|
(Apologies for the rough formatting of this page. I'm clearly not a web designer and welcome ideas for improvement!) My mom, Evelyn Marvel (maiden name), had an Uncle Paul on her mother's side. When my Uncle Paul died one of his possessions was the diary you are about to read. My mom doesn't know who A. W. Miller is - distant relative, friend of Paul? A little genealogy is in order. I have had the diary since my teenage years, and hadn't read it probably since first receiving it. My 12 year old son (2006), however, loves history. He can't get enough of it. When he learned of the diary, he excitedly asked to read it. To better preserve it, though, we decided to carefully scan it in. The original scans are much larger than the ones shown on the following web pages. While Mr. Miller points out that this is a copy of his original diary, it seems that he copied it partway through his time in Europe. Later pages contain names and addresses written by people he met in France, and the names are mentioned in the next diary entry. So at least a portion of the diary must be original. But I can't help wondering if his first diary is the hands of a family in France... After scanning, I typed the script preserving linebreaks, misspellings, typos, and so on. I am all too human, however, and have probably introduced an error or two. Feel free to point any out that you discover! We are also very interested in any information that might tie other people to Mr. Miller, as well as any general comments or thoughts you might want to share. Thanks! |
 |
When the shells are dropping near
I'm afraid I'm stopping here
In No Mans Land where you hear
that shell hole rag
| Notice. This is not my original Diary. The original got quite tattered & soiled so I copied it word for word in this French Book. The original lays "somewhere in France" AWMiller |
 |
| [1st two pages unfortunately missing] wash-houses in the rear. It seems strange to live in a warm building & gaze through windows once more. We are under quarantine for 21 days not because of sickness but because we will sail for France any day & no man is allowed out of the grounds where he might mix with question- able people. May 10th 18, At 4 a.m. today we packed |
 |
|
- is an old Russian cattle boat which was torpedoed once by the Germans. About 12 oclock noon we got up steam & headed for the land of adventure. I found myself wondering as I waved goodbye to America whether or not I should see her shores again. The eats aboard this ship are simply awful. The bread we get is stale - the meat tainted - & one man doesn't get enough to feed a healthy young kid. The crew mutinied & are all under arrest. I have been assigned to a life boat crew owing to my experience in the U.S. Navy, Each boat is provisioned & carries a water cart. Everything seems to be in shape should the worst happen & we are sunk. |
When we entered the war zone one could notice the strained expressions on many a youthful face. A feeling of tense excitement seemed to prevail through- out the ship, but save for one or two exceptions, everyone was outwardly cool & collected. Of course each man wore his life belt constantly & we all knew precisely what to do in event of an attack. Our convoy up to this time consisted of only one American cruiser but when a fleet of swift U. Boat chasers met us we didn't think Fritz stood much chance. At night though it was different. Our huge transports (1,4) loomed up vividly against the horizon, where as it would be impossible to |
 |
|
see the small periscope of a submarine skimming along the surface of the sea. We encountered some rough weather one day & most of the boys were awful sick. The ship rolled from side to side & everytime mess call sounded I noticed that the fellows carrying the eats usually slid all over the deck & spilled the chuck. The mess hall on these occasions looked like a garbage plant. About May 20th, I heard our guns firing & quickly ran to my station expecting the ship to be torpedoed. When I got on deck great excitement was in evidence & although I searched the sea expectantly, I couldn't sight any hostile U-Boats. I learned later that |
4 submarines were after us & that at least two of them were sunk. That night I thought we were bound to get it as the sailors said the surround- ing waters were full of German U. Boats. But nothing happened & on May 23rd we sighted France. We worked all of that night unloading the ship & on the 24th we dis-em- barked & marched to a grove on the outskirts of the city, which was Brest. We pitched pup tents in this grove & remained there for 3 days. A small Belgian Boy told me his mother & father, also him- self, had been deported into Germany & that one day when they failed to halt at the command of a Boche sentry, a bomb |
 |
|
was thrown, killing the boys parents & severely wounding the boy himself. He showed me a huge scar on the small of his back, also a scar on his tongue, which he claims was made when a German thrust the point of a bay- onet thru the tongue. Such acts as this & the Lusitania sort of encourage a fellow to shout to kill when the Huns are in range. May 27th 1918. Today we left Brest in |
have only cold iron rations. Also the nights are chilly & one cannot sleep because there is no room to stretch out on the floor. May 29th 1918. Arrived at Noyales in the Today I learned that |
 |
 |
|
our transport, the Kursk (or as we called it, Cursed) was a spy & had been shot accordingly. May his soul rot in Hell - the two faced skunk. May 30th 1918. Chanchy, France. After a |
May 31st '18 It was plain Hell again |
 |
|
objective of this raid & from the number of bombs dropped I guess much damage was done. Nine girls, all W.A.A.C. were killed. June 1st 1918. Wow! What a wine party June 2nd 18, I was on patrol duty today |
June 3rd 18, Today Sergt. Jones, an old June 9th 1918. Today 4 of us went hunting |
 |
|
When we got hungry we approached a flock of chickens near a farm house & silently drive them into the woods. We had one hell of a time catching them owing to the thick brush but finally we nabbed two nice plump ones. There was no water around so two of us went to another farm house hoping we could borrow a pail but the woman couldn't understand us so we gave up in disgust & filled our hats with water out of the well. I guess she thinks we are crazy. Later in the day we saw a bunch of German Prisoners working in a saw mill. One of them said - You Americans come far to be killed! Hah! |
Wait until we get in the line. June 11th 1918. Today I was on kitchen |
 |
|
June 13th 1918. Eats are not very plentiful June 14th 1918. Today we marched to Domvast |
our masks, & when we removed them, our eyes burned considerable. June 18th, 1918. My! What a day. We left |
 |
 |
|
June 21st 1918. Houverilles France. Enroute June 22nd 1918. Marched to outskirts of June 23rd 1918. Today I was acting corporal |
Poor Fair! I had him chained to a big roller all night. June 25th 18. This is a payday but I draw June 26th 1918. June 27th 1918. German planes overhead. |
 |
 |
|
in its downward flight passed quite close to me. No planes were shot down. June 29th 1918. Big Divisional maneuver June 30th 1918. Gas instruction today. It |
[Looks like 2 pages missing here] Anyway, we didn't wait for their bombs. We dove for the nearest shelter pronto. July 7th 1918. I am now in Abeele Belgium. |
 |
|
This is the front called Flanders & is noted for its mud & rain. I'll say its some muddy. The British call our camp site "The Bucket of Blood" because we are under shell fire & many men have been killed here. A little group of silent wooden crosses are just a few hundred yards away & I suppose their number will increase daily. July 8th 1918. Last night was a hummer. |
bags around the out- side. The huts are made of galvanized iron but have wooden floors on which we sleep. Shrapnel wont hurt us, but a direct hit means goodbye. When I crossed the Franco-Belgian Border I noticed that for miles the road was camouflaged by a high screen of burlap painted green. This road is under shell fire by the Germans who are in position the other side of Mt. Kemel, only a few miles distant Rumor has it that one of the Kaisers son's is buried under the monastery at Mt. De Catts & for this reason the building was spared. We must carry our gas-masks at all times here, & a gas guard |
 |
|
is continually on duty. July 9th 1918. The day before we arrived |
descend when the German shells bursted too close. On these occasions shrapnel would fly & hum thru the air all around us. The famous battlefields of Ypres & Passandale Ridge are only a few miles distant. July 12th 1918. Today I had a close one. I |
 |
|
or an old blanket & then are lowered in the grave. The bugler sounds taps & the chaplin offers a prayer. July 16th 1918. Today we were reviewed by
July 17th 1918.
Poor Davidson! He was one |
the bullet, which passed clean through his body, & simply imagined it was pretty close to him. Davidson was a good friend of mine & I am mighty sorry to lose him. He owed me $5.00 which I loaned him in Ashville, N.C. Who goes next among us? July 18th 18.
I am now in Leulingham |
 |
|
July 21st 1918.
Today I borrowed 20 Francs off July 26th 18.
Today the fellows were paid |
across a puddle of mud & water because he wouldn't keep quiet. We are sleeping on the ground here & at night we have much company in the shape of worms, spiders etc. July 27th 1918. Erico is confined to his July 30th 1918. This was an exciting day. |
 |
|
lined up for mess, the cook who was drunk, looked everyone over carefully with a razor sticking inside of his leggin. We kidded him along a lot & he kept getting madder & madder, threatening to lick anyone in the line. Someone gipped his razor & then he refused to feed us. Later, in a frenzy of rage he grabbed a rifle & fired two shots down the company street. This ended our dear cooks career for he was promptly arrested & locked up. Before this happened, he had tacked a sign on his cook shack, which read "Come back & get the coat." July 31st 1918. This a.m. while breakfast |
A pan full of oatmeal, O, La, La, - what an awful mess. Tonight a German raider was overhead & our guns shelled him heavily. He was forced to withdraw before he reached his objective. During the day Allied planes pass here returning from night raids in Germany & they fly low turning flips etc. to amuse us. They are very daring men, I'll say. Aug 1st 1918. Back again in the ruins of Aug. 3rd 1918. 6:45pm I am now preparing |
 |
|
though I realize that I'll be under heavy fire. While we sat on the edge of a ditch waiting for our lorry, a shell bursted about 200 yds. away & like a flash we all dove into the ditch, regardless of mud & water. We returned from the front safely but it was a ticklish job speed- ing over hastily filled shelled holes in pitch darkness with Fritz's big ones bursting all around. One lorry in our rear crashed headlong into a tree & John Keller injured his leg slightly. We were on duty at the Front all night loading material on lorries & I saw one of our balloons shot down in flames. Aug. 5 - 18. The regiment is now |
trenches at Mt. Kemel but my platoon was not allowed to go in as our guns draw too much fire & the British dont want us around. Ha! Aug. 6 - 18. At 1:45 P.M. we buried Aug. 7 - 18. Today I raided a chicken |
 |
|
I then bribed a British cook with a sack of Bull Durham to boil them for me, expecting to have a swell little supper. But - when I opened the eggs I found "chicken". More dead men were buried today. Death over here is swift & violent. Aug. 8 - 18. Last eve Fritz put over a Aug. 9 - 18. Today Fritz put over 3 big |
Aug. 10 - 18.
Late last night I was with Aug. 11 - 18. Poor Carr! He went bugs up |
 |
|
to silence a German machine with rifle fire so they climbed on top of a parepet & started throwing bombs at the Boche. Blitzski showed plenty of nerve crawling around No Mans Land & firing off his flare pistol. The Germans tried many times to kill him but he was always too quick for them. Aug. 14 - 18. 3 P.M. Just now I am sweating |
Sunday - Aug. 17 - 18.
9 dead men lay in the grave Aug. 22 - 18. Fritz is busy shelling our |
 |
|
by only a foot or so, & my tent was riddled pretty thoroughly. Hostile planes also attacked our balloons but were driven off by gun fore. It was quite exciting to watch them. Aug, 23 - 18. Last night I went to Wauto or Sept. 1 - 18 Today the Germans |
Reg't. was smashed up bad & lost many men when the went over the top without a preliminary barrage. About 4 P.M. today we packed up & hiked through Steenvorde to a nearby woods where we are now in camp. Sept. 2 - 18. Last night the enemy Sept. 3 - 18. I am back on Trappas Farm |
 |
|
are flying overhead & you expect eternity at any mo- ment? Sept. 4 - 18. Lorries were to have arrived Sept. 5 - 18. We are still stranded but |
bacon, several cans of milk, a large hunk of cheese, a bag of sugar & some tea. This settles the eat problem so now we dont care how long we remain here. I sold some of the sugar & bacon, also my russet shoes, so have beau coup Francs. Sept. 6 - 18. We four are having a |
 |
|
[Arg. Two more missing pages...] Sept. 11 - 18. At 3 P.M. today I was back Sept. 12 - 18. We left Calais last night |
many people were killed. Our breakfast this A.M. consisted of only beans which we warmed over a candle. We are in the outskirts of Abbeyville today & I heard a Belgian lecture in a Y.M.C.A. hut on the deportation & cruelties which his countryman suffered at German hands. It was very tragic. Later, at night we sang songs with men of different nationalities but of course there were no lights in the hut as Fritz might happen along & bomb us. At noon today we built a fire along- side the tracks & heated canned army stew, also made tea. After lunch we strolled to Commune Des Romechamps, looking for potatoes but could find none. |
 |
|
Sept. 14 - 18. Last night our car was Sept. 15 - 18. Am in Rosel du Auvat today Sept. 16 - 18. Back with the company |
came after our baggage late last night & we worked until 3 a.m. getting it all here. Today I went swimming the first time since my arrival overseas, but I couldn't enjoy the water as its mighty cold this time of the year! Sept. 18 - 18. |
 Cathedral in Amiens |
 |
|
in an open field. Sept. 19 - 18. It rained last night so sleep- Sept. 20 - 18. Today I drew my first pay |
won 155 Francs gambling. Sept. 21 - 18. Am in Doolaugh's tanking Sept. 22nd 18. O! What a head. I wish I |
 |
|
In order to relieve my head I took another cold plunge in the creek. Sept. 24th 18. We travelled all of last night |
immense destruction. The railroad on which we rode had just been laid by engineers so our progress was very slow. Bridges had also been thrown hastily across all ravines & creeks. The business of following a retreating enemy in the face of mined properties etc. and establishing a line of communication for forwarding supplies & troops is one of great complication & labor. Sept. 25 - 18. In the distance we can |
 |
|
many shell holes & got pretty wet & muddy. This is the scene of former hard fighting & all around us is barbed wire. Hun dug-outs & other German articles of war. The enemy was here in Force only last week. We are forbidden to enter dug-outs or pick up Fritz's equipment, as man a man has been blown up by a hidden mine. I have spread small boughs of trees on the ground in my pup tent so have a better bed than usual. Water is very scarce here. We are issued only one canteen full per day which must answer for washing, shaving & drinking. How in hell can a fellow keep clean with all this water at his disposal? Believe me, we are dirty |
& lousy in the bargain. This is a dam hard life alright. Sept. 27th 18. As I record these words I |
 |
|
of us realized that there would be some in our ranks missing on the return march. All of last night our guns just ahead of up put up a terrific barrage & again I ask - How in hell can a fellow sleep on a hard damp bed when the air is filled with splitting explosions & the earth seems to be turning upside down? Finally the order came to fall in & we slung our packs, formed our squads & marched forward singing The Yanks are coming & Over There. Somebody started to sing Break the news to Mother but we wouldn't stand for any such sad stuff. While everyone seemed happy, I'll vouch for it that this was far from our |
true state of feelings. We knew to a man what the next few days would bring us, for it was generally understood that we were to be used as sacrifice troops in an effort to break the Hindenburg Line. At 6 P.M. we halted at the foot of a big hill & scattered in small groups. Our artillery was in position behind us so a steady stream of shells kept screaming overhead. About 10 P.M. we grew very sleepy so lay on the ground huddling close to each other as we had no blankets. Suddenly the hum of hostile planes was heard approaching & just as suddenly our guns put up the worst air barrage I had heard up to this time. It was |
 |
|
hell to lay helpless out in the open expecting a bullet or bomb any moment. Of course we got no sleep & about 2 a.m. the order was given to fall in. A big interval was kept between each platoon & when we drew closer to the battle line Fritz shelled us heavily with gas. The sky seemed to be a burn- int red caused by the enormous quantity of shells exploding all around us, & the air was filled with poisonous stuff. We all dove into our gas masks but not before I got a nice whiff of the mustard species. It was a torture to march with a stifling mask on, the skies overhead full of screaming shells & dead |
men laying on the road side. Ahead of us a whole village was in flames & in the flickering light, amid the roar of mighty guns, the files of armed men looked grim & deadly. One lad in my rear kept clutching my coat tail, while another on my left insisted on locking arms. I didn't like this dis- play of timidity but said nothing. I thought half of us would be killed before we reached the line & twice, when shells whizzed close to my head & exploded just a few feet to the right, I thought our turn had come. |
 |
|
Sept. 28th 1918. We arrived here early this Sept. 29th Running from company |
I went to the 3rd Batt. Hdqr. two men, close to me in a shell wrecked trench, were shot. The trench was full of blood in some places & several wounded men were laying on stretchers. It was too risky to take the wounded to the rear in daylight but the attempt was made in the case of a wounded captain. The 4 stretcher bearers were killed & the capt. wounded a second time. This happened only a few feet from me. Many dead Germans lay in No Man's Land & almost at the entrance of my dug-out was a dead Fritz who was so far gone that he stunk. At night my duties were pure hell. I couldn't see where I was going half the |
 |
|
time & was forever stumbling over dead men or falling into muddy shell holes. Barbed wire also bothered me & I had to be very careful when I bumped into a stretch of it because of hidden mines. Poor Carter, another Runner, tripped over a wire & was blown to pieces. At 2.30 a.m. I was relieved & tried to sleep but the roar of guns & frequent gas alarms kept me awake. Sept. 29th 1918. This has been a day of |
& stood waiting for zero hour. As near as I can recall, I wasn't afraid, but I realized fully, as I glanced out over No Mans Land, that many of us would die there very soon. Dawn was just breaking when suddenly a Verey signal light went up & then with one accord thousands of guns opened fire & filled the air overhead with shreiking shells. The earth shook, & for a moment I was dazed by the awful magnitude of the barrage. We scrambled over the parapet, dragging our 1 pounder behind us but before we had advanced many hundreds of yards a German shell blew up our gun & wounded Donnelly & Campano. I piece of shrapnel crashed thru a steel mirror |
 |
|
which I carried in my left breast pocket, but didn't penetrate thru a thick package of letters underneath. I was knocked down, & almost lost consciousness. By this time the Germans had put up a terrific counter barrage & I was caught in the open. I dove headlong into a small shell hole, just made, & lay there wonder- ing how long it would be before I went west. Shells were exploding all around me but I was hit only by chunks of flying dirt. I realized that my chances of living thru a barrage in that small shell hole were very slender, so muttering a half forgotten prayer I ran hell bent for election to a trench |
some few hundred yds. distant. I never expected to reach it alive, but somehow none of the shells & bullets whistling by my head never touched me. I dove into the trench & with my shovel dug deeper for more protection. When the barrage lifted, the men in my platoon were ordered to the rear as we were of no further use with a wrecked gun. But I saw our tanks crawling into action, firing as they advanced, & stayed on the battlefield to watch them. Following the tanks came the Australians, smoking & walking calmly forward. Suddenly the tanks ran over a mine field & were blown up. The explosion was terrific, & the men inside were all killed or burned alive. |
 |
|
The battlefield was covered with dead, dying, & wounded. Many a man in the throes of death would call loudly for his mother or some other loved one. Others in their last moments read the Bible or died, clutching a crucifix. George Yerkes, a very good friend of mind was mortally wounded when we went over the top, & died a few minutes later. He fell face forward, & when stretcher bearers went to pick him up, he waved them away, as though to say - no use - I'm done for. Other friends of mine were killed or wounded & all told, my division lost about 11,000 men in the days attack. One lad, not far from me, was wounded in the shoulder. He pulled off his shirt & lay in |
a shell hole waiting to be carried to the rear but suddenly, a big shell landed directly on top of him & he went skyward in pieces. The air was full of gas. Fritz first gave us a dose of sneezing gas so that we sneezed violently & could hardly wear our masks. Then he put over phosgene & tear gas, while shrapnel & bullets were singing all around. I got plenty of his gas, but it didn't bother me as much as wearing my beastly mask. Oct. 1 - 18. It is a long time since I |
 |
|
All of last night I was on a ration party. I was weighted down with bread & had one hell of a time pushing forward thru barbed wire, over shell holes, dead men, while shells were bursting all around & a terriffic rain was falling. We were to take the rations to the men in the advanced positions but when we reached Capt. Farmer, who was to give us directions, he was scared stiff & owing to the dark, he didn't know which way to go. Finally he decided that we had better wait until dawn before moving & when he saw that we were armed only with pistols, he said, "My God men! Get rifles & bayonets, |
what will you do if the Germans counter- attack? So I took a dead mans gun & all night we stood in a muddy trench, with water almost up to our knees, expecting hell to break loose at any moment. John Keller, who stood next to me was shot in the face, while Homer Hood, got a machine gun bullet thru his helmet. The Germans kept up a steady fire & were always sending up signal lights. At day break we were relieved in order to go on a salvage party. This was another ticklish job as we were out in the open all day under shell fire. Two or our |
 |
|
observation balloons were shot down today but the 5 men in them leapt to safety, using their parachutes. Oct. 2 - 18. The Division has been |
German bayonet that was wired to a mine, O - La, La. Goodbye A.W. if I had pulled it. Eats are dam scarce around here & today I was so hungry that I searched among the dead until I found a can of sardines which tasted mighty good. I also drank a dead man's water as there was none other around. Going into the line we took no blankets with us but I salvaged a German overcoat which afforded a little warmth when I lay in my muddy wet dug-out at night. I stood at the entrance of my dugout about 7.15 tonight when suddenly a shell screamed by my head & broke in the bank of the road about 8 ft. away. I thought that Oberg was killed but both of us |
 |
|
were fortunately unhurt. Pieces from the shell crashed all around us. Another shell landed in a nearby dug-out & killed Jack Broschay & Gier, wounding a few other boys. Oct. 3 - 18. The Hindenburg line is a Oct. 4 - 18. Tincourt, France. It is a relief to be away |
but I sure needed a bath mighty bad. Oct, 5 - 18. I have a vicious cold & feel Oct. 6 - 18. The doctor orders me to Oct. 8 - 18. Still sick but in no danger. |
 |
|
At 7.30 p.m. we were ordered to advance toward the front. Being very weak I couldn't carry a pack, & as we hiked all night, I was in bad shape & actually tottered along. Oct. 9 - 18. Fell better today. Slept a Oct. 10 - 18. Braincourt, France. |
Their signs hung up every- where & all French streets were named after famous German leaders. A dead woman lays in a bed about 100 yds. from me. She was shot thru the stomach & I suppose the Germans did it. Oct. 11 - 18. The call to arms blew at |
 |
|
Water in this country is mighty scarce. I go for days at a time without a wash & weeks without a bath. The Germans poison most of the wells in their retreat & also blow up all bridges, rail- roads etc. Every village we march thru is usually in ruins. Dead men, especially Germans, lay everywhere, but we do not bury them as they are often mined. I forgot to say that in the battle at Hindenburg line one of our boys saw his brother lay ing dead in a shell hole & he went stark mad at the moment. A detachment of German prisoners was marching to the rear & when he saw them he opened fire with a machine gun - killing them all. |
The Boche sniper who was in Bullecourt received a wound & was captured by our boys. While being taken to the rear on a stretcher, an Aussie inquired who the German was, & when told, he killed him. The Scheldt. canal ran under Bullecourt & the Germans had barges in the tunnel all loaded with property taken out of French houses. My division is classed as shock or sacrifice troops. When a strong point is to be taken at a dear price in lives, we do the job. Hell ain't it? The French people who we liberated from German captivity hail us with cheers & tears. Viva La America, the cry. Oct. 12 - 18. Hiding in the woods today & |
 |
|
beyond the ridge. Being under hostile observation, we all feel that we may be fired on ay any moment, so have split up in small groups. We were told that we were only going in reserve, but now orders are that we take over the front line & go "over the top". I feel a little downhearted because one never knows how lucky he will be when in the thick of another battle. I have been picked to take the first gun in action. A letter just came from my mother. I wonder how she would feel if she knew I was preparing to go into battle - to kill & perhaps be killed. Later. - We advanced night after dark. As we stood on the edge of of the woods forming our ranks, the Germans put a box barrage over on us |
& killed about 15 of our boys. The colonels horse was also killed. A German spy in a nearby town signaled our positions to his artillery. The Australians captured the spy, also his orderly, & shot both. I am under cover in an old filthy horse stable, just a few yards behind the front line. The air is full of gas & many dead men, women & children lay around here. An old man is dying just a few feet from me. About midnight I was awakened, or rather startled by rifle fire just outside of my barn. Drum was with me & we both jumped to our feet thinking that Fritz had come over. It was strange to stand in the dark, facing the door, ready to shoot down the first man who entered, but lucky for us the firing was merely to |
 |
|
give the alarm because a deluge of deadly gas just came over. When the fumes reached us we donned our masks & were safe. Later - Fritz put over a heavy bombardment with his big guns & my barn was blown up. I got a nice shower of bricks but wasn't hurt. Four fellows in my company who were in the next shack were killed, blown to pieces. More of us will go from time to time, & I wonder if I will be aomng the unlucky. Still - death is a mighty big relief from all this hell. A mans nerves are taunt every minute & with gas, shells, bullets etc. life is damned unpleasant. Oct. 15 - 18. This a.m. I went "over the top" |
the point of my gun. Another who refused to stop running away from me when I commanded him to halt, I shot thru the buttocks. Eight Germans who manned a machine gun were killed by 3 shots from our 1 pounder, fired by myself. Martin was shot thru the head & as he lay on the ground, the Huns riddled his body with bullets. Dick Smith was also killed right next me. A German sniper ahead of us got him but Patsy outflanked the Boche & killed him with the bayonet. We forded some river & everyone of us got wet. The enemy was on the opposite bank. Callens cried because we got mixed in some gas & his mask was wet & useless. It was hell alright to be in gas without protection but Callens lived somehow. |
 |
|
Later, Callens lost a leg. Men were dropping all around me, & several bullets tore holes thru my slicker. I ripped my arm on some German barbed wire. When the enemy retreated we took posession of his dug outs & captured great quantities of supplies & clothing. I ate German food, drank German rum, & used German blankets for covering. A machine gun nest was raising hell with our boys so the 1 pounder was ordered out again. We dashed from shell hole to shell hole, trying to get a good position for firing, & when we lay in one hole, a shell landed right on the edge of it & lifted all of us several feet in the air. I thought all the boys with me were killed, but fortunately none were wounded even. |
By this time the Australians put up a smoke screen & under this cover charged the German machine gun nest & wiped out every man. Oct. 15 - 18. Am now resting comfortably |
 |
|
is necessary. The eye is swollen & discharges matter. Men of all nationalities are here, even wounded Germans. Oct. 17 - 18. An eye specialist has taken |
Oct. 19 - 18. Last night I sneaked out of Oct. 20 - 18. A very wild & wooly day. Oct. 21 - 18. Eye is improving & when the Nov. 1 - 18. Back again with my company |
 |
|
When it rains we are nearly swamped. I find a lot more faces missing in our ranks & these boys were killed the day after I left the line for the hospital. On my way back I had to cross 3 bridges that were mined. Blood poison has developed in my left arm owing to the barbed wire gash I got at the front. Nov. 6 - 18. Arm was cut yesterday by Nov. 8 - 18. Today Stoner blew off part |
Nov. 11 - 18. The war ended at 11. a.m. today |
 |
|
Left Corbie France Nov. 25 & entrained for Savigne Leveque. No dinner Thanksgiving day Xmas I went A.W.O.L. for 4 days & had a wild time in Le Man's France. Sent a waiter crashing thru a big plate glass window, licked two M.P.'s, was finally arrested but broke out of jail tootasweet. Also told Lieut. S. what I thought of him. Jan. 26 - 18. Mother always said I'd get |
over $100.00 gambling. Jan. 23 - 19. I learned today that my old Jan. 26 - 18. Another big feast today. We |
 |
|
accomodate us. It was a grand feast & we enjoyed it immensely. We sure spent a lot of money lately but a fellow must do something in this desolate burg or die of stagnation. [Having trouble reading |
Feb. 6 - 19. Still in Savigne Leveque. |
 |
|
Feb. 15 - 19. A.W.O.L. 60 days confinement, Feb. 22 - 19. Today Wagoner & MacKenzie Feb. 23 - 19. Left Savigne Leveque at |
Feb. 24/19. Brest, France. Nine months Feb 28 - 19. Today I boarded the steam- March 3rd 19. Today I am about in |
 |
|
Florence McGrath 9679 Lennox 213 E. 81st St. Cumberland Hotel W. R. Houston |
Mrs H. Plant '53 Franklin St Newark. Miss Catherine Hanna E Webster |
 |
|
Drum - 532 Riley Ave. Buffalo McDonnah, Max [???] Geneva Ed. Shay, 549 So. Wilbur Ave. Syracuse Aust. Schoelles, 69 Callodine Ave. Buffalo Ray Schriner Washington St. Attica, N.Y. Homestead claim in Canada Rudolph Lundburg, 77 Howard St. Jamestown, N.Y. Frank Muench, 11 Love St. Rochester, Joe Livingston, Medina, N.Y. F. Hoyt, 1410 Wash. St. Jamestown, N.Y. Herb Wagner, 150 Norwalk St. Buffalo, N.Y. Fred Gylpe, 197 - 15th St. Buffalo, N.Y. Duncan 687 McKindle Pkway Buffalo, N.Y. |
 |
|
When the shells are dropping near I'm afraid I'm stopping here In No Mans Land where you hear that shell hole rag G. L. Dowling |
 |
|
I got my wind up honey while laying way out in No Mans Land And when the shells are coming fast, I'm afriad I'm smelling gas Each shell is coming near Seems to have my name in letters large & small And when the shells are flying near I'm afraid I'm stopping here Machine gun bullets are whistling around me, The old tin hat seems mighy small Inside I'd like to crawl And hug the ground like porus plaster My head feels heavy & my knees weak, I bite my tongue every time I speak |
 |