 3,
1918, says:
"A very wide circle of friends in America will
welcome a word of news from Colonel M. C. Kennedy,
President of the Cumberland Valley Railway, one of
the Pennsylvania Lines, by the way, the only railroad
that has no bonds outstanding. At his lovely home in
the Cumberland Valley, Colonel Kennedy has for years
held an annual party to which hundreds of railroad
heads and bankers were invited. His hospitality is
famous. He is now Deputy Director General of Trans¬
portation of the American Expeditionary Forces under
General Atterbury.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 67
"Colonel Kennedy (the silver eagles on his shoulders
to authorize the title) is in full charge in England. He
is ably assisted by Capt. W. S. Franklin, of Baltimore,
a younger brother of the head of the International
Mercantile Marine Company. Colonel Kennedy is de¬
lighted at the opportunity of serving his country abroad
and it is particularly agreeable to be associated with
his old colleague Atterbury, who was Vice-President and
General Manager of the Pennsylvania."
In April, among the first troops that came over the
King handed to each soldier a letter which they appre¬
ciated very much and it was the talk of the American
Soldiers for several days as to how to get them home
and at the same time have them as a souvenir from His
Majesty, the King.
On Friday, September 20th, Colonel M. C. Kennedy
gave a dinner at his home, 14 Great Cumberland Place
in honor of Captain Cone, of the Navy, and Colonel D.
B. Wentz, of the A. E. F., Tours, France.
Those present were: Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Lieut.
Colonel D. B. Wentz, Captain H. I. Cone, Major J. E.
Dunning, Major White, Mr. F. J. McBride.
The dinner was a decided success and there was used
for the first time a beautiful article that was presented
to Colonel Kennedy by Colonel Wentz. The "shaker"
was used that night and all went off all right but it
was seen that the holes were not quite large enough
for the "Bronx" as made in the States. It was then
decided that Roy should take it to Goldsmith and
Silversmith where it was purchased and have the holes
made a little larger.
In the Times, which is the leading Daily Paper here,
they have a place says "Events of the Day'. I have
been watching that for some time. I seen that on
Thursday the King was going to hold "Investiture" at
Buckingham Palace. That means that the King will
decorate persons with V. C., M. M., D. S. O., and many
other degrees, to those who have done some act of im¬
portance for their country. I was particularly anxious
68 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
to see this done. I had planned all kinds of ways up
until this time, so Thursday morning I bring the shaker
with me to the office, and at 10:25 I start for the
Jeweler, which is on Regent Street, near Piccadilly
Circus, and down past Buckingham Rd. I go to Buck¬
ingham Palace Gate. I had heard that they would
allow you to see this exercise up to the Gate. I go,
haying the package securely wrapped in my arm. The
Guard asked me "What have you in that package?
Anything out of the ordinary?" I said "No sir, it
is a cocktail shaker. I am on my way to the jeweler
to have it fixed." He said "All right, you go ahead."
Well, in went Roy with Colonel Wentz' cocktail shaker
close to my heart, for I knew if I allowed anything
to happen to that I just as well go jump off the West¬
minster Bridge. The Guard laughed at me when I
told him what I had in my arm but that did not stop
me. I kept agoing just the same, and when I got
through the second gate to the place where they have
the exercises, then I am satisfied. Well, it is one of
the greatest days for Roy.
There is a platform erected about fifteen feet wide
and thirty feet long covered with Red and White
awning. There are three officers with the King and
they are dressed with Khaki and Red trimmings. I do
not yet know the name of the dress of the King but
will have it before I finish this story. One gentleman
on the platform has a long Prince Albert coat, black,
with black shoes, his hat off, steel colored trousers.
The person that is to be decorated walks up the plat¬
form by steps in front of the King. He stops, stands at
attention and salutes the King. The King returns the
salute. The other officer reads to the people that are
gathered the act that the person has done to be so
honored and the crowd cheers and applauds. I did,
too. Then the King puts on him the prize that he is
entitled to. If it is a V. C. the King pins it on his
breast, pats him on the head or shoulder, says a few
words of encouragement to him. He all this time
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 69
stands at attention, he then salutes him, he returns it
and dismisses him, and the next one follows.
The King generally shakes the hand of every one.
Sometimes he, as he did this morning, puts a collar of
scarlet on the heads of several gray-haired men. He
patted them on the shoulder. I noticed there is a sort
of balcony all around the court yard and on these the
Queen and some lady friends look on at the exercises.
A policeman I was standing near told me just where
the Queen was sitting. She had sort of a purple dress
on and a very nice looking lady near her had a cream
dress on. The officer did not know the name. I was
sorry.
As I was on this errand, I could not see it all out.
I was there long enough to see how it was done. I
then caught a bus and finished the errand, but if that
aint going some from a Messenger boy at Cumberland
Valley Railroad, Chambersburg, to the Buckingham
Palace and see the King going through this exercise is
in my mind "Going Some".
Many of the older men who have done something that
wras deserving for their country and are so honored
have their wives with them. Of course, the wives do
not go along on the platform with them but they are
present, and it is amusing how dear they seem to
hold their husbands after he has been so honored by
the King. I guess that is about all the peace some of
them have at home for a few days. This morning he
put a very great many collars on elderly men and officers
of the R. A. F.
In the same afternoon the King inspects the Great
Italian Band (Carabinieri) that is here this week.
Wednesday was Italian Day in London. The Band
played several pieces at Mass at the Westminster
Cathedral. I did not get to hear them there, but when
they broke loose at the Buckingham Palace at 1:30 this
afternoon I was right there. I waited until 1:25 to go
to lunch and once outside the door to Buckingham
70 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Palace I went, and when they started I was one of the
crowd.
It is some more band. It played in the Quadrangle
which is the end near the office building. They had two
sets of drums and cymbals, and I cannot tell the dif¬
ferent kinds of horns but at any rate you know they
played their best for the King. And as I was there,
naturally they played their best in my hearing, so this
day I call "Roy's day at Buckingham Palace."
Well, Wednesday Colonel Kennedy and Captain
Franklin went to Southampton to look after docks and
etc. They were gone all day. Today there is a strike
on hand. Soldiers that want to report for duty are
compelled to find some other way to get back to duty
and as I have said, this is the rankest country for
strikes you ever saw. The main stations did not have
one train moving.
The Italian Band plays in Hyde Park Sunday after¬
noon and I will sure hear it again. If you could have
seen the crowd on the streets yesterday as they were
passing several places you would not have thought
there was any war going on.
Yesterday afternoon, Saturday, September 28th,
wThile passing the Royal Mews, I had a little talk with
the guard, and I was taken through the Royal Stables.
How this was accomplished need not be put in print,
as everything done on this side would not look good in
print. I saw what I wanted and when you read this
I think you will say I saw pretty near all.
When all the horses are in the stables there are one
hundred and forty in all. Some are now at the
Windsor Castle, the summer home of the King.
There is now about one hundred and ten horses in
the Mews, mostly all Bay horses. They have large
rugs along the side of the stall, to prevent a horse from
rubbing himself. The names of all horses are painted
above their stalls. There is plenty of straw to keep
them clean and they are really very well groomed.
I got pictures of the yard that circles the Royal Mews,
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 71
giving plenty of air and light, the "State Landau"
used by the King to attend small affairs in and about
the city, also persons of the King's household, and is
used with two black horses; and the Kings Windsor
Greys, a team that he always takes with him to his
summer house at Windsor.
The persons that showed me through the stables said
that the King and Queen are very fond of horses and
that both ride very often. In the rear of the stalls is
a sort of straw mat and the floor is of concrete. The
mat is about eight inches wide and is rough at the
other end.
Each horse is tied with two chains, is kept with
blanket on. The stables are the warmest I was ever
in, felt as though they were stoves in them. The stables
are all lighted with electricity and gas.
I saw a harness of Red Morrocco, said to cost 17,000
pounds which was for four pairs of cream-horses that
draw the King's State Coach. They also have the same
number of sets of black harness, which they use on a
set of black horses, which they told me cost the same.
They have a harness room about forty feet long and
about twenty-five feet wide. All harness hangs on
frames. The brass on the harness is very heavy and is
well polished. The idea I was told was in case one of
the cream horses was sick, the black ones could be used.
The State Coach is used for the opening of the Par¬
liament by the King and Queen and also for Corona¬
tions, when they use it they have six footmen. If some
others use it they have four coachmen, and to others
they use two. But it is never used with less than two
footmen.
The wheels in the rear of this coach are six feet one
inch and are dished in. I cannot recall how old this
was nor would be say how much it cost but I think
I am on the inside now and I will get that in another
way.
A coal black horse, with the exception of a white
mark on the right hind foot, is the favorite riding horse
72 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
of the King and was presented to him by the Australian
Government and has won the Derby. His name is
"Delhi" and that is painted above his stall.
A light bay horse is Princess Mary's favorite riding
horse but I cannot now recall its name.
There is a large riding stable in the rear of this
Mews where the Royal children and their friends are
taught to ride. It is about one hundred and thirty feet
long and about seventy feet wide. It was about twice
that size before the war but they have cut about the
half of it off and made beds in it for soldiers who on
going to or returning from the front have no friends
or places to stay. They now have seventy beds in the
part next to this riding stable. It is very high. They
also have all kinds of horns, drums, whistles, and make
all manner of noises to have the horses to become ac¬
customed to these things, that they do not scare when
on the streets.
The other horses are as far as I could see ordinary
looking horses.
I was very glad to be able to see through these stables
and am very grateful to the persons that showed me
through. There is a small house but quite high in the
rear of Buckingham Palace. The person said that this
was Queen Victoria's summer home and that any time
the Queen wanted to know the character of any of
her servants or anyone else around the place, she would
go into this house and look out the windows. There
were windows all around the house. They could not
see her but she could see all that was going on. The
lady that told me talked as if she knew all about it.
There is no question but what she could see a very
great deal without being seen. I guess she was right
foxy in some ways. Well, possibly she had to be.
Persons with so many servants around have to see a
great many things, she said, and of course she said
there are other persons that one must look after too,
she said. I judge she knew from where she spoke, and
I left it at that and asked no questions along that line.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 73
I think I have had a pretty good week at Buckingham
Palace this week.
When you see the flag on the pole over Buckingham
Palace you know the King it at home, for whenever
he goes away the flag is taken down.
The news continued to come in good from the front
and everybody around here is wise to what the end will
be.
Charing Cross Hotel and station are just past Tra¬
falgar Square and at what is called the beginning of
the Strand, which is considered the busiest part of
London. But to me London looks very busy all over.
They surely do some business in this city, and the
people—I cannot see where they all come from.
I note a very many relics of the Germans that have
been taken by the French on exhibition on the Strand,
but it seems that no cards showing them can be bought.
While it is not just ripe yet, there is a terrible lot of
dissatisfaction among the mail carriers over their rate
of pay and it will not surprise any one if they don't
strike for several days, for these are striking people.
Sunday, October 6th, 1918, I thought I would take
a walk around to Trafalgar Square and see how things
are coming around for the show they will have there
during the week to sell war bonds.
And from there I went to see the Great Scotland
Yards, which is just off from Parliament Street.
Scotland Yard is a large white building in the rear
of Hotel Metropole, and there is a street that runs from
White Hall to Parliament Street that is called Gt.
Scotland Yard—that is where the building gets its name
from. All records of criminals are kept there, and
all lost articles that are found and are turned in are
sent there, that the owners can regain them after iden¬
tifying them. It is said that one-half of the articles
that are lost in London are returned in this way to
their owners. That speaks well for London. I hardly
believe that happens in any city of the U. S. The
articles that are not called for or redeemed after having
74 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
been kept for a period of three months are given to
the persons that turned them in.
I then went to see Mr. Lloyd George's home at 10
Downing Street. Downing is a narrow mean looking
street opening at the top into a handsome though small
square, in which are the residences of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer resides in the ad¬
joining house, No. 11, and is Mr. Bonar Law. I don't
just remember whether he is any Sir yet or not. I did
not know that he lived next door until I reached the
place and saw a "Bobbie"—a cop—standing there, and
I engaged him in conversation and he gave me this story.
That the building was first put up in 1735, and has
been used continually for the Prime Ministers since
that time. Outside it is a very ordinary looking
building. But on the inside it is finely furnished.
It has a large brass plate on the front door and three
door bells with large brass rings around them highly
polished and thirteen windows with common glass
window panes in them, about fourteen inches wide and
ten inches wide. I thought to myself that is surely a
poor looking place from the outside.
The officer says they are on guard there all the time,
changing every few hours. Then I asked who lives next
door and he told me Mr. Bonar Law. Then I did look
again.
I talked with the officer from 2 :00 P. M. until 3 :10.
Two sailors came up and began to talk over the same
thing. They wanted to see where Lloyd George lived
and they asked questions and from what they asked I
got considerable information without having to ask
myself.
They were British sailors and could say what they
liked. They spoke right out and said they thought
little of the place, etc. The officer was very pleasant
witli me after they left. They talked possibly a half
hour.
A detective then came up. I saw his badge under his
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 75
coat and we all three talked. I soon got around to
the point and left them know who I was and what I
was doing, only looking over the city between hours.
They seemed to be interested in me and told me some
few things.
Two young ladies came out of the Mr. George home.
I asked if they were his daughters but the cop said No,
that the}7 were visitors. My thought for staying there
was possibly the wonderful person might incidentally
come to the window or door to take a look out but
there was nothing doing, so I left for a ball game
between the U. S. and the pennant winners of Canada
at Stamford Bridge.
Wednesday evening, Oct. 9th, Commander McBride
gave a dinner at 14 Great Cumberland Place in honor
of Commander LeBritton of the Navy. Those present:
Commander McBride, Commander Higgins, Commander
LeBritton, Commander Land, Colonel Kennedy, Captain
Franklin.
And as things are running my way, I had the honor
of waiting the dinner, which just suited me, not just
exactly wishing any one any bad luck. But I would
not care if some one took sick every time there was a
dinner. Well, Commander Higgins was elected to make
up a Navy Cocktail, and I find out the difference
between that and the Bronx cocktail that Mr. I. C. Elder
and T. B. Kennedy showed me how to make—that is
the one I make. They said they make you sit up a little
straighter.
Commander Higgins' cocktails were very satisfactory
and were very much enjoyed.
There were some very amusing incidents told of how
we are making the Kaiser yell. Commander LeBritton
told of just how long it takes a 20,000 ton ship to go
down. Commander is very anxious to take a trip to
New York. Commander McBride is very much in¬
terested as to when they will get that ship off the rocks
that went on some days ago. He asked this informa¬
tion of Captain Franklin. Commander Higgins says
76 Roy*s Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
that is just what he wants to know. Commander
McBride said he is sure there is a box with five hundred
Pall Mall cigarettes in for him. And Commander
Higgins says the ship has two letters on for him. I
also noticed that the Colonel was very much interested
in this talk as no letters from Ragged Edge have ar¬
rived for some time, and he told me if some did not
come soon he was going to take some one else's letters.
Captain Franklin finally said that he was or rather
felt sure that there would be nothing saved from that
boat.
The dinner was a complete success and all present
had a very pleasant evening. The table was laden with
everything that was wanted to make one eat and if the
appetite was not strong, the things were there to repair
it.
For some time Colonel Kennedy has been trying to
locate First Lieut. King Alexander, of Chambersburg,
Pa., and he has now been successful in locating him
at the Hospital at Portsmouth. He has phoned him
and asked him to come to London as soon as he can
conveniently do so and spend some time with him. On
Thursday, October 10, Lieut. Alexander came to London,
arriving Victoria Station at 12:08 Noon.
I was there to meet him and brought him to the office
where he gave the office a good chat while waiting on
the Colonel to come in, as he was at a meeting. He
has certainly been right in the thick of the fighting.
He has lost two fingers oft' his left hand and he said
lie did not know that there was shrapnel in them until
the nurse was massaging the hand, found something
hard, and the Doctor then used an X-ray and found it
there. He carries it as a souvenier. He looks fairly
well. I think he is just a trifle shell-shocked. The
Doctor told him he would let him go home if he wanted
to but he has the nerve and says he thinks he would
like to stay and see the finish. That shows the kind
of spirit he has, and also shows that he is game all
the way through. No yellow about him.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 77
The Colonel took him to the Office Club for dinner
and to a show tonight, called "As You Were." It is
considered one of the finest shows that ever hit London.
He has been gassed in the knee with what is called the
mustard gas and it burns and is very severe. He got his
last wound at Chateau Theirry and has just been
relieved by the Scotch Guard and he waited to see that
they understood what was their duty and that all was
right, and met with this. He looks more like his father
now than ever. Is the real picture of him. Even talks
like his father. Chief Clerk Houser and Sargeant
Smith had him looking over the map of the fighting
area, and it is very, very interesting to hear him go over
the ground. He knows it all. Can go from one battle¬
ground to another. He says there are about two
thousand cases in the Portsmouth Hospital and they
expect to have about four thousand in all, that the
hospital already now has cots in the halls and that they
are bringing them from St. Quentin and Cambrai there
in about three days time.
Colonel Kennedy has certainly done many kind and
fatherly acts toward many young men in the service,
and many particular cases that were very touching.
Last Monday the eighth of October, they opened at
Trafalgar Square a War Bond Campaign and the main
idea was to feed the guns with and by buying War
Bonds.
A beautiful lady by the name of Miss Taylor recited
a poem on feed the guns, and they had a large screen
on the Monument of Nelson that they showed the
picture of the Air Ships, how the vessels are made,
the speed that is used, the submarines in action, bomb¬
ing towns in Germany and many other things that
entered into the operation of the war. I was there
several nights and saw many things that were new to
me.
The papers are full of the news that Germany has
laid down and it has some that put me out of the
writing humor this morning. The Colonel has gone to
78 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Woburn Sands to spend the day, and I want to get all
over London, as I fear that home spirit will hit some
place and my experience with some persons knows just
what that means. I had hope of reaching Berlin but
1 now fear I am doomed.
Houser and Smith and Mackenson have had a great
time kidding me about going home this morning.
Belgrave Mansion Hotel, the headquarters of A. E.
P., has a frontage on Grovernor Garden about four
hundred feet, runs back to Ebury Mews about two
hundred feet to Buckingham Palace Road, two hundred
feet on Ebury Street and two hundred feet on Buck¬
ingham Palace Road. It has one hundred ninety rooms,
the entire building is used for American Army A. E.
F. headquarters. The Gorman Hotel on Ebury Street
has about ninety rooms is in the rear of the Belgrave
Hotel and is used for Post Office and offices of the A.
E. F.
It is amusing, the English people here after a holiday
every few days. They come into the office and ask
Mr. Houser if such a day is a holiday in the building.
It seems that these people keep so very many days
that are not considered holidays in the States, and as
this office is the head of things they always ask here.
I often hear Captain Franklin and Colonel Kennedy
and Commander kidding in the bath room in the
morning about the one hundred year war. Well, I
think it would have taken that long for these people
to beat Germany had not the U. S. come in to help
them the way they go at it.
The Leinster that was sunk by a submarine last week
was a hard blow to this office. Captain Cone, who was
well-known to all in this office and a great, close per¬
sonal friend to Colonel Kennedy, was on the boat.
Reports say he had both legs broken in the smash and
that he is now in the hospital at Dublin.
He has dined at 14 Great Cumberland Place many
times and was the right hand bar to Admiral Sims, the
conqueror of the U boat.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 79
With General Pershing these are the people that
brought Germany to her knees.
And one would be surprised to know that the people
on this side do not care to give General Pershing much
credit for it. Very little is said of him in the papers
over here, and there seems to be a great deal of jealousy
at the bottom. I guess I will leave that alone. I may
be going too deep.
In a conversation with France a few moments ago,
Mr. Houser told them that Germany had thrown up
their hands. They had not heard the news over there
yet and were very much surprised to hear it. The
telephone is very clear this morning and this being the
thirteenth day, I guess that accounts for everything that
has happened.
I went with the band to Buckingham Palace this
morning, saw them change Guards, then to St. James
Palace and hear them play three selections and drill.
If I had anything to do with it, Colonel Kennedy
would be placed on the committee that goes to Germany
to sign the peace terms.
I also have a little thought that the friends that
Colonel Kennedy has made in England are so many
that I think it might be necessary for him to visit
London with his family, later.
On Sunday afternoon, October 13th, I went to see the
Victoria and Albert Museum at South Kensington, and
all in all there is too much I saw to tell it, cause I
cannot describe it properly.
I then went to the British Museum and looked that
over and I was just about as much puzzled there as in
the other one.
I saw many of the old Ancient Carriages used by the
Kings and Queens in the fifteenth century, and the
Sedan chairs that Great Rulers were carried in in those
times. There were also many paintings from the Holy
Lands that I thought I would see, but things look blue
now.
A large statue of "David" cut from a solid piece of
80 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
marble by a great Italian Sculptor and several stone
fountains from the Holy Lands, three of them were
about four feet deep, solid marble and about three feet
round.
All kinds of Persian carpets are shown and are es¬
pecially fine, and several very large tapestries, and
Italian and French furniture.
The collection of animals is hard to excel. Seal, bear,
mountain lion and everything that one ever heard of in
the animal line is there.
When I first attempted to come over here, there was
quite a dispute between Mr. Logue and Mr. F. W.
Hankins as to who could get me off properly. It how¬
ever finally was Mr. Logue and on the first attempt we
could not get through. Well, Mr. Hankins had the
laugh on us and he had it in his mind that he could
have succeeded had it been left to him. There was
some things that came up that we could not overcome.
And while I speak it very quietly, I hardly think that
he could have either; but, nevertheless, the last time
Mr. Logue went after it, he came through one hundred
percent, and I landed here.
Mr. Hankins just before I left whispered to me he
would soon be with me and would meet me at Leicester
Square. I have located the square and know it very
well, but just a few weeks ago word came over that
Major F. W. Hankins cannot get over, that Washing¬
ton powers that be, the same powers that stopped me,
say he is needed there and refuse him passports, while
it shows the value of the services of the Master Mechanic
of the C. V. R. R., it at the same time stops one who
we all would like to see here with us.
Now I am really very sorry for him, as I know he
wanted to get away from the States, and if I was not
so far from him I would suggest that he see Mr. H. A.
Logue and possibly he could yet land him on this side.
Mr. Hankins is certainly a popular official, well liked
by the entire force, and one of those sort that is always
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 81
in good humor, and has taught me a whole lot about a
private car that is not doing very much work just now.
Time will change all things and in due time the
Colonel will get back to the States and help to keep the
force busy. His monthly letter that he sends from the
States is eagerly looked for and every word is read.
On Tuesday evening, October 15th, Colonel Kennedy
entertained First Lieut. G. E. Williams, Field Clerk A.
G. Houser and Sergeant Warren E. Smith, at 14 Great
Cumberland Place, and then presented them with tickets
to Theatre, to see "As You Were."
I noticed that day that there was an unusual stir
and people seemed very happy, and that the show was
such a rage. I thought something was stirring and
later in the day I got wise.
Well, the next day I think Smith could have taken
five hundred words a minute, he felt so good, and Chief
Clerk Houser was dictating as clear as a bell.
About two weeks ago I was at the Post Office in the
Goring Hotel for the mail. I got a package for
Sergeant Warren E. Smith. It was not so heavy nor
so large. I was ordered to open it, which I was happy
to do and it contained a two pound box of carmel candy,
one pound of crystalized ginger—just to think of it,
crystalized ginger—and one dozen cakes of chocolate.
Well, I always did like them fellows but just now I
over-liked. I just picked Smith up and loved him.
And Houser helped him to take a record of it while
I helped him eat. The package came from a Mrs. Ryan
of New York City. I hope that Lady will ever live,
and certainly hope she will very soon again duplicate
the order. It was real candy and the ginger I looked
at for a long time; so long since I saw any and the
taste was—oh, it was all there.
Houser suggested to Smith that it might last longer
if it was kept in his drawer under lock and key, but
I said it was hardly worth while to do that, that the
idea of this war is to teach men to act as brothers
toward each other and share with your fellow man, etc.
82 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Well, tonight brings up another story that Germany
has surrendered and that Turkey has caused it, and
last night there was an awful mob of people on the
streets walking and running up White Hall to Parlia¬
ment Street, to Lloyd George's house, calling for
speeches, etc.
I have looked very carefully and talked to the many
colored soldiers as to how and what they were doing
to help the cause. I find that they have done wonder¬
ful work, they have unloaded the largest liners that
float in from one to two days, when heretofore it took
weeks to do it, and in the railroad work as laying track
and unloading cars they work and beat all records,
assisting in the mechanical work of the army trucks.
They have been right on the job.
The English people do not look down on the colored
man as in America, and as long as you behave yourself
you are treated all right. You are served in any res¬
taurant or cafe or barber shop in the City, no color
line is drawn.
Of course, some funny things will happen to all
nations at times. Monday, October 14th, I went to
Victoria Station to get the evening paper. I saw two
colored soldiers talking togeher. I said "Hello" and
went up to them. We talked for a few minutes. I
saw the one fellow watching a lady pretty strong, and
she was flirting with him. I thought it was my move
and left; going across the street I looked back. He
went to the lady (white) and they talked, he walked
away with her. She took him by the arm.
On the corner of our headquarters a man stands with
flowers every day. I came from the station so I would
pass them again, and just as they passed the lady said
something about pretty flowers. Down in his pockets
the boy went. I said "I bet he buys her red flowers."
And he did, got her a big bunch of red roses. She
put them on her breast and up the street they went a
short distance when a taxi passed. The driver was
wise (Reuben was in town) and he yelled "Cab." The
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 83
sport said "Yes, come on, let's ride." And in tliey got.
Now you can imagine the sight. A real black man,
white woman, red roses. Well, we have often heard it
said—"Fool and money soon part."
Talking to an Australian Soldier today, he was telling
me his troubles. He stopped at the Maple Leaf Club ;
someone stole his shoes and $25. He did not know
the person that took them but he sure did say things
about him. It is mean the way they steal from the
soldiers at these places.
I had never bothered any of the Y. M. C. A. huts or
clubs over here as, well, first they say "for uniformed
men only". And I wanted to see the City—and such
sights—but as it is now getting cool and I must find
some inside place to continue to get some dope.
Field Clerk Houser and Sergeant Smith have been
telling me from time to time that I could get in to the
huts. So Friday evening I went to the Eagle Hut.
I was satisfied I had papers and credentials enough
to get into any place. Well, I asked for the manager
and we had a talk. I showed him my papers and he
said "O. K. You can come in any time you want."
Well, I looked over the place. It is very clean and
seems to be properly kept up. There is quite a crowd
there and the order is, well, I guess pretty good.
There are so many huts around the City I hardly
think I will spend much time in any one, and again I
am kept fairly busy in the evenings a little too late
for the shows.
The Eagle Hut is maintained by the Americans but
is used by all soldiers. They have shower baths, two
pool tables, one pocket billiard table, three pianos, and
an auditorium for shows. They have shows every night.
They have also bed rooms that the boys from the front
can be taken care of.
As the song goes, it is always fair weather when good
fellows get together and a good song's ringing clear.
Only soft drinks are sold in the place, but there was
84 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
some evidence that something had been gotten on the
outside, from the appearance of some few.
I played "Hail, hail, the gang's all here" and "We
won't get back till it's over, over here" and the boys
began to sing and I felt very much at home.
As those are the only tunes that I thought I could
play with any degree of time, I did not attempt any
others.
They had lady attendants and they all seem to have
enough to do. The club closes at twelve every night.
Beds are reserved until 9:30.
Prices are what they call fair. The cheapest cigar is
7d, which in our money is fourteen cents. You can be
sure I did not need many at that price.
On Thursday evening, October 17th, Colonel Kennedy
went to Earlwood Surrey to spend the night with Mr.
Sanderson. It is about twenty miles from London, on
the London, Brighton & South Coast By. He was due
back Friday morning at 9:08 A. M., but on account
of heavy fog the train was thirty minutes late. The
fog on Friday morning was the worst I ever saw and
the other people say the same. Truly, you could just
barely see the house on the far side of the street.
At the Victoria Station when I went to see the
Colonel, I saw a large bulletin board saying that trains
would run late, due to the fog, and so many trains would
be taken off. In foggy weather here that is what they
do.
At the stations here the tickets are about one and one-
half inches by two and one-half inches and if you want
to go through the gates to see friends off, or to meet
some persons, you must pay Id, and you get a ticket.
They also have machines like the ones we have in the
States that you get chewing gum out of, that you can
deposit a penny and a ticket will drop out to you.
And also you can get tickets to many places on the
underground the same way. It does away with crowds
gathering, but even at that there are so many people
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 85
here that it is really nothing to see as many as fifty
lined up at the ticket window.
The conditions on the back of the ticket are that
the company will not be responsible for any accident
that occurs, and that the ticket must be given up at the
gate and is not transferable, etc.
The effect of the fog is very bad on the throat and
lungs. They have lady gate attendants at the stations.
In trying to get the rate of pay, and their duties, from
one while waiting for the Colonel, she said they work
eight hours a day and that they do not receive the
same rate of pay as the men who did the same work,
but that their pay is a little better now than it was—
but I could not get her to say the amount. She also
said the women in the munitions plants and con-
ductoresses of the trams get the same rate as men.
I said "Well, the railroads are owned by the Govern¬
ment, are they not?" She said, "Yes, but they take
jolly good care of the money and will not pay us as
they did the men."
Saturday evening, October 19th, Lieut. Commander
John S. Higgins gave a dinner at 14 Great Cumberland
Place for and in honor of the Lord of the American
Navy in England, and the conqueror of the U boats,
Admiral W. S. Sims.
Well, the table was all fixed for the occasion and
everything was in apple pie order, and at 7:57 the bell
rang, and I opened the door for this wonderful Ameri¬
can who will go down in history as the greatest ever
to enter.
Well, when he came in, I don't think I was walking
any place but in the air. I certainly was proud to be
able to wait on such a great man.
And the Navy officers all wear beautiful large capes.
You should have seen how tenderly I assisted the Hon.
Sir with his cape and he is one of the, Oh, well, I can¬
not express it. I asked him up to the living room and
Lieut. Commander Higgins met him at the head of
the stairs, and I really think for the rest of the evening
86 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
I was about as happy, as I would have been if I was
in Berlin.
Commander Higgins shook his hand and turned him
over to Colonel Kennedy, who did the chatting, and in
comes Navy Constructor L. B. McBride, who assists
the Admiral to sink the U boats, and then Commander
Higgins made up the appetizing Navy cocktail when
they all drank to the health of Admiral Sims.
Then they marched down the table and the feed was
on, with everybody on their toes, particularly Roy.
Captain Franklin told of the Embarkation of soldiers.
Commander LeBritton, brother-in-law of Mr. McBride,
had all his wit with him.
Well, things were doing from then on—port wine and
possibly some things a little stronger were there.
Those present: Admiral W. S. Sims, Colonel M.
C. Kennedy, Captain W. S. Franklin, Commander
LeBritton, Constructor McBride, Lieut. Commander
John S. Higgins.
As the news continued to come in good from the
front, it is hard to tell how many more of these dinners
will be pulled off now.
Well, this is Sunday, October 20th, and I just came
from the St. Martins-in-the-Fields services. Well, it
was awful nice. The band played very nicely and the
singing was fine.
They have no choir. The entire audience does the
singing. The minister spoke very nice and only for
twenty minutes. Said that after this war is over the
great question will be "Is Religion any good or not—
if good, accept it—if bad, reject it." But at any de¬
cision you arrive at, do not decide until you have given
it the consideration that is justly due it.
And he said the day is fast coming when there will
be only one Church to all. And that some people he
says will not want to believe, but he claims we will
all see it. He says we can all get this religion, but that
it is thundering hard to live in this world and keep it.
There were sixteen ushers lifted the collected and
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 87
all met in the centre aisle and marched to the rostrum,
where they are met by some head usher who has a large
tray and all the money is deposited on this tray. It
seemed to be pretty heavy. The collection was very
good. They marched right past where I was sitting.
I could easy see the size of the baskets. They were
pretty well filled. They had some silver pieces in, too;
they were not all pennies.
The Church I judge would hold possibly fifteen
hundred or more. They have a balcony all the way
around and that was well filled at the services today.
They opened at 3 :00 P. M., services are supposed to
start at 3:30, but they were five minutes late in starting
today.
They left out promptly at 4:45. The Minister speaks
very plainly and you can hear him very distinctly.
The hymns played by this band were well known to
everyone and I tell you, the Church rang; and when
they sing their National Hymn, it can be heard for a
long distance.
I was anxious to write this up right away, as the
Colonel told me I need not show up at the house this
evening. I am going to Westminster Abbey. Well,
two celebrated Churches like that in one day is going
some for a small town boy.
Well, I have been to the Westminster Abbey and
heard the sermon and now feel I have put in a pretty
good church day.
The Rt. Rev. Rennie Maclnnes preached tonight.
He is the Bishop in Jerusalem and he is just a little bit
long-winded. He preached forty minutes.
It was real interesting though, at that. He told about
the Turks and how the British came to their rescue
and that the British saved Palestine and the River
Jordan water was bad. He was a pretty good speaker.
That is about all I can remember of the sermon. It
seems I cannot keep them in my mind very long.
This has been a fearful, ugly, rainy day. It has kept
it up all day, but there was a very large crowd at both
88 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
the Churches today. The Abbey had a very large turn¬
out tonight.
The Abbey opens the doors at 6:00 P. M. and begins
services at 6 :30 sharp, and the minister preached forty
minutes and it dismissed at 8:00 P. M. One can hardly
kick on that time.
The choir singing was right up to the mark. That
organ is surely a sweet-toned instrument.
This morning while I was putting on Colonel
Kennedy's puttees, Captain Franklin said "Colonel, I
had a dream about you last night." Colonel said,
"What was it." Captain said "I dreamed that General
Pershing and you and I were at dinner and that General
Pershing put you in charge of the embarkation."
Colonel said, "Was the war over?" Captain Franklin
said "No." Well the Colonel said "Where was I going
to embark to?" Captain said that part did not come
out in the dream. The Colonel said "The only place I
• want to embark to is Chambersburg."
Well, today, October 24th, Colonel Kennedy went to
Dover, England, to inspect some railroads, and he told
me I could go to London Tower. Now I did not need
any second telling. Chief Clerk Houser said I had been
a good messenger and I could skip at noon. Well, I
sure did go some this day. Took the Tube at Victoria
Station for London Tower.
Bloody Tower: This tower dates from the reign of
Edward III and Richard II, and was called by its
present name as early as 1597. It was originally known
as the Garden Tower and was popularly believed to be
the scene of the murder of Edward V and his brother,
the Duke of York, as well as Henry VI.
The execution block and axe are in the White Tower.
The axe has been in the tower since 1687 and it is
certainly an odd looking article, and it sets right in
front of a cell that Sir Walter Raleigh had once oc¬
cupied. You lay your breast up against the larger side
of the block and your chin is supposed to rest on the
other side, which would throw your neck on the top
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 89
of the block. It has evidently played its part in its
time, and as I like to get souveniers of things, this is
one of the things that I do not want any parts of as a
souvenier.
In this tower Sir Walter Raleigh spent about twelve
years of his life as a prisoner and Raleigh's Walk is the
walk along which he was allowed to exercise. Here he
wrote his History of the World.
Chapel of St. Peter-ad-Vincula: Beneath the altar
lie the remains of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard,
Lady Jane Grey, the Duke of Monmouth and many
others beheaded in the Tower.
In those days when they took a prisoner to the court
to be tried, they hauled him or her, as the case may be,
in a wagon and they had the axe pointed away from
the prisoner. On their return if you were found guilty,
as most always happened, the axe was pointed at you.
One thing you can be sure of, that the sins did not all
originate in Chambersburg, for from what I have seen
on this side the sins over here are something awful.
Among some of the other things I saw at the tower
was what is called "Bilboe". It is an instrument used
on persons to make a confession. You are laid down,
a band is put around your neck and one around each
hand; then another goes around each ankle, then there
is a sort of a handle to it, and that is pulled back and
forth until all slack is taken out; then it begins to
pinch you; hands will be pulled out straight arm
length; your neck will be pulled up and your feet
pulled down. Then after you are howling with pain
they ask you if you are ready to confess, and they
will leave you in that position for some minutes. Then
if you do not confess, they will put you back in a cell
and in several days they will give you the dose over
again. As the guard said, a man or woman would
confess that the moon was right in his pocket or any
other thing, rather than go through this ordeal again.
The shields and armor worn by the fighters in the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries are also shown and
90 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
are certainly kept in good condition. They had shields
that covered the horse, as well as the man. And in
weight a horse has to carry about four hundred pounds.
On my way back from the Tower, I got off the train
at Westminster Station and went over to the West¬
minster Abbey and there joined a party that was being
shown through parts of the Church that you are not
allowed to see on Sunday.
The Abbey was started about the eleventh century
and they have been adding to it ever since. When the
War first started a bomb hit the Church. It happened
not to be a very good one and did not do much damage.
It hit near the chair that the Kings and Queens have
been crowned in and broke several pieces of the walls
and statutes nearby but did not damage the chair.
The graves in which all the Kings and Queens are
buried are covered with large bags of sand, and from
what the guide says there must be nearly as many
people buried in Westminster Abbey as there are killed
in this war.
Oliver Cromwell, who was very much against the
Church, tried to destroy as much of it as possible.
Several angels have their heads broken off, and several
statues have been disfigured by him and his band of
followers, yet he left a dying request to be buried in the
Church and his wishes were carried out.
The guide that was with the party held some exalted
place in the Church, I disremember what he said it was
now, but he certainly knew the Church like a book.
He said many of the people that have been buried was
of the common and no accounts, but they were con¬
nected with people that did have money and they paid
to have them buried there.
Booth and Barrett, both wonderful actors in their
time, are buried in the Abbey near the statue of Shakes¬
peare, and he said that the Germans say Shakespeare
was a German—wonder what Shakespeare would say
if he could hear that now.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 91
Now, aside from the Kings and Queens nearly all the
people are buried in the floor, or ground rather, and
brass letters at their head saying who they are, their
birth and death, etc.
The Kings and Queens they all have some large sort
of a tomb, like an altar, with all kinds of fancy marble
cut around and a likeness of the person in real life.
In the Dark Cloister is where the Monks lived while
in the Abbey. It is worn down on one side very much,
now they do not allow you to walk on that side. As it
was a sort of double-gate affair, you must walk on the
other side. The marble step shows that a great deal
of walking on it has been done.
You also find that the Tower of London and the West¬
minster Abbey go hand in hand in many ways, both
of crime and good deeds, as many of the things that
happened in the Abbey were settled in the Tower.
In one of the first parts of the Abbey built there is
a long seat where the Pilgrims sat waiting on the Abbot
to pass as he did every morning there was Church.
He always gave them a shilling. The guide says that
the shilling he gave them at that time was worth ten
shillings the kind we have now. And he also gave
them a hunk of cheese and a bowl of ale. The guide
said that if that was done now, he would be there every
dam morning himself.
It costs 6d, in our money twelve cents, to go through.
It is without doubt the most interesting place I think
a person could see. You could never get done writing
about it, and you could never remember all you see,
so many holes and corners—some very dark some well
lighted.
The Poets Corner is very interesting to see, as
England had some good poets and writers.
One also finds that many of these Kings and Queens
here were not spotless when it came to crime either.
It seems they did their share of the bad deeds, too.
You find that most of the guides that carry you
around in these places will more or less make a few
92 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
little hints for a small amount. In other words, I have
never seen people like tips more than here in England.
He is easily bribed. If you want anything a shilling
will come near turning the trick.
And then if you want to know anything and your
time is short, my experience is you must pay for it.
It may be a little expensive but you get the dope and
that is what you are after.
Saturday morning, October 26th, on opening the mail,
there was a letter from Miss Mary Sharpe, of Cham-
bersburg, Pa., saying she had arrived in London and
was stopping at the Imperial Hotel.
The Colonel said "Roy, get her on the phone at once."
After several efforts it was found she had gone ont.
Finally she called at 1:15 P. M. and the Colonel called
to see her at 7:45 P. M. Saturday, as did also Chief
Clerk A. G. Houser. She very kindly asked for Roy and
the Colonel told me to go to see her Sunday at about
1:00 P. M. I went to the hotel shortly after 1:00 and
found that the lady had gone to Westminster Abbey.
So I just planted myself and waited. A little after two
she came in. Well, when I saw her coming in the door
I really—well, I felt good at the sight of one from the
good old burg.
I spoke to her and she shook hands and said she was
glad to see me and I could tell she was by her expres¬
sion, and while I did not just exactly want her to know
how I was going to write her up, she was pretty wise.
When I said "What boat did you come over on" at once
she very quietly told me the "AnchisesI at once
knew she was wise.
She left Chambersburg on October 6th, for New York
and went aboard the ship "Anchises" Friday, October
11th, and the ship steamed out from the pier Saturday,
October 12th, and laid in the river all night, and sailed
for this side on Sunday, October 13th. There were
eleven ships in the convoy and one battleship, one
cruiser and the regular bunch of destroyers that follow
up the convoys until they are well out of the hiarbor.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 93
She spoke of the sight of the airships that follow the
convoy and it really is a wonderful sight. They had
fine weather all the way over. She had a very pleasant
room-mate. As the state-rooms are not very large, she
was fortunate enough to have only a suit case, while
her friend had a small trunk, but as they were both
very healthy they got through without getting sick.
The cooking is something that people from our good
Valley will never get used to; but taking things as they
come, as she being used to plenty of meat, she did not
mind the English cooking that use no salt, less pepper
and forget the butter in the seasoning of all vegetables.
She made the best of things and we sure were glad to see
her.
I asked her if she saw any subs. She said no, she
did not, but some of those on board the ship said they
saw a sub. The ship she was on was the second in the
convoy, and Miss Mary was of the opinion it was in a
good place, safe from the subs, but found out later from
the crew that it was in the most dangerous part of the
convoy. It is good she did not know that, for it might
have worried her all the way over. You see in a sub
hitting or shooting for the leading ship, the second one
is very likely to catch the blow.
However, she got here and then about five days from
Liverpool the rudder went bad on her ship and it pulled
away from the convoy for several hours, but toward
evening she came into line again, the rudder having
been repaired. Then all went well until they were
about the coast of Ireland, when one of the ships picked
a mine. Luckily for that ship it caught the mine fairly
and, it being a very foggy night, the ships were com¬
pelled to signal the entire night to keep from running
together, and it was a very dangerous thing to do, for
the subs can get onto their course.
They got through there all right without any further
trouble and docked at Liverpool Thursday, October 24th,
where they spent the night coming to London Friday
afternoon, when she wrote Colonel Kennedy, the letter
94 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
coming to headquarters Saturday morning and lie saw
her Saturday evening. She is on her way to France,
not able to say yet just what place she will be sent, not
either sure just when she will sail from London. The
going on these trips is done without very much advance
information—it is a case of being always ready.
Miss Sharpe said there was not much sickness on the
ship she was on. I am surely glad to hear of that,
cause some of them that came in here were certainly
loaded down with sick cases and many were buried at
sea.
She surely looks awful well in her natty uniform and
reports everything in bad shape at home in the way of
"Flu". Well, there is plenty of that over here, and if
you want to make some one run, just cough or sneeze
and you will have plenty of room.
She was also in the "Eagle Hut" on Friday night and
as she says the work of the Red Cross, in which she is
engaged, is chiefly to keep the boys in good humor.
Well that is true and right and if the soldier boys that
Miss Mary Sharpe comes in contact with knew of her
fine qualities and beautiful ladyship and standing in the
community of Chambersburg, as I do, God knows they
would get in good humor and stay in good humor until
her mother said "Yes".
After talking for some time she said "Roy, I have
nothing much to give you (and you know I was not ex¬
pecting anything) but if you will excuse me for a
minute, I have some fruit cake. I will give you and
you can give Colonel Kennedy some, and you might
have a piece for yourself." Now right here "wait" was
my middle name. She was only gone a few moments
when she returned with a tin box of fruit cake. Well,
this Colonel of mine is a dandy—he gets me many good
things.
You see, I will offer the fruit cake to him. He won't
eat much sweet and over it will come to Roy. Of
course, if the title was any lower than Colonel, well,
I will offer him the fruit cake. But won't that taste
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 95
good from the old burg? Miss Mary has her twenty
pounds of sugar allowed each passenger into this
country. I do not think she will have any trouble with
it in entering France, or this would have been the
proper place to unload for the 14 Great Cumberland
Place mess can use sugar from that good old town.
There were about 35,000 soldiers on the convoy she
was on and I truly hope she will get over to France all
right and when the fuss is over that she will get safely
home. And I am sure she will be very much surprised
when she reads the few lines that I have put here.
On Monday, October 28th, the Japanese Prince came
to London to visit the King. I was sent up to Bond
Street to get some tickets to a Red Cross Ball that was
to be held that night. As I saw a very large crowd on
Piccadilly, near the Admiralty Arch, where you go to
Buckingham Palace, I was told they were watching
for the Prince and the King. I went on the errand and
on my way back I went through St. James Park and
passed the Palace, and there was the Prince and the
entire staff.
The Band was with the party. Two airships were
in the air and the squadron of Police was around the
party. They were driven to Hotel Rubins, which faces
the Royal Stables on Buckingham Palace Road.
The Prince stays with the King in the Palace, while
his staff and Aide-de-camps and servants, in all con¬
sisting of fourteen persons, went into Hotel Rubins.
As soon as the party went into the hotel, the Japanese
Flag was run up the pole on top of the hotel. And that
will stay there until the party leaves; that I am told is
the way the Royal Families visit each other. It sure is
some expense to the State to carry a party of that size.
They are certainly on the job when it comes to
guarding the Royal Families. The secret service men
all wear long blue coats with blue stripe band on the
left arm. They also have a very large guard of mounted
men as well as autos, and it would be a very hard job
to try to injure any of them and get away.
96 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Nearly every night during the week they have a show
at Eagle Hnt and on Sunday they have a minister speak
to the boys.
On Thursday night, October 31st, I was there and
they had a show and it was very interesting. After
an act or so, the Jazz Band plays and the soldiers dance
and the girls dance. But there is an order that pre¬
vents the boys and girls dancing together in the
canteens.
So the boys dance alone and the girls dance alone and
all seem pretty happy; then the floor manager has some
games that makes more fun.
He calls for eight boys and they come in a hurry up
in front of the stage, then he calls for eight girls and
they come, now he will have a wheel-barrow race. The
boys get down on their hands and the girls hold their
feet in the air like wheel-barrow handles and they are
to run on their hands about twenty-five feet, turn and
come back. Usually some fall down, some times the
girls fall down, and it will sure put everybody in good
humor to see them at it.
Then a lady will play a Violin Solo and the quartette
will sing some of the songs, then the jazz band will hit
up some of the rag time stuff that will make you forget
your mother.
And the floor manager will call for ten boys again,
then ten girls, and he will have what they call a fishing
party, Now the ten girls will get up on the stage and
each will have a stick about four feet long and on
the end securely tie an apple. Then he gets ten more
girls and one stands behind and holds the hands of
each boy, and he is to catch the apple in his mouth.
Well such twisting to get hold of the apple you never
saw. Then they that get the apples are to divide with
the girl that held the apple; so that makes more fun
for the audience. As I get it from one of the persons
in charge, the idea is to keep the boys in good humor
and that while some of the girls are from good families,
they did not want them to think they must dance with
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 97
soldiers. Of course at public dances there is nothing to
prohibit them from dancing with whom they please.
On the evening I speak of there was a very pretty
Scotch Lassie sang for the boys. She had been singing
through the U. S. in the interest of Liberty Bonds, and
she was really pretty and had a lovely voice. Now you
know a good, singer is generally very popular with the
boys anyhow, but she was pretty with it. That calls
for more talk. Well this lady sang "Blue Bells of
Scotland", "Auld Lang Syne" and "Star Spangled
Banner" and it was fine. After the show was over I
was walking quietly around, when I looked to the
left and there was Field Clerk Houser and Sergeant
Warren E. Smith with this Scotch Lassie. She had a
beautiful head of hair of the blonde variety and pretty
white teeth, and a large plaid dress with a sort of a
throw over her shoulders. The Scotch people wear a
sort of kilt that hangs in front of them. It is made out
of the hair of different kinds of animals. Well, she
had one of them and it was white, and with the large
white and black plaid dress she had on it made her
look very chic.
They did not see me. I eased away and I spoke of
it lightly the next morning. Sergeant Smith was very
anxous to know where I was at. I do not think I have
ever seen him more interested than right down there
and he was busy telling this Scotch Lassie what
the Flagler System goes through and the fine country
and so on.
I fear Houser did not get in much about the Cum¬
berland Valley and possibly it may not suit her to
come this way, for I really believe Smith might try to
stop her in New York.
The ladies that work in the Y. M. C. A.'s here all
wear a black and white striped gingham dress, with a
black collar on it, and it makes them all look in
harmony with one another.
I was walking around in the Eagle Hut on Saturday
night, October 26th, when I saw a face that looked
98 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
very familiar and he looked at me and I at him; then
he said, "Where have I seen yon?" I thought of New
York, of the P. R. R., then he said he was with the
Beilevue-Stratford, Philadelphia, and then I knew.
He was the Assistant Manager, Mr. Lorentz Maresch.
He was with the Red Cross and came in the same convoy
as Miss Mary Sharpe. He called Sunday on Colonel
Kennedy whom he knew very well.
On Wednesday evening, October 30th, Colonel Ken¬
nedy gave a dinner at 14 Great Cumberland Place in
honor of Colonel W. J. Wilgus, of Tours, France.
Well I have heard so much of Colonel Wilgus that
I have really all along felt I knew him.
He was in the United States some several months ago
and he tried to bring me along back with him, to turn
me over later to Colonel Kennedy, so when I went into
the room with Colonel Wentz' handsome gift to the
Colonel—and I by the way had it filled with ice and
started to shake up them things just before dinner—
Colonel Wilgus said "Why theres is Roy. Roy, I have
heard lots of you and I certainly wanted to bring you
along over with me, but the Powers That Be prevented
me from doing so. I guess I did not have pull enough."
Of course I thanked him for what he did do and I
thought it very kind of him, but when Captain
Franklin's brother, who owns the whole steamship line
from New York to Europe, got through the Powers
That Be fell back.
Those present: Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Colonel W.
J. Wilgus, Colonel D. B. Wentz, Captain W. S.
Franklin, Commander J. S. Higgins, Mr. Jackson, in
charge of Food Stock.
Well there was a very pleasant evening spent at the
mess. Everyone was very sorry that it was impossible
for Navy Constructor L. S. McBride to be present, as
he had expected to be, but everyone that is in touch
knows he is the happiest man now that he has the
Kaiser's submarines beaten to a frazzle, and also that
he is very anxious to get back to the States to Mrs.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 99
McBride, so he has to miss the parties to figure a little
closer for Kaiser Bill.
Of course during all these days of the battle of the
Kaiser, while there are many persons think that it was
all pleasure here, some are compelled to suffer a great
many things that are not known.
Lieut. Col. D. B. Wentz has lost his father since being
over here and Colonel W. J. Wilgus lost his wife, and
Colonel Kennedy lost his brother-in-law, Mr. I. C. Elder.
So you can see it is pretty hard when you lose friends
that are so close to you and, being so far away, you
cannot get to them while they are sick, nor attend the
last services over them.
Colonel Wentz leaves here Friday for Cardiff, Wales,
and will be back again Sunday; and will leave Monday
for Tours, France, and it is my hope that the coal
proposition will soon again call him to London.
Lieut. Col. Chas. McKeehan, cousin of Miss Cora
McKeehan of Chambersburg, Pa., and cousin of Mrs.
W. K. Sharpe, has been transferred to these head¬
quarters to look after the claims, etc.
Colonel McKeehan in peace times is a lawyer in
Philadelphia, and also Secretary of the Scotch-Irish
Society. He is well known in Chambersburg and
Colonel Kennedy says between him and Colonel Byllesby
they think they can find enough to keep him busy.
On Sunday afternoon, November 3rd, I went to hear
the Concert in the Royal Albert Hall, and it is some
more Hall.
Built in 1867-71 as a memorial of the Prince Consort
at a cost of 200,000 pounds, it is one of the largest
halls in the world and will comfortably seat eight
thousand people with another eleven hundred in the
orchestra. Though frequently used for political demon¬
strations and other great gatherings, it is principally
famous for musical performances on a large scale.
Not every singer or speaker emerges successfully from
the ordeal of facing that vast audience. In the arena
alone there is space for one thousand persons, while
100 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
the amphitheatre holds nearly fourteen hundred. Above
are three rows of boxes, many of them private property.
The magnificent organ, built by Willis, has nearly nine
thousand pipes. Concerts and recitals are frequently
given on Sunday afternoons and evenings.
Directly in the rear of the hall hangs a very large
guilt Crown. I stepped back after the Concert and
had a talk with the usher. "That," he says, "is where
the King sits, or rather that is his private stall." They
do not call them boxes over here but stalls.
Then on the other side hang three large white
feathers. They resemble ostrich feathers, "that," he
says, "is where the Prince of Wales sits." He claims
the building will hold fifteen thousand. I do not say
that but I am positive it will hold more than eight
thousand persons. It is capable of holding as many as
the Mormon Temple. At least it is the finest concert
hall I ever saw and spotlessly clean. The seats are all
highly upholstered with red covering not exactly plush
but something near it. They are soft and comfortable.
The concert was simply grand. There was a great
crowd there but I cannot say it was packed. I judge
there were about four thousand people there. It takes
up promptly on time and leaves out on time. The lady
singers were very good.
The conductor certainly has a well-trained orchestra.
The applause was many but they did not repeat any
numbers.
And when they play "God Save the King" you can
just imagine how it sounds. Everybody stands and
sings. There are about one hundred and fifty in the
orchestra alone. I think every kind of an instrument
there is is there.
Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens; in talking
with the officer there he says that this monument cost
more than did Queen Victoria's. While her's is marble,
this one is made from both marble and granite. And
I am in no position to agree or disagree about the price
of either. It is certainly a fine piece of work. To carve
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 101
the likeness of all those great men as they have around
that large monument is some work, and it surely did
cost some large money; but it seems that these people
have some way of getting money that is not known to
some other people.
On the upper part of this hall they have a promenade
where they walk around between numbers, and if you
go there alone you can possibly come way with company
if you so desire; and another nice part of it is that
the seats are so arranged that everyone has a good view
of the performance.
On Monday, November 4th, the good news came
through and between four and five P. M. Captain W.
S. Franklin dropped the double bars from his erect
shoulders and placed thereon the gold leaf and from
here on we will salute him as Major W. S. Franklin.
Everybody is glad of the promotion, as he surely de¬
served it, as many nights during the embarkation of
soldiers he was up all night and then rode all night
getting back to London, ate breakfast and went at once
to the office as an accommodation to the embarkation
port of Liverpool. It was a very hard trip and it was
hoped by the office clerks that he would get Lieut. Col.
but we never get all that is coming to us in this world;
so the thing is to be satisfied with what you get.
At 2:45 this same date the Japanese Prince went
away after visiting the King. He went from Victoria
Station. They had a large bright red carpet on the
sidewalk that covered it all over. He came to the
station in an auto. The King was with him. He left
by special train of four coaches, the blinds were drawn
and I could not get close enough to see much of
the inside of the coaches through the end windows.
He went to Folkstone and from there to Paris. He
had his entire suit of fourteen persons and the flag
over the Rubens Hotel was at once withdrawn.
They have been drawing guns past this office building
now for four days, so Tuesday I thought I would hunt
them up. I found that they were placing them on the
102 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Mall, tliat is the street that runs from Admiralty Arch
on the N. E. Corner of Hyde Park to and past St.
James Palace to Buckingham Palace, and is about one
mile long.
These guns have all been captured from the Germans
and the N. E. side of the Mall they are stored in
double file order the entire length and the other side
single file about half way. They are still coming, and
there will be about six hundred when they all get here.
There are guns of all descriptions, large and small.
They are pulled by the trucks, the same ones that we
saw coming through our home town, some months ago.
Some are broken at the barrel, some have the trigger
taken off them, and whatever damage the Germans could
do to them they did when they saw they were to be
captured.
But the most of them are in very good condition and
could easily be fixed up and used again.
The most of them are camouflaged, painted a broad
black and white stripe. The saying here is that to air
ships that color is very hard to see from the distance
tliey fly. They all look and show that they have seen
hard service.
The great rumor today is that the Germans have
signed the armistice. The people are certainly tired
of this war and they can hardly hold in. They feel like
celebrating but the old Kaiser is so foxy that they are
feared to believe it.
The dope is that the Ameican troops are five miles
from the only opening that the Germans are making
for, and the English are fifteen miles on their front from
this same hole, and the French are in the front driving
the Germans; and as one of the officers said in the office
this afternoon, they are between the devil and the deep
blue sea. At any rate it is sure it cannot hold out much
longer and Houser and Smith continue to bid me.
good-bye.
I am somewhat disappointed over not receiving any
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 103
word as to the outcome of the election of the Governor¬
ship of Pennsylvania. I can hardly think my dear
friend Senator Sproul was defeated and I had thought
we would get some cable on Wednesday and this is
Thursday and no word received yet.
But since writing I hunted a Red Cross bulletin and
it shows Senator Sproul elected. It gives no majority,
and I care nothing about that, just so he gets in, and
for once more the dear old state of Pennsylvania does
what was right and put into that office a clean man.
He though should have a new chair and not use the
one that the former used. And I am also sure that he
will not care for eyebrows to grow quite so long as the
other gentleman.
Now it looks like the people are getting their eyes
open and I trust they will look after the proper candi¬
date for the president in 1920, cause I think that really
Senator, I mean Governor Sproul, is just the man. He
won't give all the banks and the railroads to his sons-
in-law, and make a regular family affair out of the
White House. He is too clean a man for that.
I would of willingly went across the pond to work for
his election had it been necessary, but I did my part, I
helped him put "Denny" out for the full count.
As soon as I saw that Red Cross bulletin I said Mr.
M. K. Burgner and Mr. W. O. Mcklas was surely on
the job, as I am always sure they can deliver Franklin
County in the column they want, and they always know
who are the proper persons.
And won't that be a happy meeting when Mr. Lieut.
Jack Sproul comes home from the front, when he tells
his mother and father how he was gassed and how
Colonel Kennedy wrote the news to his father for him.
And maybe I didn't play ball while that was going on.
I knew that that was an important matter and I never
left a telegram get cold. In fact, everybody played
ball; the Colonel just handed out the dope and every¬
body was on their toes.
104 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
And while I wished to be there to help this time, I
would have willingly voted blind, lame and possibly
dead men if I could to see him win, but it was turned
over to Mr. M. K. Burgner and Mr. W. O. Nicklas and
they delivered the goods and the country is once more
saved.
VICTORY PAGEANT IN LONDON: GREATEST
LORD MAYOR'S SHOW NOVEMBER 9TH, 1918.
WELL, the people here have been talking about
this day for a long time and I have been some¬
what anxious to just see what they call a big
time.
As I understand it the Lord Mayor is elected every
year and on the ninth of November of each year they
have this sort of a parade. The last three years at
this time they have had Naval and Military features,
but they were nothing compared with what they had
yesterday. The people knew the war was won and they
cheered themselves hoarse as the emblems of victory
passed them on the streets.
The procession was two miles long and they went
from Guild Hall, which is in front of Westminster
Abbey, to the Law Court which is through the Strand
to Fleet Street. The sidewalks were lined with people
the likes I have never seen in my life. The Peace
Jubilee in Philadelphia was considered a very large
gathering but truly that is only a drop in the bucket
to the people in this place.
It is absolutely impossible to picture to any one the
mass of people here in London. It looks like they could
have war for four more years and have plenty left.
There were representatives from all the Dominions
of Britain and there were about four thousand soldiers
in line, and the cheers that greeted the men and women
in line showed the feeling the people had for them
after this four years of war.
The parade was changed a little in the route that it
has always taken. The Lord Mayor, Sir Horace
Marshall, is the principal in the firm of Marshall & Son,
in Temple Street, wholesale news agents and publishers,
105
106 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
and the parade passed his place that his employees
might witness it and give him three cheers, which they
certainly did.
The Colonel in the morning at the house told me I
should see the parade, to which of course I filed no
objections, and I noticed in the paper the route of the
parade, so I went down the Embankment to Temple
Street. The crowd was something awful.
The Embankment is along the Thames River, I re¬
ferred to it at other places. I think you can see what
I mean. A large crowd went up Temple Street. I
followed, being well up in front, was among the first
there. The mob continued to gather and the pushing
became so great several women began to faint. One
very close to me began a spell of coughing. A soldier
just out of the hospital began sneezing. Quite a bit of
the parade had passed and as I had a good place, I
hated to part with it. The lady began going down,
which was hard to do as they were packed like sardines
in a box. A man said to me to try to help to hold
her. I thought now here, it is no place for Roy. It
might be some man's wife near here and he might
come and start something, and the Colonel is not here,
and I will have some time explaining. I quietly left
the lady to the other men and I squeezed out from there.
The Flu is as great here as can be and I had no
business getting sick, the Colonel told me so, and I know
he meant it, and you know holding a white woman when
they faint aint no job for a colored man.
I ran around to another street (forgot the name of
it—some square, it was) and finished seeing it from
there.
After the representatives of the Navy and Marines
came bands galore and the Royal Air Forces, with a
captured Albatross (German) and types of British
planes and air ships, and on motor lorries were samples
of air bombs with which Londerners are very familiar.
All during the parade there was a fleet of aeroplanes
flying at a high altitude over the city. There were
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 107
thirteen in tlie fleet and four large observation balloons
were also looking on near the river, two torpedo boats
lying in the river, and two large balloons passed over
the St. Paul's Cathedral.
The applause was especially strong for the Red Cross
ladies. There was a float showing the work of the
ladies in the munition plants and another float where
women were making airplane wings during the parade.
The main thing that attracted the attention was a long
string of captured German guns; all the guns bore
battle scars and were camouflaged in the curious manner
adopted in the war. Some were green and yellow,
black and white, and many other colors.
Another feature of the parade was a pigeon loft.
The public has been allowed to know a little of the
great work done by these feathered soldiers of war,
and they were given a hearty cheer.
Of course the parade did look very good and I told
many of the people that you talk to that it was fine.
That is what they expect you to say, and I did not want
to disappoint them. I have no thought of them reading
this book of mine, but truly I was much disappointed
myself on what these people call a wonderful parade.
I was really afraid to say so at first, I being such a
small fish, but I listened carefully until I heard several
of the larger persons speak, then I knew my judgment of
the affair was right. It was a regular big show parade
and very little was shown of what America has done in
this war.
Just before writing this I went over to the Mall and
I walked from Queen Victoria's monument to the Arch
at Trafalgar Square and looked at the guns there, to
see if there were any marked that the American soldiers
had taken. Find nothing doing. I then walked up to
the Mall to Hyde Park corner and nothing doing.
There are now about six hundred and some guns there
and nine inside the yard at Buckingham Palace. They
are of all sizes and descriptions and many of them are
marked who or rather what company they were taken
108 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
by. Everything shines but America. Two hundred
and ten millimeter is the largest there now. They are
still bringing them in.
Well, the mob that is looking at the guns today is
wonderful and if you want to know anything about
them just ask the kids. They are there galore, working
every part they can move. I don't think any mother
has any troubles with her boys today, for I think they
are all around the guns.
THE DOWNFALL OF KAISER BILL
FOR about two months it has been known around
here that the old fellow was very shaky and could
hardly hold out much longer than Xmas. This
wonderful Transportation Department continued to
bring the troops in by the thousands.
No play after the United States made up their minds
to go into this fight. They came over here to play the
game and they have done it, although you won't hear
that said very loud on this side.
We came over here to work and fight twenty-six hours
every day, and not to start to fight at 9:00 A. M. and
stop for Tea at 4:00 P. M., and the results show for
themselves.
General Allenby went into the Holy Lands at
Palestine and made things too hot for them there; then
Turkey went into the air; Austria flew the coop, and
the Colonel told me one morning we will get after that
other he-Turkey shortly, and Friday, November 8th, he
hollered "Kamerad," and General Pershing said "We,
We." and it is all over but the shouting, which will
happen this week.
And every morning at the mess at 14 Great Cumber¬
land Place there was a talk as to how long it would be
before it would come. The officers there always
differed, but the Colonel said "Home by Xmas." The
Clerks have been telling me good-bye for three weeks
now but just how long it will take to fix the papers
secure cannot yet be said.
So far as the English papers are concerned, there
is nothing to it but Foch, but I think to myself, which
I have a right to, that the head of the American Army
in England should have a say, as he sure can draw up
some papers that will hold you tight.
109
110 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
About two weeks ago everything was slated by
Germany for a large sea fight and the fleet was ordered
out but instead they mutinied and refused to come,
and the arm that was going to try the last gambling
stroke became paralyzed and they put up the Red Flag,
and today half the German fleet have up the Red Flag
and nearly all their forts.
And now that the whole matter is settled, we will
see what the countries involved think of America.
My chances for getting to Berlin do not look so bright
just now, but the shouting next week might bring on
something not yet seen.
THE SHOUTING
THE Armistice was handed to Germany to sign late
Friday evening November 8th, and he was given
seventy-two hours to sign it.
Of course it was known here that there was nothing
else to it but for him to sign. His entire army was
just about in the hands of the American troops, and
escape was impossible; so on Monday morning at 5 :00
A. M., the old fellow, The Kaiser, came across and
signed. Colonel Kennedy was officially notified by the
British War Office shortly after his arrival at his office
that the papers were properly signed; he in turn notified
Major Franklin and in about one hour the bells began
to ring. Clerks deserted the offices, particularly the
women, and the celebrating began. Flags there were
everywhere. They had been hung away, as England
had just about given up hope of needing them. Some
of the girl messengers in the building began crying, as
they did not understand what it meant.
The streets were in a short time packed and jammed
with people. I slipped to Buckingham Palace. The
King and Queen were in the yard. A fearful crowd
was in front of the Palace. The King and Queen stood
and waved a white handkerchief to the throng.
Guards were doubled around the yard. They also
shook hands with a few that had called to pay their
respects, and were admitted to the yard.
The Royal Band came out and, walking past the
Palace played "Smile, Smile, Smile". And everybody
was singing the same thing. Soldiers were dancing on
the streets with the girls.
Every taxi, wagon, auto, anything that could move,
carried a load of women and men on the tops, on the
fenders, backs and the seats were simply crowded.
About two hundred American soldiers holding a large
111
112 Boy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
American flag marched past the office building singing
"Hail, Hail, the Gang's all here"—You know the rest—
and they didn't care, either.
The strand was a solid mass of people. Phone'
message from Paris says it is the same thing over there.
And now, down in front of the office building, the
crowd is terrible. It has begun to rain and has gotten
very foggy. A motor car with side car that should hold
two persons holds six and six now.
Monday, November 11th, 1918, the Prime Minister
made the following annuoncement:
The Armistice was signed at five o'clock this morning
and Hostilities are to cease on all fronts at 11 :oo A.
M. today.
LLOYD GEORGE.
Along about the first part of October, while things
were going the right way, when the Transportation
question was at its greatest and just when they needed
the right stripe of men to deliver the goods, a change
was made that was certainly interesting to me.
Captain J. C. Kennedy, was made Terminal Super¬
intendent at Brest, France. I had been thinking of
France ever since I had seen the most of London, and
now I wanted there. Well, the passport part kept me
from getting out of this country, and both Chief Clerk
Houser and Sergeant Smith have suggested to me to
go over in one of the airplanes that go over from here
frequently, but that does not sound exactly clear to
me. I am willing to go when the proper time comes,
but I really do not want to take that chance now.
But I am wild to see Brest, and it looks now that the
Colonel is just about that much interested that he
might cross over to look at the place, so I am sleeping
happy over the thoughts that I am going to see France
before I return to the States.
I had thought I would wait a while before writing
this up, as I feel that he will shortly have the title of
Major. As in my way of thinking that should go to
the position and there is no question about him making
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 113
good. He just simply cannot help it. Being a chip off
the old block, it comes natural to him.
And while all this good news is coming in, along
comes the pleasant news that Lieut. T. B. Kennedy,
Jr., has been made a Captain. He is stationed at St.
Dizier, France. These stations have seen the hardest
part of the transportation problem and as neither were
under any but hard and trying position, it, shows they
made good.
And right behind that comes a letter to the Colonel
from one of his friends in France, Colonel J. A. McCrea,
saying that if the Colonel sent me over to him, he
would use me on his private car which he will have out
shortly—the only private car in France. Now you
can well imagine what I am thinking of. I am simply
clear up a tree. The act of being on a private car
certainly appeals to me but I don't like the thoughts
of being in France unless the Colonel is going to be
there, too, unless it is to be only for a short time.
He has told me to think it over. I am trying to do
that but it is one hard nut for me to crack. It is no
easy task to go to a different gentleman after working
so long and learning the disposition of one family and
friends. It is easy to think of the nice parts but the
other parts have to be reckoned with as. well.
What will come out of the private car matter remains
to be seen. I cannot say or decide it right now.
We have now had three days of celebrating since the
news came of the signing of the Armistice—three days
of joy. Tuesday night they had a large bonfire at
Trafalgar Square and everything that would burn and
that they could get their hands on was put on the fire.
The brushes that the street cleaners were using were
taken from them and thrown on the fire.
Trafalgar Square was also covered with beautiful
flowers and one of the buses broke down and it was
pushed into the fire. People that were in it were just
lucky enough to get out in time and while the feeling
was running at the highest, Major Franklin very
114 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
politely fired the cook at the mess, and now, with the
assistance of the maid for a while, I will try to get their
stomach back into the proper condition again.
These people are doing the best they know how with
their celebrating but it is plain they do not know like
America does. They are unable to get a band here,
as the men of music ability are nearly all at the front,
except the regular King's Band and of course they
cannot use that.
Mobs gather in front of Buckingham Palace every day,
and I saw the King and Queen and Princess Mary when
they went out to drive in their auto, they wave to the
people, who wave in return.
This is Wednesday night and all day they have still
been bringing in guns, as well as all week.
Sunday, November 17th. Well this has been one of
the weeks in London. Things have certainly been going
on. I saw the King Monday, Tuesday afternoon,
Wednesday and Friday, and only missed him by a close
margin on Saturday. I would go to St. Paul's tonight
where he would be there to services, but I have to wait
dinner at the mess this evening and that will make it
too late; but I do not mind that at all. It would be
pretty rich for Roy to be at the same services with the
King and Queen though at that.
Well, the celebrants are just commencing to cool
down. The police had to call the soldiers in to help
them. They commenced to get rough and break
windows in trams, and other damages. They had their
final dance in Hyde Park last night, and they sang
every song that I think they knew, and dances that
never have been seen in the States were done last night.
On Thursday there were two barrels of real apples
arrived from the garden spot of the world. And at
once my job started to increase. Colonel Kennedy and
Major Franklin made out a list of those to be remem¬
bered. I was sent to buy baskets that would hold a
nice number of apples. I got them and took them to
the mess, then I got the list, and an auto was gotten for
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 115
me, because you never could walk to the places. And
next you would be mobbed and the apples taken from
you. So with a driver, I started.
And I think in going to the different places I covered
nearly the whole city. The apples were very well re¬
ceived at every place. You might know they were when
I saw that apples like that cost two shillings apiece.
You might think that is strong but it is not. No
apple can be gotten like what we received for less than
two shillings and in the first-class stores they will cost
2-6. That in American money is about sixty-two cents.
At all the places the people went wild over the
apples and the phone was kept busy in the afternoon
thanking the Colonel and Major for the apples. They
were certainly beauties. Well, that they were from the
Cumberland Valley is sufficient alone to know they were
the best; and out of the two barrels, so well were they
packed that there were only nine bruised apples; and
they were not bruised too bad for Roy to eat.
When the apples were delivered to the mess, Colonel
told me to knock the head in. I did so and looked and
just thought "Oh you beauties from home." And I at
once thought of the officers of that Eagle Mountain
Orchard Co. I fixed up the baskets as ordered until
I came to the Grimes Golden apples; then I called the
Colonel on the phone and told him I had the red
apples all out of the first barrel, down to the Grimes
Golden apples, or rather they looked like Grimes, and
1 also said I do not think they will keep so long, as
there are indications that they won't. He said "How
do they taste?" Well, I said "I have not tasted them
yet, but they look all right."
I thought he might ask me that so I played safe and
did not taste them until after. He then told me to
keep them for himself and only pack the red ones to
take out. Of course he knew that Roy was going to
eat an apple and he did not mind that; so after I was
through and satisfied the job was right, or rather
one hundred percent, I got very busy on a real apple.
116 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Well, it just tasted like Messrs. C» M. Davison, F. W.
Hankins and F. B. Reed.
And every bite I looked at it and said these C. V.
men are the real cheese. When I brought one basket¬
ful to the office building the women on the car wanted
to take them from me, and I knew if I met a bunch
of soldiers, it would be all up with me.
When I went to Sir Albert and Lady Stanley, on
South Street near Hyde Park, I always made sure I
was at the right place, she came to the door. As I
handed them in with a card she says "Well and you
are from Virginia?" I said, "No, Miss, from Pennsyl¬
vania." She said, "Well I have not seen a little black
boy for so long." She said "Wait a minute." She
went into the house and returned—of course you know
I waited all right—out she came with a Half Crown and
said "Take this. I am certainly glad to see a little
black boy."
I thanked her very politely and thought "Lady
Stanley, if you want to hand me Sir Albert Stanley's
money, you can look at this black boy as long as you
want" cause money sure does slip through your fingers
here in this place.
This Sir and Lady business I did not understand,
so I asked Mr. Houser where did it come from. He
said the King bestows that on people. Well I knew he
bestowed the V. C. and D. O. S. and such things of a
military nature but I did not know about the other.
Sir Albert Stanley is one of the large men of this
country and had formerly been from the States, where
he was connected with the trolley business and also
railway in Detroit, Mich.
He is now President of the Board of Trade and a
Member of Parliament and other things. But one thing
I do know. He is short that 2-6 that Lady Stanley
handed over to me.
When I went to "The Albany" on Piccadilly, with a
packet to Capt. Wilmot—I think that was the name—
anyhow I got the right man—he thanked me very
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 117
kindly and spoke so pleasantly of Colonel and his clerks
also spoke so nice. On my way to the elevator a rather
elderly lady stopped me and said "Excuse me but are
you from the States?" I said "Yes." Of course I had
off my hat as soon as she spoke. She said "And you
are delivering apples from there?" I said "Yes, maam."
She said "It's so singular, I do the self same thing. My
daughter, Mrs. Henderson, lives in the Catskill moun¬
tains in New York and she sends me two 'barrels every
year in December; and I take them to my friends here
in London." She asked me who is my boss and right
here the history of Colonel M. C. Kennedy went right
out and believe me 1 did not need any book. When
I was through she said "Oh, how intelligent you are!"
Can you beat that. Well I just thought that was the
first time I ever heard that and never thought anyone
would think that. When it comes to explaining some
of these things I have seen here in London, I only see
how short I am.
Well, I was about four hours delivering the apples.
I only missed the King by a few minutes as he was
going to the Royal Albert Hall to services—He and the
Queen and Princess Mary.
I was coming from Regent Park, from Mr. Coe's to
the Royal Albert Mansions.
And today I took a box of apples to Mr. Charles
Palmer at Lewisliam, which is a suburb of London.
I went out on the train from Charing Cross Station,
but came back in a tram. It is about twenty-five miles
and it looks more like a home town than anything I
have seten since I came over.. Everybody has a front
yard and some of them have been put out in garden,
some grass. The houses are for the most of them
small. I found the place and as I went in a long¬
haired dog gave the signal with his mouth, and up comes
an ugly, big shepherd dog showing me his teeth. I
talked dog talk to him right strong for a while, hoping
someone from the house would come and finish; but
118 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
nothing doing. I finally out-talked him and he walked
away and I went on to the door and was admitted.
The maids came into the room and began a long
talk with me. One thing, over here everybody is
anxious to hear of the U. S., and they are of the thought
that everybody over here is wealthy. They feel sur¬
prised when you tell them different. Well, I talked to
them for about a half hour, then Mr. Palmer came
down. I don't know whether he has any title or not,
but he talked very smoothly and kindly and very
agreeably deposited five shillings in my hand and said
"Get a drink on your way to town." He would get a
title very quick if it was left to me.
He said he would see the Colonel tomorrow and he
thanked me very kindly for bringing them to him, and
I over-thanked him both going and coming.
Also today the Colonel told me to bring two baskets
of apples down to the office for Mr. Houser to take to
Hon. Sir F. W. Hankins' relatives. They went to see
them this afternoon. I hope they got there all right
with them. They also want to take this book to them
to read, as they have told them I am writing it. If
there is anything they lose, I want it to not be the book,
anyhow.
Sergeant Warren E. Smith, the Master Engineer in
the office here, was with President Flagler of the
Florida East Coast Rwy. Well, he went blind before
he died, and the one that succeeded him also went
blind, so Smith often speaks of that as hard luck, but
I told him "Oh, brother don't you worry. This one we
have here never will go blind." Not this Colonel. He
has some more eyes. He* can see clean through a well
and see if you are busy—don't worry about that."
Some few weeks ago Lieut. Col. Wentz was here and
the Colonel gave a dinner in honor of Colonel Wentz.
I was waiting the table and I was as happy as a lark.
About the middle of the dinner I noticed I had lost one
of the pearl buttons out of the sleeve of my white
coat. I had thought, Oh well, I will use my right
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 119
hand mostly to wait, anyhow, and the boss won't see
it. Mrs. Kennedy's eyes are about as sharp as his but
I sort of think he has a shade the best vision on me
anyhow. Well, I was going- right through and after
dinner he and Major Franklin called me in the rear
parlor. My heart began to flutter but they said "Roy,
you handled the dinner fine." "Got through very
nicely", said the Colonel. Well then I was it, I thought.
I will get another button when I go to my room tonight
and in the morning I will be all right.
Well, I did so, and in the morning I was putting on
his puttees and lacing up his shoes. He was reading
his papers when all at once he held the paper away and
said "Roy, what became of the button off your coat
sleeve last night? Haven't you got any?" Well it hit
me like thunder hit the toad. I could not look up and
if there had been a hole in the floor I would have went
right through.
I could not laugh and I could hardly keep from it
as you see what I was thinking was Mrs. Kennedy was
not there and I could pass him all right. I could hardly
find the hole to lace the shoe from laughing. Of course
this all happened in a second. I finally got it out that
I had lost it and had gotten another one.
He went on reading the paper. Now let me tell you
nothing passes that eye.
On Wednesday, November 20th, Major Franklin went
to Liverpool to superintend the embarkation of soldiers
for the States, and he says he never saw such a wild
bunch of men to get home. Said the officers say the
men ran five miles in about one hour and a quarter—
said the officers could not hold them back—they feared
the boat would be loaded before they got there. We
have sent about 4400 out so far this week.
That wonderful ship "Minnekahda" was the first ship
to take back to America soldiers from here after the
war—and she is some boat, I mean.
As every person has a right to think as long as
you don't think too loud, and as I see the home
120 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
feeling creeping up stronger in some very prominent
persons here. I see the "Leviathan" formerly the
"Vaderlandwhich was taken from Germany, is to
sail from Liverpool this week for New York, and return
and sail the next trip from Brest, France. Now as
yet I have not heard anything but I do know she is
some fast boat and that she can go to New York in
six or seven days and that home feeling has for the
last fourteen years called for special movements, fast
runs, and as Captain J. C. Kennedy is at Brest, and I
am looking for the Major Emblems to fall to him
shortly, I just have a little thought that some one very
important to me might make up their mind to go to
Brest and sail on that ship.
I am satisfied they will not be here a moment
longer than they can be relieved, and as the most im¬
portant work is now done, I hardly think it will be
long here any more.
Was very much surprised to have a long distance call
on the phone a few days ago and hear that it was
Captain J. C. Kennedy at Paris wanted to talk to his
father. The line was very good and his voice was very
familiar.
Saturday the King viewed about 20,000 silver badge
men in Hyde Park. As I had a trip for down-town, I
passed at the proper time and witnessed the affair.
When the King and Queen are going to take a drive,
you may as well give these people a holiday, cause they
just gather and wait to salute him all over the route
he is to take. They are surely loyal to their King.
On Thursday, November 28th, Thanksgiving Day, I
thought all over the World, I find it is not observed
here—only by the American Forces. They had two
hundred turkeys at the Eagle Hut and dinner was
2-6. They started to serve at 11:00 A. M., and at
7:30 P. M. the turkey had flown away. Then they
served cold ham. The dinner was very nicely gotten
up and the soldiers surely laid right to it.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 121
Besides the show there was a dance after 9:30 P. M.
by the Ladies Jazz Band.
The American Red Cross provided dinner for all the
American Soldiers in the Great Britain Hospitals, with
turkey and pumpkin pie. The turkeys all came from
America on the Steamship "Leviathan".
Services were held at St. Martin-in-the-Fields by the
American and some British Forces. Ushers were sup¬
plied from all the different departments. Captain H.
W. Atkinson, Personnel Officer of the Transportation
Department, represented this branch at the services.
It was utterly impossible for Colonel Kennedy to be
present at the services. He was too busy. Major
Franklin wanted to be present but had to see to the
loading of several ships that will sail very shortly.
Major Neilson who has joined the T. C. was formerly
of the P. R. R. and is a shining light in his work, being
one of those wide-awake transportation men. He
wanted to go but had to look after some coaling of ships
at the Royal Albert Dock. Captain Miller of the
Merchants and Miners Transportation Co., he was one
of the real shipping men, he just could not be spared no
way. He with Major Franklin can tell you how many
soldiers a vessel can take care of. Lieut, Mackenson
threw up his hands and said he was over-run with
work, so it all passed up to Captain H. W. Atkinson,
who they all claimed was full of grace and the proper
person to represent this department. I am positive they
were all sorry they could not be present—they looked it.
The joke today is that the Captain does not remember
the text the Minister spoke on, or where it is found.
For some time I have been wanting to have for the
officers at the Mess chicken and waffles, so as to be
ready when the signal was given me, I wTrote to Mrs.
M. C. Kennedy's cook Mrs. Nannie Echenrode, for the
recipe for waffles as she makes them for the family and
also for Russian Salad Dressing. And she promptly
sent it over. Then I had all kinds of trouble in getting
a waffle iron. I went to all the large stores but found
122 Roy's Trij) to the Battlefields of Europe
none. Captain Frank Coville told me of several places
but they had none. Finally I got in with the Chef at
the U. S. Navy Canteen, and then my troubles ended.
He told me I could get anything I wanted—and I got
the waffle iron.
And on Sunday, November 24th, was the day the
Colonel told me I could have the feast. Well, I went
after it right. I had three chickens and a large bowl
of batter made up; you know women do know how many
they will have for a meal, but men never.
That chicken was cooked to the minute and the
waffles were just right. I never spared the butter or
lard in greasing the iron or baking powder in making
up the batter. Well, the men said it was right and they
know. The supper was for five persons—all officers.
Lieut Commander Higgins had just received word that
he would be relieved and I think every officer that
came in gave him some message to take back to the
States for them. Must have smelled what was coming
off.
At any rate there were nine, all Army and Navy
officers, ate dinner before I was through, so you may
know Roy was stepping some. But when it was over I
went up to the sitting room and they told me it was
the best meal they had since they left the States. They
gave me cigars and cigarettes. Naval Constructor
McBride says he ate sixteen waffles and that Major
Franklin went ahead of liim, he was sure. Lieut. Com¬
mander Higgins says he stopped counting when he
reached fourteen but he was sure he would not need
anything more to eat for about three days.
The other officers said they were glad to happen in
at that time and they hoped I would let them know
the next time and they would try to have an excuse.
There is one thing about these English homes that
would sure set American women wild. That is the
odor of cooking. It matters not what you cook, or how
you try, the odor goes all through the house and out
on the street. It is a common thing to pass a house
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 123
and be able to tell what they are having for the meal.
The kitchens are all in the basement and why it goes
through the house I don't know but it does.
I also had escolloped potatoes and one of those real
large home-made apple pies. They looked at the pie
and said—"Hold that for the next time—we can't go
at it today."
The clerks in the office asked me to bring them a
waffle. I promised but there was none left.
Ice is not used but very little over here, so when they
are having dinners, and ice is needed for the appetizer,
the Colonel told me he did not mind me getting a piece
of ice from the fish man but he did not care for me to
get ice from the undertaker, that he would not feel right
in drinking anything off ice the undertaker used.
Major Franklin smoked his pipe, and when he does
that he is pretty well interested.
On Friday evening, November 29tli, Major W. S.
Franklin gave a farewell dinner in honor of the de¬
parture of Lieut. Commander John S. Higgins, who
will leave here at 4:30 Saturday afternoon for Paris,
then go to Brest, France, where he will sail on the
"Big Boy" Leviathan for the States about next Thurs¬
day, December 5th. This will be the first link broken
in the quartette at 14 Great Cumberland Place and you
know every one was sorry to see him go. He has been
here for a long time and you know the most popular
in these days is the paymaster—and that is what he is,
which makes him more popular—and the whole house
had to listen to the wonderful things that that little
boy of his would do when he saw Daddy. It was some
fun.
Those present: Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Major W.
S. Franklin, Major E. S. Neilson, Captain L. G. Miller,
Captain H. W. Atkinson, Captain Strong, Lieutenant G.
R. Williams, Lieutenant C. T. Mackenson, Lieut. Com¬
mander John S. Higgins.
Naval Constructor McBride had expected to be
present but Admiral Sims is pretty sick and that holds
124 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Commander McBride some closer; but one tiling about
the Navy, they understand each other and they sure
have some organization—the best ever.
This represents the main strength of the Transporta¬
tion Department that handled the soldiers on this side
and that made the Kaiser throw up his hands.
I have told you of Major Franklin, and the Colonel
you all know. Major Neilson came from the P. R. R.
and you know nothing but the best come from the P.
R. R. He has the handling of the docks in the best of
condition. They are simply perfect.
Major Miller comes from the Merchants and Miners
Transportation Company and we know that is some
Company. He has handled all their large vessels and
been stationed in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York
and Boston; so you can see he has experience plenty.
Lieutenant Williams—well, he hails from Georgia
and Florida, and when he gets that large cigar and
starts to dictate that stenog's pen has got to go some—
and he is certainly some hustler and I must also say
the brand he smokes is there in quality, as he often says
"Roy, have a smoke." And I have been too-well raised
to refuse.
Now as to Lieutenant Mackenson, well you know he
was raised in the Cumberland Valley and made by the
Cumberland Valley Railroad Company, so he is one
hundred and twenty-five percent. Now, is there any
wonder when the Colonel wanted any information he
could get it?
Well, it was some dinner; Turkey and all that went
with it; trimmings of various kinds and brands.
When I helped Commander Higgins down with his
trunk he said he had not thought of it or he would
have had Colonel Kennedy and Major Franklin carry
his trunks down instead of taking exercise in the
morning.
The Colonel told Lieutenant Higgins that he was the
first to pack up he should be moderate in what he
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 125
packed, so as to give some one else a chance at a few
things.
Captain Atkinson in peace time is with the B. & O.
R. R. and of course the B. & O. has some good men, too,
and his experience just fits in here, as the personnel
officer. He is a real hustler and is full of Pep.
Well, today, Sunday, December 1st, M. Clemenceau
and Marshall Foch arrived in London, and the welcome
they received will certainly last them in memory for
years. The houses along the route of parade were all
decorated with flags and bunting, and the people simply
yelled themselves hoarse, and they waved handkerchiefs
and hats as they passed. They rode in carriages drawTn
by beautiful bay horses. The entire route of parade
was lined with soldiers that kept the crowd back, and
when it comes to handling large crowds of people these
people are there with the goods. The different guards
are well-drilled and know just what to do.
Well, as time of being in London is getting short and
as the Colonel says, we will likely receive some marching
orders soon.
On Friday, December 6th, Colonel M. C. Kennedy
and Major W. S. Franklin and Roy left Charing Cross
Station at 11:05 A. M., for Paris, France, arriving at
Folkestone 1:10 P. M. I get through the custom
officials without very much trouble, as my passports
were all right, and a few words to the proper people by
Major Franklin helped to straighten things out.
We took the boat "Vindicto" across the Channel,
which was real smooth. It is somewhat dangerous now
in crossing at these times, on account of floating mines.
They have one or two gunners who ride the boats and
keep a lookout, and they shoot them with a rifle, which
makes them explode. We were fortunate enough not
to have any trouble with any. The boats I find run
very fast, making about twenty-five knots per hour.
And on water you will find that is going at a pretty good
pace. It is about thirty-one miles across the channel
at this point. We docked at Boulogne, France, about
126 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
4:45. It is a very nice harbor and the boats all turn
around and back in. There were quite a good many
soldiers on the boat, and in talking to some I find they
are going to Cologne, Germany, to help maintain order
there. They of course were sore at being ordered there.
Can you blame them?
Major Franklin told me to get up to the first part
of the deck, so as to be one of the first in seeing the
French official who comes aboard and examines all
passports. As there are a great many people passing
or travelling now, it takes some time to look over them.
I went as ordered and there was I guess about one
hundred in line. I was about the tenth when I saw a
soldier coming looking straight at me and said—"-You
are Roy?" I said "Yes." He said "Give me your pass¬
ports and you go with your Colonel and Major." I
handed them over and said to myself, the wires are being
worked some place. I went to them and very shortly
the soldier came back with all papers and handed them
over, and loads of time was saved.
Well, I just as well tell you here as any place else,
I have been with the Colonel for a long time and have
been around many of his friends, and they are many,
but let me say that Major W. S. Franklin is one of
the brightest I ever saw. He is entitled to the "A"
Class. I have taken particular notice of him many
times and just sort of studied him. Well, when he is
done pulling wires, there is little left.
Well, the Colonel and the Major went to the Hotel
for dinner. I went up the streets and looked the town
over for a short while. You go across a long bridge and
the streets are very narrow. I after walking for quite
some distance, asked a policeman a few questions, but
just about then this "jabbering" in French came up.
I up to this time had been talking with British and
American Soldiers.
I looked at this French soldier or policeman and the
way he was reciting "Shakespeare" and going through
the acts was wonderful. He was pointing to this and
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 127
that. I looked and looked. I forgot all the French I
had studied back in the States, and sounds are all
different than anything I ever heard. I finally said
"All right" and shook my head to say all right, too,
and offered him a cigarette, which he accepted, and I
left that part of the town.
I came oyer to the station and began to talk to the
American soldiers that are on duty there, and I heard
all kinds of things that had taken place with the Amer¬
ican Forces, of their being taken from place to place
in the box cars, and their eating "Corn Wooley" and
hard tacks. At about 8:30 P. M., there were about
seventy-five Frenchmen that had been prisoners of war
were released and on their way home. They were at the
station. They were glad to see the American soldiers
and they told them some awful tales of their suffering.
As one soldier could talk enough French to get the
story, he would tell the other soldiers and myself what
was being said. They have certainly been handled very
bad.
The train for Paris wTas due to leave Boulogne at
10:17 and the party came about 9 :15 and shortly after
that we all go through the gates for the train.
As it took some little time for the people to unload,
particularly from the sleeping cars, I was unable to
get into the train before it was packed like sardines in
a box. America never would allow such packing of
trains as they do over here. There were many soldiers
on the train. The aisles were all filled with men,
women and children, all standing. The seats on the
trains here all run cross-ways. They are supposed to
hold five persons on each side. Well, they had the five
on and there were four or five standing in the centre.
A military policeman was with me trying to find me a
seat, and it was simply impossible to get a seat. An
Admiral and Captain of the U. S. Navy was also there
without reservations, and he could not find a seat, so
I reported that to Major Franklin and they told me
to come in the next section. Now that he and the
128 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
Colonel were all fixed I was perfectly satisfied and
contented.
There was a soldier there that, when he saw me
talking to the Major, he pitched in and told the Major
he would bring me with him. He also tried to get on
the train but could not make it. The Major told him
all right, and I was looking to see how many were left.
There were about fifty persons in all. The second
section followed in about fifteen minutes and I got on,
the Naval officers, too, and this little soldier who knew
everybody of any consequence, and he was making it for
New York City. Of well, he was all mouth.
The train pulled out, everything was all right, and
it ran for about forty miles before she made a stop.
Then a great mob of Belgian people who had left their
homes got on with large bundles of clothing tied up in
sheets and quilts. Mostly women, some trying to cry,
others crying. Then a few stations further a number
of men got on. And they came into the section I was
in. As they talked, you could get a word here and
there. The conversation was mostly of their troubles
and their homes destroyed.
As the train goes through Amiens, I was anxious to
see what could be seen, but it was too dark and nothing
was to be seen at any of the towns passed through that
night, and in the morning we were through the bombed
section.
I arrived at Paris at 8:15. I after looking over the
station got a taxi and went at once to the Hotel Meurice
and asked for the party. The word came back telling
me to come up to the room, which I of course expected.
I went up and there I see Captain T. B. Kennedy, Jr.
He was looking fine and every inch a soldier.
The Colonel and the Major asked me how long I had
been in the City. As they had just gotten in the hotel,
they thought possibly I got in ahead of them, but they
were just about fifteen minutes ahead of me.
Capt. T. B. K. then asked me how I got through and
how I liked this part of the country. Told me that
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 129
Capt. J. C. Kennedy had sailed for home. I was sorry
to hear that in a way, as I sort of think I was slated to
see Brest, France, on this trip, but it will not be long
now I feel, and at any rate he will be glad to get home.
Capt. T. B. K. has a long job yet and will likely not
get away for some time. An average of 100,000 men
per month pass through his station for the last three
months. Sure that takes head work to keep things
well-oiled that no one falls down. He looks well and
seems to be quicker and seems to grasp the thought
faster.
He tells the officers when he wants anything from the
French he goes after them, and if they take things, all
right, and come across, all right. If they fly up in the
air, he just says he does not understand them, and
lets them cool down, and in the end he always finds
them doing just what he wanted done, or what he asked
them to do.
He had some time trying to bluff the Flu, so he went
to bed for two days and he and the flu fought it out,
and he won out and the flu left him. He is still
stationed at St. Dizier; they call it Dizy and the freight
come marked Dizzy.
He asked me how much French I knew. I told him
my French was limited, as it seemed my pronunciations
were all wrong. One day one of the German airplanes
was flying over the station near him and lost a flyers
suit. He later got it and expected to use it, but it was
called for later, and his expectations in that respect
were lost.
First Lieut. Alex. Stevenson, of the R. A. C., was also
present to see his Uncle, Colonel M. C. Kennedy. He
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Stevenson, of
Schenectady, N. Y., and if he ain't got the sportiest,
neatest little moustache you ever saw. It is a beaut.
He looks fine. He told me that it is as easy to fly an
airship as to run an auto. He has some dandy Black
Fur Coat. He has driven some of the airships that
have been captured from the Germans. Says the ones
130 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
they captured before the war were all very good ones,
well put up. I mean before the Armistice was signed
they were good ones.
But the ones that Germany is turning in now are
not in such good shape and Germany is not complying
with the terms of the Armistice.
The Colonel told him "My boy, you will find it hard
to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."
He has no idea how soon he will be returned to the
States, as they must try out all the German planes
first; they are being turned over to the Allies.
Major Franklin ordered breakfast in the room and
among other things ordered jam. The Colonel said,
"If it is strawberry jam, I don't care for any." Major
said, "Capt. T. B. and I have to eat as well as you, we
will get through it." So the Colonel said "All right,
sir."
Capt. T. B. K. seemed to have a large interest in
some sugar mine, as none in London saw any domino
sugar for months, but he has a nice supply on hand
and furnished the party with sugar, much to the satis¬
faction of all—me, too, cause the Colonel handed me
some over.
Capt. T. B. K. then took the room by storm by going
to the telephone and calling the starter and ordering an
auto in French and believe me, he rattled it off. The
Colonel and the Major told him he did well, and I could
not help but say "Well done."
I wanted to get more dope from both Capt. T. B. K.
and First Lieut. Alex. Stevenson, but the Colonel was
moving so fast and the questions he was asking were so
deep I could not get what I was after. I had hoped to
see them later but did not get the chance. I was sure
Lieut. Stevenson had more up his sleeve as to the flying
over the German borders.
Well by telephone I was then to see Lieut. Geo. H.
Stewart, who had engaged a room for me, and see
where I was at for the night, for I intended to run all
over Paris.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 131
I found him at 246 St. Germain Blvd., and lie fixed
nie up all right. He is the son of Mr. George H.
Stewart, better known as the William Penn of Penn¬
sylvania, in that he owns more land than any other
man I know of in the dear old State.
And he hails from Shippensburg, Penna., on the Cum¬
berland Valley. After talking to me of the home folks,
he puts me in charge of one of his soldiers. He is in
charge of the lost baggage bureau and he has made
good. He has gotten the baggage business now down
to a good system, and it seemed that soldiers travelling
were getting like women, always losing something—bed
rolls, blankets, suit cases, cots, well they just had to
lose something. He had gotten that all down in good
shape and while I was in the office three soldiers came
in hunting baggage they had lost, and it was found
there, and they felt very much better, as they never
expected to ever see it again.
Well, this little soldier's name was "Holland" and
he and I started out. We saw the "La Grande Roue".
I call it the ferris wheel. It is some more wheel. Do
not remember how high the man said it was, but it is
up there some. I did not go up as it might go wrong
when I was up there.
Went from there to La Tour Eiffel. I told him that
was the first thing I wanted to see, as I had read of
that for years. Well I saw it. My thought was that
it was closed, on the order of the Singer Building, in
New York; but I find it is open and is a wireless
station. You are not allowed inside now but you can
get very close to it and can look it over very closely.
There is a beautiful park in front of it and the sur¬
roundings are very nice. I find that all through these
cities they have many parks and it makes things look
very well.
The Seine River passes between the Eiffel Tower and
the Trocadero, a large hall similar to the Royal Albert
Hall in London. The gardens around it are simply
132 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
We then went to the Notre Dame Church. That is
one of the finest Churches in Paris—in fact, one of the
best in France.
It is sort of on an island, as the canal passes it on
one side and about a block away the Seine River runs
along, which forms a sort of an island. They were just
taking the sand bags down from the front of it, that
were put there to protect it from Air raids.
It is a very beautiful Church, with many handsome
windows and the architectural work is handsome, but
as by this time you see I saw some Churches, and I do
not think I am capable of saying how it compares with,
others. It is very nice but I think it is just a little
better than we have in Chambersburg.
The Canal passes right through the City and it is
very nice. It branches off the Seine River way up in
the City and it makes a very pretty picture to stand and
see the Canal boats and the barges being pulled down
the river.
I was also in a place where Napoleon's Tomb is and
where in the nearby open court that great German air
plane flier, Gunemier, Zeppelin is on exhibition, but can¬
not recall the name.
In La place de la Concorde there are two statues.
From the time Germany took Alsace and Lorraine, they
always kept wreaths on these statues, but when the war
was won they removed the wreaths. There is also a
block there where they have cut off the heads of a
few hundred persons—so all the sins are not committed
on this side of the pond.
The traffic in Paris is to the right while in England
it is to the left.
The Triumphal Arch has been closed to marching ever
since Napoleon lost his battle at Waterloo, and now
that the battle has been won by the French, it will be
opened when the Peace Meeting will be held in Paris
within the next few days, in which President Wilson
thinks he must be there so as to say what is what, and
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 133
Mrs. Wilson thinks she also should be present. The
parade will march through this Arch.
There are many buildings that show the effect of the
bombing, pieces being torn out of the buildings. As
soon as a bomb fell it was covered up as soon as pos¬
sible and none was allowed to talk about it or to say
where it fell—that would give the Germans information
of the amount of damage done.
I find all the buildings decorated for the President
when he arrives on the scene. Paris is a wonderful
place for dogs and the women work very hard, pulling
wagons or carts, and some of them have a large dog
with a sort of a collar and they help to pull the load.
I went to the Meurice Hotel at six in the evening
and I was really tired. I have no idea of the number
of miles I walked that day. On my way out I saw
Brig. Genl. W. W. Atterbury. He spoke to me and
asked me how I liked Paris, and I told him what Mr.
Fahnestock and Mr. George Dallas Dixon said of him,
and Colonel Kennedy, that they saw ten years ahead
of other people when they went over here to help win
this war, and if they could get over now they would
willingly come. He laughed at it and told me to be
sure and not get lost. He looked the very picture of
health and I bid him good-bye and went out to see that
great Fifth Avenue of Paris.
The Panorama du Louvre is a large and very hand¬
some building. It was from this place that the great
picture "Mona Liza" was stolen.
We left Paris at 11:45 Sunday in a five-passenger
Vauxhall auto, for Montreuil, on the N. E. coast of
France, on the English Channel.
Everything seemed apparently to be going all right,
had what we thought was a good chauffeur and the car
was making good time. We had dinner at Beauvais at
1:50 and I think we had covered about fifty miles up
until about that time.
It is a small town with one of those little road side
houses, with a long table in the sitting room. The food
134 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
was just fairly-well cooked and there was none too
much served. They had no trouble having nerve enough
to charge me thirteen fr. and some fifty cent, for the
chauffeur and my dinner.
Well, the chauffeur got real chummy with me and you
can rest assured I was plying him with all kinds of
questions of the things we would likely see on the route
we were taking. Montreuil was about one hundred and
twenty miles from Paris. They call miles over here
so many Kilometres.
About 3 :00 P. M. this Vauxhall motor car got cross
and of all the mean and ugly things that an auto can
do it did. We coaxed and begged but nothing doing.
Finally Major Franklin suggested a few things which
were tried but it went for about five or ten miles then
she would spit and bark again, and it continued until
we reached Amiens, which we were anxious to see before
dark. We were due there about 4:00 P. M. and we
actually arrived there at 5:15, too dark to see a thing.
Well, Colonel and the Major went into the Town
Major's office and got the G. H. Q. on the phone and
told them their troubles, and the chauffeur was working
his head off trying to doctor up what he called the
"Carburater". I will never forget that name. I had
coaxed everybody I knew at home to learn me some¬
thing about an auto but no one would do so, so I was
of no assistance in this trying time.
While they were still talking, I wanted some cards
of the City of Amiens and you can imagine the heads
of the journey were not in, you may say, the best of
liumor, I was sort of afraid to stray away. I listened
to the conversation at the door and when I felt they
were in far enough that they would not stop within
the next few minutes, I flew to a store and bought a
book of the town and was back all right in good time.
They talked with the chauffeur and it was decided
to try to make the Third Army Headquarters, which are
at Flexicourt, and he said he would have no trouble in
getting another car there; and off we started. The
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 135
car ran for a few miles, then it started the western
tricks of barking, bucking and kicking. The chauffeur
told me to pump. Well I pumped until I thought my
arm would fall off, but as long as I pumped the car
ran pretty fair and I felt at last I was of some direct
benefit. He told me we only had about seven miles to
go. I am sure I pumped her for fifty miles the way I
felt over it.
Just as we were going up a large hill to the Third
Army Headquarters, she died on the hill. The party
got out and went to the office and shortly they had
everybody on their toes and we got a new car and
chauffeur. The officers go into the Club and get some¬
thing to eat. I get a fist full of sandwiches and a bottle
of ginger ale, which was no trouble for me to get away
with. It was then 10:00 P. M.
I was very sorry for the chauffeur, as he wanted to
continue the trip, but I was very glad the chauffeur was
not Erwin Zimmermann of the States, whom I know.
The car we got here was all right and we went
straight to Montreuil, arriving there at 11:25 P. M.
At Amiens, while we were lamenting over our
troubles, some soldiers stole the General's Yauxhill
Motor that was standing just about twenty-five feet
from where our chauffeur and his friend were trying
to fix the car.
We passed over the Somme River about three times
between Amiens and Flexicourt.
Well, as it was late, I saw that the Colonel and Major
were comfortable in their beds and I then turned in.
I got up the following morning pretty early to look
over the place. It is a very large house and sets way
up on a knoll, and I find the place belonged to Count
De Premont and, is called Chateau. It has been at one
time a very beautiful place, but evidently, as the other
chauffeur that had taken us out said, he had not much
money and did not keep up the repairs on the place
that it needed. There was quite a large amount of
land to it and also quite a nice polo ground connected
136 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
thereto, but the interior of the place needed many
repairs. It is just about twelve miles from the English
Channel and it is said on a clear day you can see the
channel.
This G. H. Q. is the British Headquarters and they
have a large force of clerks on duty, and a number of
regulation army huts for the soldiers and the women
clerks. The place looks more like a hotel than a house;
as is the rule in such places, the owner of the place had
a Crown erected over the top in front of his stable,
which was a very large one.
We leave here at 10:10 Monday for the Hindenburg
Line in another Vauxhill car belonging to General
Cruishank of the G. H. Q. Staff.
Colonel Kennedy, Major Franklin, Major Garden as
guide, and your humble servant.
This car was running fine and it was a beautiful day
for just such a trip. We pass Beaurenville and I see
possibly about two hundred German prisoners working
at a camp—the only thing not right about it was that
they were not working them hard enough. The roads
were simply fine and the chauffeur says they were built
by Napoleon. They could hardly have been better for
an auto. We pass through St. Pol—that is a sort of
factory town. The idea seems to be in these countries
over here to have a house set back in the yard and all
through the country districts that is the case. Now just
imagine a house setting back in the yard with a barn
yard in front of it—that is just what you see. Of all
the dirt and mud in the barn yard, you pass through
there to the house. And then nearly every farm has a
large pond of black looking water—looks simply filthy.
It is not fit to drink for the occupants of the house nor
the stock, but they claim it keeps disease away and
they all have one; and from the way the people look they
live to be very old, as I saw some that surely from ap¬
pearance they must have seen the one hundred mark
long ago. At Nuefchatel I saw a young girl leading
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 137
three cows with a rope with as much ease as you see a
lady in London lead a pet dog.
There are practically no fences along any of the fields
in France and the soil looks good and they seem to be
very well farmed. No ground seems to be going to
waste. Turnips are raised here by the tons—never saw
so many as here. They are fed to the stock here and
women certainly do their share of the work. Carts
are mostly used, more so than wagons, and they are of
the high-wheel variety but the load that is put on them
is as much as could be put on any wagon.
We arrived at Arras at 12.15 and the party took
lunch at the Saskatoon Club. I looked the town over
quickly around the Club and a few streets. It has
certainly been badly used up. The Cathedral is a
complete wreck. It is said to have been a very pretty
one. It is nothing but a pile of rock now. I under¬
stand the Germans did not fly over Arras and bomb it
but bombed it from a distance. Many houses you will
see with nothing more than walls standing and some
of them are entirely flat.
I walked into the Cathedral and stood and looked at
what was the altar. The wall had caved in and broken
the head of one of the statues and some pieces of the
roof looked like it might come down any minute.
We leave Arras at 1:10 for farther up the line near
Bethune. All along we see trenches. They are about
five feet or six feet deep. At Allen we saw the reserve
trenches of the Allies. They are near the road and
were not needed. Now that we are in the real fighting
lines and dug-outs and trenches, shell holes are plenti¬
ful. I would sure like to go over the field for a
souvenier, but it is said one must be careful what you
pick up as you might get hold of a "Boby trap" and
get shot, as the Germans had many of them placed over
the battlegrounds.
We then passed along where there were at one time
villages and now there was not a piece of wall standing
over three feet high—so great was the destruction. At
138 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
many places yon would see women and men standing
by a little fire at what was their homes, and there was
absolutely nothing but a pile of debris, but they were
holding on to that. Some would be digging into the
dirt to see what they could find.
Now, the dugouts are all along the roads and they
are about four feet wide and a man won't need to bend
over very much to get into one. The German ones are
made out of concrete and you also see many concrete
bases where the Germans fired their guns from. You
could see many places where shell holes were torn up
for some long distance in the ground.
Many Chinese worked on the roads and they were
kept up in good shape, to help carry the provisions to
the front line trenches.
It would be a good turn for the Red Cross women over
here to go among the farmers and tell them to do away
with the barn yards in front of their houses. Most of
the women and girls in the fields wear wooden shoes.
Near Lillers I saw a fine large ox hitched to a plow,
doing his bit.
The auto drivers over here are seeming to try to see
how close they can drive to a person or team without
hitting—not how far they can keep away. It would
be hard for a nervous woman to ride in the cars over
here. They seem to delight in just brushing anything
they pass. The driver we had on this trip turns
corners that I would be afraid to turn with a wheel¬
barrow, much less a car. In the carts they drive they
often have two horses. Some have one horse in the
shaft and two in front, and at Abbeville I saw one with
three horses in front and one in the shaft. Many of
the coal mines have been put out of business by the
Germans. And also along the battleground you see
a little plot of say twenty-five or thirty feet. It is a
grave-yard. They are well-filled up and a stake pushed
in at the head painted white, with a sort of a rosette
of Red, White and Blue on the cross of the stake.
The roads used by the Allies were all camouflaged
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 139
with a sort of chicken wire in which was wound a
sort of green cloth that hung along the side of the road
that would be seen by the Germans, and some places
they were shielded with a sort of gunny sack.
The huts were about eight or ten feet high and had
sheet iron on the tops and frame wood on the sides and
mostly all lined inside with pasteboard. They were
about forty to forty-five feet long and would hold a
good many men. Many people yet with their teams
carry their guns with them daily, as if they expected
to run across some Germans.
Saw several men out hunting on Sunday. Guess the
better the day the better the deed with them.
At Vimy Eidge I could not stand the temptations any
longer so I went over into the field and I found four
packs of shells that have not been exploded yet. They
were right under a small bunch of weeds, evidently
placed there by some soldier. I also found the top of
a shell. These I will carry back to the States. I gave
one to Major Franklin and the other to M. C. Kennedy,
Jr., and the other two I will hold. Now each rack had
five shells in them, making twenty shells in all.
At the place called Souchet the damage was equally
as bad as the Lens district. It was in the Vimy Ridge
that the Canadians lost so heavily. Trees that were
healthy, and large ones at that, were cut off by the
shell fire to stumps, and they were many times shot
through and not a leaf or sign of life any place among
them.
In all we covered about one hundred and seventy miles
over that wonderful battle ground, and a fellow could
talk for years and never get it all told. At Etaph they
have the largest cemetery in France—I mean in connec¬
tion with the war. It is very large and certainly must
have thousands of soldiers in it. One of the hospitals
was hit and destroyed by a bomb and the chauffeur
showed me in passing through where it stood. At many
places we saw large crowds of German soldiers going
140 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
or coming from work, and at no place did I pity them
for a minute.
In going over the battleground I would surely have
shed no tears if that car had given us some trouble,
as I saw many things that would have been fine
souveniers. Saw one very large shell that had been
exploded. I can just imagine how that would have
looked polished up. And there was one large dug-out
near what was one time a coal mine, now ruined. It
was a large concrete dug-out and I think I saw the
top of a helmet. Well I was so worried I could hardly
hold myself in the auto. If only I could have gotten
out for a few minutes I guess I would have had that
auto loaded with relics.
The trenches do not run straight but sort of zig-zag,
the same sort of way as the vessels run to keep from
the submarine shots. What they call going over the
top is coming out over the top of your trench and going
after the other fellow.
Some of the trenches we saw were very dry and some
had water in them. There certainly would not be much
protection for the soldier in the huts were a bomb to
fall on them.
At the Cathedral in Arras there is a sign telling you
not to touch anything, that they intend to keep the
Cathedral as it is and not rebuild there on that spot,
as a relic of the war, by order of the French Govern¬
ment.
It was in July that the American Forces first went
through the Hindenburg Line with the Australians,
and I get it from someone in line there that there had
been an understanding between the French and the
Germans that each side would not fire on each other
when they were watering their horses.
So when the American boys, full of Pep, got into
the fracas, they saw the Germans going down to water
their horses, they cut loose and nearly wiped out the
whole bunch of Germans. The French went after the
Americans for doing that and the Americans told the
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 141
French they did not come over here to play with the
damned war—they came over here to win and end the
damned thing right off; and from that on the Germans
were being cut down right and left.
We arrived back at Montreuil, safe after seeing what
many dollars will later be spent to see.
And we sail from Boulogne at 9:30 Tuesday for
London, via Folkestone. At the station there was some
trouble with my passport. Those things always made
me feel bad. I sort of felt I was some trouble to the
officers, but it was no fault of mine. There is no
possible way for me to explain to you what it is to
travel during these war times and the red tape that is
necessary.
The officer told Major Franklin that there was no
use in trying to talk about it, that my passport was
not "vised" and I could not get on that boat and that
there was no use in talking any more about it.
There was both a British and an American officer
present. Well this same Major W. S. Franklin that I
have told was in the A class, well he never swore in his
life and never takes a drop to stimulate the body,
but he did tell that officer and only as a son of Harvard
can tell, that he was an American officer and that I
was employed by the American Army and that I have
got to go on that boat with them, and at the last I
saw the fellow's knees begin to wobble together. The
both looked at him and Roy went aboard the ship.
They finally said, how will you get him off on the other
side. The Major said "Leave that to me."
The channel was very rough—very, very bad. There
were over 1400 persons on the ship—many soldiers, too.
I thought once that I might get sick but again I
thought I should be a better sailor and forget about
that after a man pulling me through that way, so I
walked around to see what was doing. I never saw
so many people sick in my life. Men and women, poor
things? they were in some bad way. They looked all
groggy out of the eyes and very pale; and the odor was
142 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
not of the best along about that time either.
But the Colonel and the Major had a very nice state¬
room and were very comfortable.
I want to say here I will never forget Major TV. S.
Franklin. I thought all the real good ones came from
Princeton, but I must admit that Harvard turned out
a star when he came through.
When we docked I looked for more trouble—thought
that the person on the France side not being equal to
the emergency, might phone over some trouble for us
on the England side, but when my turn came, and I was
among the first to go before the customs people, the
Major just looked down on him and explained and the
official said "Go ahead." You should have seen me
move.
On the train from there to Victoria Station and the
trip is over. That is all that I can now recall of it.
Trust it will be of some interest.
The chauffeur is going to send me a map and when I
get tracing over that more will come into my noodle.
* # * *
Things are commencing to happen now and it is
necessary for me to write at night to keep up with some
af the things I am seeing. I saw by the papers that
i U-boat would be in the city here for some few weeks,
i>r days, and I feared it would get away before I got
jack from the trip.
It was slated to go on the 12th, so as soon as I got
3ack, instead of going to lunch the following day, I
lew up to Westminster to see this boat.
It is about one hundred and seventy-five feet long and
ibout twenty-five feet wide, and is marked U. B. 65.
She is an ugly looking critter and has six mine nests
>n the deck. Now these mine nests are a long funnel
ihaped hole that it partly filled with water, and two
nines will float in each one of those nests, and when
he crew wants them for use they have a way of forcing
hem to the top of the deck with air and then they
oil it off at the place they want to mine. The nests
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 143
are about three feet in circumference and on the forward
end of the boat, right under the gun, it carried a three
inch gun and is fitted out with wireless which it can
operate from the coning tower.
Now, right in front of the coning tower is a large
plate of iron about four feet in circumference and by
lifting and looking down in there you will see a light
very strong, and this is fitted out with wireless outfit.
This is used in case the submarine is submerged and
for some reason cannot raise. This lid is forced open
and it being equipped with wireless also, the crew would
be able to communicate with any vessel and that way
receive assistance. The light is so strong that it will
show even though the submarine is under water many
feet. I do not remember the exact distance that was
said. The light is covered with very heavy strong glass
and these lids that I speak of are all air and water
tight. Tliey have a heavy rubber ring around the lids.
But the main thing that attracted my attention was
the periscope. I have been told so many things about
the size of the periscope that I had it figured about
four or five feet wide.
The periscope runs from the coning tower and at
the base it is about six or eight inches in circumference
and it is sixteen feet long and it tapers down until at
the top it is not more than three or possibly four inches.
So that gives you a rough idea of how far in the water
the submarine will be when he fires his torpedo. The
periscope must be above the water for him to gauge for
his shot. The gun is about six feet in front of the
coning tower and when they submerge the boat they
put a water tight cap on the muzzle of the gun. The
water does not effect the other part of the gun. They
aim to have a mine float about four feet under the
water. This boat carries eight torpedoes. The tubes
are on the side and when the torpedoes are put in they
are charged with compressed air, so that the minute
tliey are released they are off on their deadly errand.
Now over the tanks that the mines are carried in when
144 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
the boat is submerged the tanks of course fill with
water. They have an iron grate that prevents the
mines from floating out, and when they want it out,
they force water enough into the tank or nest to bring
the mine to the top or level of the boat. There is a
hook on it. A rope is run through that and the same
fastened on to a cable which runs over the top of the
boat and the mine is swung from this cable into the
water, and when they get it at the place they want it,
is is cut loose from the cable and floats with a sort of
weight they put on it. The boat is submerged by the
filling of large tanks of water under the boat and when
they want to raise, the water is forced out by com¬
pressed air.
It cost 1- to go on the sub and you were not allowed
to go down into the vessel—only allowed on deck. I
asked the sailor that I got this information from why
you could not go down in the vessel and he said that
there might be some German sympathizers that might
do some damage. I told him I was no German sym¬
pathizer and I would not do any harm. He said he did
not believe I was in sympathy with Germany but while
he was sorry, he could not permit me to go down.
He explained to me something about the sub. When
the vessel is submerged the weight of the water on the
vessel is so much that it is necessary to use a larger
amount of horse-power to empty the tanks than the
weight of the water on the vessel—something like that.
I cannot get that down right, so I will let it alone—that
was too deep for me to understand.
I asked him if that vessel could cross the Atlantic
and he said it could with ease.
I also asked him how long did it take for a sub to
go down or come up. He said he would not like to say.
I do not know whether there was a secret to it and
whether they can not all be operated alike. As there
were many other persons on board at the time, I did
not just like to ask all the questions, but it really did
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 145
seem that those present seemed interested in what I
did ask.
* * * *
On Wednesday evening, Colonel Kennedy with Cap¬
tain F. S. Covelle of the British Army, attended a
boxing match at the Royal Albert Hall, but as yet he
has not expressed himself along that line. Captain
Covelle is one of the officers that saved me in the
harbor at Liverpool, and I will always also remember
him. Some day he will come over to the States when
things are properly straightened here.
Sunday, December 15th, things are now drawing to a
close for our party on this side of the pond.
Major W. S. Franklin received orders yesterday to go
to Tours, France, for duty, and Colonel Kennedy
received a phone message just a few minutes ago from
Tours, France, that his orders releasing him are on
the way.
So you can see the dope is that we will sail on the
"Mauretaniawhich I understand will pull from South¬
ampton about the 20th. That means that we will go
from there to Brest, France, and from there to the
United States, a better world than this.
Colonel Kennedy will give a farewell dinner at 14
Great Cumberland Place, tomorrow, Monday evening,
in honor of Major Walter S. Franklin, who has been his
right-hand man during his stay in England. They have
surely been very close to each other and have become
almost inseparable. No one will miss the Major more
than I. He took great pains with me and I have
learned many things from him.
X hope he will soon be returned to the States and
that we will have the pleasure of looking after him in a
real country.
Both the Colonel and the Major said when they were
going to take me along with them to France, that as I
was not a good one on speaking French, they had better
tag me, or some of the French authorities might pick
146 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
me up as one of their subjects and ship me to Algeria
or some other place.
Lieutenant Houser and Sergeant Smith had one of
the real swell dances last night. It was a private
affair and the ladies I understand were masked. The
costumes were simply grand. Smith has spent most
of the morning trying to picture to me how well his
friend looked. I wonder how the Brooklyn lady would
admire the costume.
Monday evening Colonel M. C. Kennedy gave a dinner
in honor of Major W. S. Franklin, who left this
morning to take up his new duties at Tours, France,
It was a very pleasant evening but it seemed to lack the
usual pep that the dinners had always been blessed
with, as everyone was very sorry to see Major Franklin
depart from this base.
It is true the best of friends must part but at that
when the time comes one cannot help but feel the
parting.
Those present: Colonel M. C. Kennedy, Major W.
S. Franklin, Major E. S. Neilson, Captain L. Gr. Miller,
Lieutenant C. T. Mackenson, Lewis B. McBride.
That takes out one more link in the party of the mess.
The largest turkey that could be found was used for this
occasion and we had it well-filled with oysters. The
Major is very fond of his eats and we spared no pains
to see that he had all the dishes he liked.
And now the Colonel has received orders that he
can be released and he at once engaged passage on
the "Mauretania" which sails from Southampton,
England, on Friday, December 20th, and this will
close my very interesting doings in London.
There is only one thing that I am worried about now
and that is the customs house and this book. When I
hit New York and get through without showing the
customs officials what I have in this book, then I will
be one happy boy.
I hardly think there is anything in this book that
would be objectionable but they might want to read
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 147
it first, and I do not want it that way, but I do want
the Colonel's mother to see it and then his family.
I told the Major when I said good-bye to him this
morning that I would surely miss him when it comes
to getting on and off the ship.
I will start to pack trunks tonight. The following
cable was sent this morning.
"Kennedy, Chambersburg, Pa.
Arrive New York Mauretania about thirty-first.
KENNEDY."
Thursday, December 19th, I packed the cold storage
trunk—that is a trunk that you will not need to go into
during the trip over seas; and on Friday and Saturday
I fixed up the others and on Sunday morning at 6:45
A. M. the autos called at 14 Great Cumberland Place
and we left for Waterloo Station and were bidding
good-bye to London.
We arrived at the Waterloo Station at 7:55 and the
train left at 8:20 A. M. After checking the baggage,
the Colonel did the honors with the baggage man. And,
by the way, I must say if you don't look after him,
you will likely get left, cause they are after the tip
always. We left on the 8:20 train—getting away at
8:27, a few minutes late. The train was a fair one,
making all stops enroute to Southampton.
The train continued to get late all the way and we
were due Southampton at 10:10 but finally arrived there
at 1:10. Well, better late than never.
Lieutenant John T. Henry, our Embarkation Officer,
was on the job, met the party with his staff and after
getting the dope from the party he said to me "Let
me see your passports" and I soon produced them to
him. "Now", he said, "You are all right. I must have
you see the Alien Officer as soon as he comes. Your
room is B-84." Well, I began to feel fairly well. After
seeing a great many wounded soldiers getting aboard,
j saw a man with a blue uniform and cap on. I looked
at the Lieut. Henry and he gave me the nod. I went
near him and I heard him say to Lieut. Henry that he
148 Boy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
wanted a desk. Lieut Henry said "I have sent for a
man." The Alien Officer said "One of those cots turned
upside down will aswer all right."
I went to the cot, turned it upside down and made
the desk. The Alien Officer stood right beside me and
said "That was fine." All the time I was telling him
that I was with Colonel Kennedy, who was aboard the
ship and was telling him of my passports that he was
to look at. He said, when I was finished with the
desk "Now let me see your passports", which you will
see made me the first one he looked at. I produced them
in double-quick time. He looked them over and said
"You are all right." But to my sorrow, he asked for
my Ration Book and also my Identity Book. I wanted
to keep both of them as souveniers. Well, I handed
them over and he said I could go aboard, and I was not
long getting up the gang plank.
After getting up on the vessel and seeing the purser,
I found that the number given me by Lieut. Henry was
O. K. and you can imagine my surprise when I found
it was a state-room on B deck of the real ship
"Mauretania"
During all the time I was packing up at the house,
the Colonel would say to me "Now Roy, see if you can
get everything in the trunks, but don't put the cook-
stove in" and the thought occurred to me if I got every¬
thing in I would be satisfied to leave the cook-stove out.
He sure will guy you and he hands it out so quick at
times that if you don't think quick you won't see that
he is putting one over on you.
I went aboard the ship at about 2:25 P. M., and I
took a sort of look over England and I said good-bye
all to myself, for I did not intend to get off unless some¬
thing went wrong. Everything was passing off all
right and everybody that was aboard at that time was
happy.
With the Purser and the Colonel, I was showed to my
state-room now be sure and get that—State-room—well,
when I looked into that I just looked at the Colonel
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 149
and thought yon sure stepped some that time. He then
told the Head Waiter that I was his man and that he
wanted me taken care of, and the Head Waiter com¬
menced bowing at once, and Roy was all fizzed np
with this wonderful state-room dope in my head. You
know I was It now, and the Head Waiter was looking
me over and telling the rest of his crew to be careful
of me, that I was somebody, and I was, too.
Well, after everything was all straightened out and
everybody was seemingly fixed for the trip, they began
to put on the wounded and there were about three
hundred cases of them, some walking cases, some on cots.
Each soldier walking or on cots was given by the Red
Cross a silk flag, pack of cigarettes, two bars of
chocolate and a silk khaki handkerchief.
Well, after looking over the ship and seeing that all
was happy and that the ship looked like she could carry
the load, I thought it was time to get some dope on the
real make-up of the ship and what she could do.
Monday, December 23rd, I got up about 6:30 and the
weather looked as if it was going to be a fair day.
There was nothing startling going on until all at once
at 8 :00 A. M., the band of the ship Louisville of the
U. S. A., that was lying at the dock, played at colors
the Star Spangled Banner and the God Save The King.
People here in America might guess how a fellow feels
when these stunts are coming off, but none will ever
know that have never gone through it, and again at
1:15 the same band came back on the customs house
platform and in honor of Captain Cone of the Navy,
they played until the ship pulled from the dock at
2 :05 P. M., the crowds cheering and yelling themselves
hoarse. As the tugs pulled this real ship away from
the dock the band played "My Old Kentucky Home"
and "Star Spangled Banner" again. Well, honestly,
you saw the Kaiser at that time, you would not
jjesitate one moment to kill him. Captain Cone came
out on the deck and waved good-bye to them. I had
known Captain Cone some but on the way over I
150 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
learned to know him better and I would certainly have
liked to have been near him to hear his thought of the
people. He was the finest man to express himself I
ever heard.
It rained some and the air was some chilly. Many
large hospitals are seen leaving England. With my
little bed it reminds me of my state-room on Car 41.
After getting out in the Channel, we received a cable
from Mr. T. B. Kennedy, Assistant to President of the
C. V. R. R. that he would meet us at New York,
and this baby was certainly going some through the
sea. There are two forts just out of Southampton that
form a sort of gateway by which every ship going
into England must pass, and one can readily realize
that should a ship go through there otherwise, it will
get its medicine. The baby pulled at 2:00 P. M. and
she gets under way and we head for Brest, France,
arriving there Tuesday A. M. 7:15.
Tuesday, 24th: About 5:15 see the lights from the
lighthouses through the English Channel. They are
very strong and we travel on the way down the English
Channel to the harbor of Brest, France.
Arriving there at 7:15 A. M., we see the destroyers
spinning through the waters and they, I think, make
fifty miles an hour when they want to.
At 11:55 the troops began to gather. You see after
getting on the wounded at Southampton, we were to get
aboard about five thousand troops at Brest, and there
would have been some doing had not there been some
going ahead.
Finally lighters Rintintin, Kingfisher, Cubs, Fall
River, and Nenenta came up with soldiers—they were
packed so tight that they looked like flies. There was
a Mr. P. D. Cravath, also, that had engaged the ad¬
joining state-room to Colonel Kennedy. You can feel
that I wanted to look him over—he was from New York
City. He finally got aboard and I saw that he was a
pretty warm looking member. He was about sixty-five
or seventy years of age and had the, or I will say, one
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 151
°f the finest outfits of clothes for a man of that age
I ever saw. Two pairs of trousers to each suit and
two suits alike of each kind, even to Tuxedo and Dress
Coat. Well, he certainly was a good dresser. I went
up to him and delivered the message from the Colonel
and got in his good graces at once. I saw he fell for
the services that the Colonel had told me to render and
I sure was "Johnny on the spot".
There was a long delay in the boat moving out after
she got on her load, and the Colonel told me if we had
this ship up on the Conococheague we would get it
started on time.
As there are possibly other persons that know any
time important parties started for home they wanted
to move, and they delight to go fast. I would not do
a thing to make them wait one minute for a large price
of money.
Well, the Colonel had told me to do anything I could
for Mr. Cravath. I fixed up two pairs of shoes for him
and had hoped to do more before I reached New York.
At 4:30 we started to sea. Captain Cone's blue-jacket
from the Naval Hospital went ashore and got left.
Captain Cone, you will remember, was badly hurt when
the ship "Beinster", a mail ship, was hit by a German
submarine near the Irish Coast. The first torpedo that
hit it broke one leg and he tried to help the women,
of whom there were many on the ship, to safety, when
along came the second and broke the other leg in two
places. He fell on deck and as the ship began to sink
he rolled off the deck into the sea and then finding that
he could not use his legs, that they were broke, he
swam dog fashion and was drawn down with the vessel
and he says how on earth he came to the top he does
not know, but that is what he did.
Now this blue-jacket was to bathe Captain Cone's
leg and dress him, and now that he was left, it was
decided that Roy was to get that job. One thing you
could book on—the only way Roy would get off that
ship was to throw him off. I like to see every place
152 Roy's Trip to the Batlefields of Europe
that has any attraction but on a trip like this—no
chances for me. I had served Captain Cone several
times at Great Cumberland Place and knew him. He
is one of those real men, nervy, full of pep, no fear in
him, and nothing would have suited me better than
to have seen him have a little chase with the Kaiser's
ships. He could beat any man cussing I ever heard,
and he kept you laughing from the time you started to
dress him until you left—the most witty sayings and
jokes. When I would take his clothes off and put his
pajamas on the surgeon would work his foot. It
seemed that some of the leaders in the foot were dead.
When Dr. Lane would work a little rough, he would
say, "Hell, Doc., hold on, you are rough as hell with
that paw of mine tonight." Well Captain Twining
and the whole party would laugh and then Captain
Cone would burst out and laugh with the rest.
After carefully tucking the Colonel and the Captain
in their little beds, Mr. Cravath did not show up until
10:45, then I carefully laid him away. I looked at the
soldiers—they were busy trimming up the boat with
laurel and holly, and they had really nearly bought the
candy man in the canteen out, as they bought, stood and
ate it by the pounds.
It now being 1:10 I thought I had just about seen all
of interest, so I turned in for the night.
Wednesday, December 25th. At 6:00 A. M. there
was a strong wind and the sea was rough, throwing the
spray far up on deck. The ship was making about
eighteen knots. We passed two ships and I hear at
breakfast they are going to start fire in her other boilers
and that they are going to widen on her and let her
step.
About 3:30 that afternoon I was standing on the
deck, listening to what the waves were saying. As the
passengers were passing along exercising, Mr. Cravath
walked up to me and said, "Roy, I want to introduce
you to Mr. Morrow." He at once extended his hand to
shake hands. I gave him that pleasant bow and Mr.
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 153
Cravath said "Roy has been the servant for Colonel
Kennedy for many years and has kept the Colonel
looking very pretty and in good health, and now the
Colonel lias added me to the list and Roy, in addition
to his duties, looks after me." Mr. Morrow said that
was fine. He asked me of my duties in London and
you know he got it in full.
Mr. Cravath said "He is a very handy servant and
does his duties well." Well, you know if you have a
servant working for you and his head is not entirely
full of saw dust, it won't hurt to tell him some times
that he does some things well. So that went down all
right. They said a few other nice things and left.
That night I waited to take off Mr. Cravath's shoes. It
was about 11:30 when he turned in and I was after
the, well, you know, the dope on Mr. Morrow. I hardly
knew how to go about it but I finally got out and said
"Mr. Cravath, is Mr. Morrow from New York?" He
said, "Oh, yes, that gentleman I introduced you to
today was Mr. Dwight Morrow, one of the main
members in the firm of J. Pierpont Morgan Co., New
Y.ork, and he is a very able man." Well, I liked to
fall over.
They served a very nice dinner this evening and it
seems that this salt air keeps my appetite just about
right. The plum pudding was real right. I don't
know whether a Minister would have gone against it or
not, but it was sure right.
Many soldiers are getting sick on this trip but I think
this ship is very smooth sailing. One soldier said to
me the other day, "Did you get some of that good
chicken at dinner?" "No, pal," he said, "it seems the
least I put in my stomach the better off I am." The
other fellow said, "Why it seems to me I cannot get
enough in my little belly." It is a remarkable thing—
the make-up of some men.
And while the ship was sailing smoothly along, the
Colonel was in such a happy mood as the ship was
Reading you know toward "Ragged Edge". At about
154 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
4:00 P. M. I looked in on him, to see if he was riding
comfortably when he, well, very kindly opened up that
wallet. I always did think it was a fine pocket book
but on this date, well, it was great. One of those
handsome bills was leafed off and Roy was right under
it, you know. And was not that a fitting ending for
Christmas Day on the high seas?
Thursday: At 6:20 she is sailing fine. It is not yet
daylight. The members of the crew say she is making
twenty-six knots, and when I dressed the Captain said
it was doing over eighteen knots and that she would
dock Monday and unload Tuesday.
They have all the soldiers out on deck for inspection
this morning. It lasted for three-quarters of an hour.
Got very hazy at about 4:30. Everyone feared they
would cut down the speed and no one wanted to see
that. We have the 134th Infantry Band aboard and
they give a concert on the B deck at 12:00 Noon and
about 6:45.
It got very rough at night and we slowed down a
bit—the sea beat real high over the decks.
They had exercises in the Lounge and several speakers
helped to make things lively for the officers, while the
band touched up the air with that real rag stuff.
Crossed-wires started a fire on the starboard side of the
ship, right above the column I was leaning against,
talking to some soldiers about the conditions at Brest.
They sure are sore at the Camp there. The crew was
called and the fire was soon put out. I walked around
to the other side while they put it out. You know,
with a large bunch of crazy soldiers somebody might
get bumped off.
The miles made per day is taken from 12 :00 Noon one
day until 12:00 Noon the next day. From 4:20 Tues¬
day until 12:00 Noon Wednesday she did 317 miles.
Thursday she did 544 miles, Friday she did 591, Satur¬
day 559, Suuday 525 and docked Monday at 11:50
Noon; and I had too much to think of then to look for
the miles. I understand this is the last trip of this
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 155
ship with soldiers. She goes into dry-dock and will
get all her fine trimmings back that were removed to
carry soldiers, and take her place in Trans-Atlantic
service; and I assure you I have no objection to what
she does.
Friday: The sea today is as smooth as a piece of
glass. The soldiers are on deck for drill and their
exercise stunts at 10:00 A. M. They are very kind to
their wounded and carry them out on deck so they
might see the waves and get the fresh air. You know,
white folks are very funny about plenty of fresh air.
We colored folks don't need so much, cause I was
plugging up holes in my state-room, but they have us
skint in many ways and possibly they are right about
the fresh air business.
They put on three hundred cases of wounded soldiers
at Southampton—many with legs off; one poor fellow
had both legs and one arm off and an eye out.
But with all their troubles they are a happy lot.
They seem very cheerful. That is one thing a fellow
likes about a man. He never complains. Women, you
know, as soon as they get a pain they yell murder and
get mad at everybody and themselves in particular,
while a real man like Captain Cone takes things easy
and keeps happy.
Saturday: They all say they are glad it is over and
are anxious to get to God's Country again, and the
main question is "When will she dock?"
The sea was a little rough and she sort of handled
the ship to suit herself. I was not a bit pleased with
its conduct but I did not register any knock. Colonel
Kennedy is going to give the Captain of the ship a
box of cigars, and I am rather anxious to carry them
for, you know, the Captain will have to answer me
some things. I have them framed now to ask him. I
have two life preservers in my room—and if one will
save you, certainly two should do the trick.
Sunday: Sea is still a little rough but not so much
as yesterday. On the Bulletin Board it says there will
156 Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe
be Catholic services held in the Lounge at 10 *.30 on
the A Deck. Captain Cone told me this morning that
I was doing fine. I was bathing his leg, said he never
missed the damned blue-jacket and said if they kept
kicking the railroads around and Colonel could not
use me, I should come to him and he would give me a
job on his ship. Well, you know when a ship goes
down they say "Where is it?" But when you meet
with a mishap on the railroad they-say "Here he is—
if he don't look quite the same." I thanked him for his
offer but I ain't letting any pictures pull me away.
There are a whole lot of Kennedys and I am trying to
make hay for all of them and it will take a whole lot
to draw Eoy away—in fact, that blooming state-room
makes me say "For life I am with you."
Just as I handed the cigars to Captain Rostrum in
came some friends of the Captain; well, if you ever saw
a sore messenger you should have had a peep at me
just about that time. I had all kinds of questions to
ask the Captain and had been waiting all along to
take the cigars to him, as in handling over such a good
brand would make him feel pretty good and he would
say a few things, but the best I could do was to back
out, which I did but without very good thoughts of Mr.
and Mrs. Budd for butting in.
We pulled up the river past the Statue of Liberty at
8:30 A. M. Monday, December 30th, and the tugs came
alongside and finally worked us up to the dock at 11:30
and I went off the ship at 11:50 at Pier 54, New York.
I gave a sigh of relief to know I had once again placed
my feet on American soil.
There is no need to try to describe to you readers
how a fellow feels when he sees the good old U. S. A.
after being over in that country—the real people
singing and the flying of flags and all that sort of
thing—one cannot help but be happy.
I, with the state-room steward, carried the baggage
(hand) off the ship and I waited from that until 4:45
for the trunks to come out of the hold of the ship and
Roy's Trip to the Battlefields of Europe 15T
then until 5:20, when I got a truck to take me with th(
baggage to the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. There
I checked the baggage and got the 6' :04 train for Phila
delphia, where I arrived at 8:35. The thoughts of bein^
back in the dear old Keystone State made you feel
entirely different.
I have had many trials in trying to remember dates
and occurrences and you will find after being,away sc
long you forget dates, too. Many things after going tc
see them, thinking they would make an interesting story,
you could not get cards to explain them and several
times I became so disgusted that I stopped writing for
days, then again I found I was lacking a little in the
head to explain some things I did see. I am positive
I could have made this book three hundred pages as
easy as what I have.
But I trust all that take the time to read it will not
feel their time is all lost and that they will here and
there find somethings that will be interesting to them.
So with the feeling that I was one of them that had
the nerve to go across and help put the Kaiser out of
the running, and with a trip in my head that I shall
never forget, I am
Very truly yours
ROYAL A. CHRISTIAN,
Confidential Messenger
American Army Headquarters,
Belgrave Mansion Hotel,
London, England.