. Memories of the "411th" Telegraph Battalion in the World War here and "over there" .... ons when the gaps in the ranks of divisionshad been filled by strangers to the localities from wiiieh they came? Inorder to have rejdacements we broke up two National Army divisions—which was a heartbreaking thing to do—and all the more so as the pres-sure on the lines of communication required that some of the battalionsshould be turned into labor troops. Our hospitals were full. Our teams of surgeons, our divisional sur-geons, our privates, our officers, all hands, were groggy with the kindof fatigue th
. Memories of the "411th" Telegraph Battalion in the World War here and "over there" .... ons when the gaps in the ranks of divisionshad been filled by strangers to the localities from wiiieh they came? Inorder to have rejdacements we broke up two National Army divisions—which was a heartbreaking thing to do—and all the more so as the pres-sure on the lines of communication required that some of the battalionsshould be turned into labor troops. Our hospitals were full. Our teams of surgeons, our divisional sur-geons, our privates, our officers, all hands, were groggy with the kindof fatigue that one nights rest would not cure after that fearful sixweeks draft on their nerve energy. One does not forget the stretcherbearers, and least of all one does not forget the nurses. I mean not thewomen of the volunteer organizations, but the army nurses, the practical,trained women under army discipline who worked double time. They be-came hollow-eyed with w^eariness, but remained cheerful and smiling. Inall the gatherings of veterans associations they should have a place Tlie last construction woik in the liattlo zone. Deadendinjoutside of Verflun, Novemljer 20, 191S. the jol) XIIITHE ARMISTICE /^UR men were scattered over a wide area on November lltliand therefore no opportnnity otfered for a big celebrationsuch as was being indulged in liy other organizations. Thenews seemed too good to be true; we had dreamed of such atime for some weeks and had visualized our desires and hopesas to just vhat form of exjiression they woukl take. The pos-sibility of the report being untrue, as a similar report of a fewdays previous had been, clung to us: peace meant so much thatwe did not dare to be optimistic for fear of when eleven oclock came and firing ceased, our fearsdisappeared: and then in the afternoon the big observationballoons were hauled down, and as the short afternoon beganfading into early twilight, tlie big celebration of fireworks be-Gan. w
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