REST CAMP.
Before nightfall we were whisked into Winchester station and there detrained and
marched two miles to Windledowne, an English rest camp. Here the administration was taken
out of the hands of the officers of the regiment – the troops were quartered by the camp officials
and messed by the camp mess. The program was to rest and wait our turn at a channel port for
sailing. Next day was spent in washing clothes, bathing, and fulfilling such camp details as the
authorities requisitioned. Among these was rather a large gardening detail. The men who were
unfortunate or fortunate enough to be on this detail claim strenuously that ‘rest camp’ is a
misnomen. Many of the officers and some of the men were able to get into Winchester and to
see something of English town life. Sight-seers looked up King Arthur’s round table and other
historical sights. There was much interest taken in making friends with our English brothers, and
in learning to speak our own English language. That Winchesterites made special efforts to be
friendly with America was evidenced by a large street streamer, which stretched across the main
street bearing the legend “Cherry Oh Old Fourth”. This was a remnant of the Fourth of July
celebration staged in the city.
ACROSS THE CHANNEL.
Our residence in Winchester rest camp, however, was brief, for on the second morning
we moved out early, entraining for Southampton, a couple hours run brought us there, where we
detrained upon the docks. During the remainder of the day we loaded our barrack bags on the
two channel steamers that were to bear us across the channel that night; the first battalion on the
‘Antrim’; the second battalion, regimental head-quarters, and supply company on the
‘Londonderry’. On the first battalion boat was also the lost battalion of the 357th Infantry, which
was marooned in Halifax for more than a week and was at this time several weeks behind its
regiment, which was already in France, The little channel boats were built for speed and
handiness, but they were certainly in no measure capacitated to take care of the large number of
soldiers which were being loaded upon them.
STANDING ROOM ONLY.
There was no chance for rest or any place to sleep, and a soldier was lucky if he was able
to find a place to sit – mostly it was standing room only. Everywhere on the decks, in the holds,
in the small cabins – it was like human sardines. We were provided here with English travel
rations, – hard bread, cheese, tea, jam, – a sufficient ration, but not very variated. That night a
strong guard was posted on decks to look out for submarines and to keep soldiers from making
lights. There were few who slept any during that night. Had a submarine torpedo struck that
boat, or anything else gone amiss, there certainly would have been a disaster, for the men were
so entangled that none would have been able to get into a life boat, and the latter, of course, were
in no wise sufficient to accommodate the number of passengers aboard. However, there was
little fear of submarines, partly, no doubt, because by this time we felt ourselves to be old sailors,
veterans of the convoy across the Atlantic; but particularly because of the two submarine
chasers, which joined us just as we left Southampton Harbor. The soldiers had already learned to
have great confidence and respect for these little boats. Also for the Londonderry, upon which
we were sailing, we soon became to gain wholesome respect, for once clear of the harbor, its
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