Return to the Land

July 29, 1918 Camp Mills, Long Island, N.Y. July 29, 1918 at midnight, fell in line with full packs, the first introduction of the full-equipped pack, stood until almost entirely given out. Then marched the company by the mess hall and received our reward of hardtack and two sandwiches and the Captain called B. Co. 323 Infantry to attention. Then we marched off left by-twos to the electric station where we took the train to New York Harbor - after getting off the train two dying suddenly from heavy marching orders. The 323 rd Regiment boarded a big transfer boat to the harbor where we boarded the Empress of Asia, a British transport (the largest in the convoy), which numbered seventeen (17) and eleven (11). Submarine chasers the first day out into the deep blue bring a hydroplane - piloted out - convoy out into abroad way - then we alone had our eyes turned from the Statue of Liberty towards Europe or Kaiser Bill just the night before we left the Eastern shore of the New World. The convoy anchored up at Halifax until a Canadian ship joined the convoy for Liverpool, England. Early on a July morning of the 30 th we bode the United States a sorrowful farewell. However the sea was very rough and we were getting sea sick. I would lie down on my back and close my eyes to keep from getting so very sick. This being the case I was not permitted to enjoy my supper of nice roasted horse meat, but telling the truth I did not know about the luxurious feast of the previous meal until after breakfast had been served of the self same horse. When suddenly all of the boys had gotten very sick and were vomiting over deck and naturally the boys on lower deck were out of luck for they had to close their eyes and mouths after the English lad told us that the horse meat was tainted. But none of the boys had ever eaten any that we know of until this occasion. So on and on we sped half sick and half-fed until finally on the morning of the eleventh (11 th ) we saw the prettiest low green shore with nice shade trees which proved to be a very nice mirage from off the Irish coast. But later in the day we came in sight of Ireland with the accompaniment of 34 submarine chasers thus the boys all feeling very much like leaping for joy for a safe journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Well we sailed down the coast of Ireland an eyewitness of the land and country from where our forefathers came from Ireland on the right and Scotland on the left and thus we were sailing down the Irish Channel. Low and behold we caught sight of another country with towns and cities standing on the banks of its shores and this country is England and thus we were nearing Liverpool, England and designated for dock 71 where the Empress of Asia steamed into. Here we unloaded where we were received with a very hearty welcome. The little girls kissing our hands and giving flowers to as many as possible, hiking along the paved streets in Liverpool the boys gazing at the very strange built city and the old town clocks rang out their sweet tones. Some of the boys were so excited that we would have to pull them from off the streetcar track to keep the double-decked car from running over some of the boys.

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