Thursday, January 17, 1918:
Another trip has been made by our section to Bar-le-Duc leaving with cars from here Saturday January 12, but I begged off on grounds of no gloves and with five others spent a very pleasant vacation in these barracks. The weather was delightful so that the boys were able to return Monday night. They reported the most successful convoy yet and all seemed to be in good spirits, only bringing back two malades--stomach trouble.
The most excitement this place has seen for some time took place yesterday when 300 new Allentown men marched in on us. They just arrived from the States landing, direct route, at Brest. About 25,000 troops came over in their convoy and they report that the Vaterland [S.S. Leviathan] arrived safely the week before with 12,500 on board depositing her cargo in England. Things are picking up. It is estimated that American troops in France must now total between 400,000 and 500,000 in number.
This new crowd are almost unanimously “Kites” and, of course, most green. They are much awed with the trenches around here and the guns in an artillery school in Chantilly almost created a havoc. They are all casuals and have wild ideas that they are going out soon.
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