I was there with the Yanks in France | Page 6

soldiers)]
[Illustration: For some of us The War will never end.]
[Illustration: In an old Roman cellar...]
In an old Roman cellar two floors underground where civilians went
during air raids as bombing planes passed over on their way to
Compaigne, Paris, and interior cities. This "cave" was considered
absolutely safe, but in October 1918 was completed demolished by one
"155" shell.
[Illustration: Mess and distribution of mail...]

Mess and distribution of mail at the "non-com" school for the M.T.C. at
Longpont
[Illustration: Far from Broadway]
Far from Broadway--S.R.O.--Christmas 1917 at a YMCA hut
[Illustration: Dressing a gas burn case]
[Illustration: "Mission Ambrine"] "Mission Ambrine" Compiègne
Hospital for the treatment of burns
[Illustration: Americans quartered in the old abbey...]
Americans quartered in the old abbey St. John de Vine of Soissons in
the spring of '18
[Illustration: All the Same Family]
Henri, who tends sheep with his assistant (Leroy)
She teaches us French
Jean, who comes around at mess time for "confiture Americaine," and
who has learned how to say "chewing gum" and "cigarette."
And Pierre picked the spuds
[Illustration: Their last war]
Chateau Thierry--France 1918
[Illustration: The town of Cuffies...]
The town of Cuffies (sur Aisne) held by the Germans till 1916, when
the old inhabitants began moving back in; they were assisted in
re-establishing their life there by the American Red Cross
[Illustration: The site of the home of Madam Crépin...]
The site of the home of Madam Crépin where the Red Cross set up a
barrack cottage for her.
[Illustration: The Glory of Reims]
[Illustration: Cut off from rations for three days...]
Cut off from rations for three days in the wood--with one can of
tomatoes for both food and drink--
[Illustration: A sixteen year old volunteer]
[Illustration]

"MADELON"
It seemed years since I had seen one,-- Years of hiking, sweat and
blood, Didn't think there was a clean one In these miles of men and
mud.
Well, I stood there, laughing, drinking, Kidding her in bon fransay But

the things that I was thinking Were a thousand miles away.
Sewed my stripe on like a mother, Gee! She was a pretty kid.... But I
left her like a brother,-- Shake her hand was all I did.
Then I says: "Vous, all right, cherry--" And my throat stuck, and it
hurt.... And I showed her what I carry In the pocket of my shirt.
[Illustration: "Maison Comtois"]
[Illustration: A second floor billet]
[Illustration: Outpost at Hershback Germany]
[Illustration: Madelon of the village...]
Madelon of the village, who washed our clothes--and who still has
some of those we had to leave when we pulled out of the sector in the
middle of the night
[Illustration: Neat but not gaudy]
Neat but not gaudy As we come home--on the transport.
[Illustration: Oran Africa 1919]
Troops coming home from Marseilles go by way of Africa and stop to
coal at Oran. Here the doughboy rests the French Arab soldier with
whom He fought side by side at Soissons.
[Illustration: Ready to go Home]
[Illustration: Reading the Draft Covenant for the League of
Nations--Paris] Reading the Draft Covenant for the League of
Nations--Paris (President Wilson, center, reads, other figures labelled
as) General Bliss Colonel House Secretary Lansing M. Clemenceau Mr.
Balfour
Peace Conference Feb 14 1919
[Illustration: Blue denims for the trip home]
S.S. Canada 1919
[Illustration: Outpost at Molsberg...]
Outpost at Molsberg, Germany, an ancient castle which stands just on
the edge of the American occupied area and the Neutral Zone.

NOVEMBER ELEVENTH
We stood up and we didn't say a word, It felt just like when you have
dropped your pack After a hike, and straightened out your back And
seem just twice as light as any bird.
We stood up straight and, God! but it was good! When you have
crouched like that for months, to stand Straight up and look right out

toward No-Man's-Land And feel the way you never thought you could.
We saw the trenches on the other side And Jerry, too, not making any
fuss, But prob'ly stupid-happy, just like us. Nobody shot and no one
tried to hide.
If you had listened then I guess you'd heard A sort of sigh from
everybody there, But all we did was stand and stare and stare, Just stare
and stand and never say a word.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of "I was there", by C. LeRoy
Baldridge
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK "I WAS
THERE" ***
***** This file should be named 15937.txt or 15937.zip ***** This
and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/3/15937/
Produced by David Cortesi and the Online Distributed Proofreading
Team.
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be
renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that