[ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING]

More diary entries -

Dec. 13, 1917, Thur., Sleet part of the day. Cold. Cloudy.

Had hike & tent inspection this a.m. Had lecture on gasses & use of gas masks this p.m. and a half hour of close order - also some tent instruction and study. Selee detailed today for skipping school. Cold at night. Wrote Uncle D. Bed early.

Dec. 14, 1917, Frid., Fair. Sunshine. Cool.

Had 1 hour hike this a.m. Then school in tents on wig wag - and drill in close order from 11 to 11:30. Snow is beginning to melt. Did not drill until 3 p.m. Then had close order from 3 - 4. Prepared for inspection tomorrow. Letters from Sis, Dot, Margaret, Grandma Spoor & Rev. Moody. Bed late.

Dec. 15, 1917, Sat., Fair. Quite cold but clear.

Had regular inspection this a.m. by Major Sherman. Was mighty stiff inspection. Sgt. Turner & I went to town this p.m. for a bath and I sent for my Xmas photos. Were back for retreat. Letters from Spike & Chester today. Wrote letters this eve. Bed early. Very cold night. Sent lavalier to Anna today. Paid photographer $2.00. [A lavalier is an item of jewelry consisting of a pendant, sometimes with one stone, suspended from a necklace. Linda believes she inherited this from her grandmother.]

Dec. 16, 1917, Sun., Very cold. Partly cloudy.

Was out for reveille. Then read, etc. until 12:30. Then Sgts. McGuire, Turner, Ferriere & myself, Corp. Mead & Pvts. Dudley & Atkins went to a farmhouse (Fitzgeralds) for dinner - price $1.00. Some feed! Back for retreat. Wrote Anna & sent (?) to her. Bed early.

Dec. 17, 1917, Mon., Very cold wind. Partly cloudy.

Had instruction in bombing and a hike this a.m. This p.m. my platoon had sighting exercises in mess hall. The co. went on guard. No school. Bed early. Meerschaum pipe rec'd today from Ray Van Deusen of Mohawk. $7.00 pipe. Some class. Cold.

Dec. 18, 1917, Tues., Cold. Fair.

Regt'l. detail day. Had charge of st. policing detail for about 1 hour this a.m. Loafed for the rest of the day. Read. Wrote a few letters. Rec'd a pkg. from Ethel W. - housewife, cigars & tobacco. Rec'd our pay tonight - mine $18.00 other $20.00 allotted to C.J.B. [brother Claude].

Dec. 19, 1917, Wed., Cold. Fair.

In 7th 2 months today. We hiked to Spartanburg this a.m. to give the boys a bath in the Y.M.C.A. Our platoon was back about 11:45. Sent out Xmas cards this p.m. Paid photographer $10.00 to complete my bill of $12.00. Roads very muddy. Snow is melting. Bed early. Cold.

Dec. 20, 1917, Thur., Cloudy. Damp air.

Had 1 hour gas mask practice wearing real masks, etc. - then hiked and completed a.m. by bombing practice - all in 4th platoon. This p.m. I had platoon alone - gave 2 hrs. musketry & wig wag  - then had lecture by Capt. Bed early. Wrote several letters.

Dec. 21, 1917, Frid., Fair. Warmer.

Had wave line formation drill, "3 deep" and close order this a.m. Had bombing, Q. T. ex. [unsure, but possibly Qualification Test exercise], bomb lecture and m. of a. drill [no idea what this was] this p.m. Reg. school this evening prep for reg. Sat. a.m. insp. Bed early.

Letter to Aunt Nell -

Camp Wadsworth U.S.A.

December 21, 1917

Dear Aunt Nell -

Now - again - I prove - most profoundly convincing, at that - that I am living up to my promise to write whenever I had the inclination - regardless of how often your letters come to me. I'm hoping to give you some sort of a conscious cure - as it were! Ha!Ha!

We've had a rather lousy week - just passed! We've had snow - then it began to melt, and now there's a little, very little, left. This business of melting snow as a process watched from your warm, dry fireside - isn't such a disagreeable proposition - but to get out and try to drill in it - well - god forbid a repetition of it! It's tough business, believe me!

Well - our Xmas, for us poor devils who didn't draw furloughs - is going to be a lively affair! We'll sit around all day and smoke, read and write letters - also talk about the home folks, etc. - until 6:30 p.m. Then we'll go up to the jail like mess hall and eat the so called "Xmas dinner"  - then - just to be a sport stay up 'till - oh, say - nine o'clock! Ha!Ha! That's not irony - just fact. Hump! Xmas my eye! I dread the day more than I'd dread going into the muddy frosty trenches for 48 hours! Fact! 

We have had one very new - and very interesting branch of study & practice this past week. Of course you have read about the gas attacks that have become a daily occurrence "over there?" Now you would undoubtedly be interested in learning the effects of those different gases, also the use & description of the masks worn to protect us from them? What?

Well - I'll tell you about them.

Now these gasses are of various sorts. One kind - in two varieties, of intensity - mostly - affect the eyes. The more intense of these two cause absolute blindness - or - injury of the eyes to such an extent that the affected person can never see as well again. The less intense, however causes temporary blindness only. I have not, of course, experienced the first - as yet - as - it wouldn't be policy! Ha!Ha! The other, however, I have! It's tough stuff! You see it affects the lacrimal glands - causing a flood of tears, absolutely uncontrollable, to flow - making one absolutely blind for a time. Fortunately - however - one's eyes are perfectly normal - in a few hours.

The other gasses are worse. They affect the lungs - burning, shriveling, drying the lungs - strangling, suffocating one! They are principally chlorine. The first sign of these - the warning sign of approaching clouds - is that the sense of taste is killed. Also - if one has a cigarette or pipe lighted - it will go out at the first sign of gas. These are the first warnings that cause the sentinels to give the "gas" alarm. These gasses are sent out from the enemy's trenches - of course - only when the wind is right to carry the gas to our trenches. This gas is brought up through the trenches to the front line in tanks - on men's backs. It is then released - there being 1 tank to every 18 or 20 inches of trench front - and all spout gas at once. This gas is exceptionally heavy - therefore settles in our trenches and down into the dugouts. Of course it comes quick - and from the moment it's approach is discovered until it is upon us - is a short time. Delay in getting the gas mask on means death. Therefore - the necessity of learning to get the mask on in 4 or 5 seconds.

Now - about the mask! It's carried in a sort of haversack, hanging directly under the chin - like this:

Page from letter with diagram of gas mask haversack.

when it is to be used the flap on top is thrown over and the mask is pulled out. Opened - the mask is put on in a certain way - "by the numbers" - we call it.

In the haversack there is the mask and the cannister - like this. Drawn in sort of skeleton (?) to show insides.

Wire on which canister sits so air can get in the inlet / partition with inlet holes in

A - Cannister section

B - mask compartment - empty - to be air chamber when mask is in use.

Then the mask proper, etc. - looks something like this

Scan of page from letter depicting gas mask components.

A - cannister. Metal can - filled with certain chemicals which neutralize the air & gas as it passes in B- inlet - and up through the can and into the air hose - C. The canister is always in compartment A of the preceding drawing. 

D - is mouth piece - sitting between the teeth and over the gums - making it impossible to inhale except through the tube J.

E - is the nose piece with 2 rubber devices snapping onto the nostrils in such a way that it is impossible to inhale through the nose. E, proper is a circular spring - making the nose piece adjustable from the outside of the mask.

F - are the eyepieces - or goggles. 

L - are pockets - beside the eye piece that are simply a loose pocket - that one may insert the finger and wipe the steam off the glasses if they become clouded without letting gas in.

G - are the elastics that keep the mask on.

H - the edge of the mask fits absolutely close to the face all the way 'round. The mask itself is a rubberized fabric.

I - is the gill valve - or exhaling valve. Air can be blown out but not inhaled through it.

You see the cannister is in the haversack and the flexible tube comes right up from the haversack to your mouth. Gives perfect freedom and one can breathe very easily & naturally after becoming accustomed to it. All in all, it is a wonderfully simple - and life saving affair. I'll try to get some printed diagrams & pictures of it in use later - especially will I have some snapshots taken when I get my own personal outfit.

Well - I think that's a good job - explaining gasses, their protection, etc. - and - as there's no other news - will close - and - as this gets to you about Xmas day - will again wish you a very merry Xmas!

With love, / Clyde

Write soon!

Observations - I found the extent to which Clyde explained gas warfare and masking to be extremely interesting, especially knowing that in just a matter of months he will be exposed to gas, albeit a modest exposure. But that exposure will damage his lungs enough to result in his gradual debilitation and death in a few short years.

Up next - We'll near the end of 1917 with more diary entries and at least one more letter to Aunt Nell. Practice trench warfare continues.

Blow up of Clyde's gas mask diagram.