recovered from their astonishment, he was rushing back
to his command. By virtue of his new rank he went to
Regimental Headquarters as second in command.
With Major Zundel came Second Lieutenants Solomon Abelow and Horace Heyday. The next day the war was over.
The fact of the armistice had been announced during the morning, but the regiment was skeptical, and went about its business. When the firing stopped the men at- tended to their routine duties and grinned wisely when- ever anyone tried to tell them the show was at an end. The silence at last made an impression, and, as a band appeared, victoriously playing at the head of a reginient of Moroccans, the majority conceded that there might be something in the rumor.
There were, however, cases of chronic doubt. Sergeant Joseph, of the band, for example, had been left some distance in the rear to guard a reel cart. He picked up what he could to cat from neighboring units, but on the whole, was a hungry sentry. On November 14th a doughboy passed him in his isolated retreat, came up, and burst into a laugh.
"Hay, Buddy! What you wearing your gas mask in the alert for?"
“Orders," from the sergeant.
A guffaw from the visitor.
"The war's been over three days."
“I've heard that before," replied the sergeant drily. Somehow this fellow managed to persuade him.
The minute the great fact was absorbed the talk was of home. The original word was that the 77th would go into the Army of Occupation. That was altered and, except for a few officers and men, who were transferred to units ordered up, the division moved out of the line.
