Diary entries

November 16, 1918, Sat.

Up at 7:30. Took my plat. out in an observation walk this a.m. Fine section of men. Am feeding at the Major's table - fine life - luxurious quarters, etc. Planned future instruction with Sgt. O'Connor in p.m. Wrote a few letters. Bed early. Order came in that I am detailed to school. (Toast for supper. Wonderful eats)

November 17, 1918, Sun., Fair.

Up at 6:30. Packed my bedding roll, had breakfast (oatmeal & pancakes) - went to Bruyères, then to Wouville (?), then to Commercy to take train. Ed Fisher, Matthews & Jack Johnstone also in our party. (Great sendoff by my old D Co. men & my (?) section. Left for Toul - staid in Toul - in a nice cot at officers Y.M.C.A. In bed at 10:30 p.m. Good supper.

November 18, 1918, Mon.

Up at 11 a.m. Slept the clock once around! Had a fine breakfast in Hotel Metz - at Toul. About town - saw famous cathedral. Left at 5 p.m. for Andilly - past Langres. Arrived there 1:30 a.m. Hiked to Fort - Army Inf. Spec. Schools - in a good bed - 5 blankets. Slept.

November 19, 1918, Tues.

Up at 7. Had bkfst. at officers mess - registered - assigned to observation & sniping course - same old instructors as in July. Went to Langres in truck for bath in p.m. Saw Devlin & Ricaud. Back - wrote Dad's Xmas letter - also Anna & Allen. To bed early - great eats here.

November 20, 1918, Wed.

Up early. Excellent food at officers mess - cost $1.18 per day. Zeroed new rifles at 100+ this a.m. & took a tactical walk in p.m. Had long talk with Lieut. Duane. To movies in mess hall & wrote a bit in evening. Cold as hell in our barracks!

November 21, 1918, Thur.

Had lecture on 37 M/M gun & Browning A.R. and exercises in a.m. Took a hike in p.m. Just killing time this week I guess. Wrote a few letters. Bed early. Very cold now days. Wrote in "Y" in evening - heard some great songs - chatted with 2 girls in "Y" canteen!

November 22, 1918, Frid.

Beautiful Day. Had drill, a tactical lecture & a hike in a.m. - and a Bn. hike in p.m. Wrote Dad a Xmas letter telling him a lot of my travels, etc. Bed early - darned cold & frosty out.

November 23, 1918, Sat.

Had roll call, assigned to squads & dismissed in a.m. In p.m. wrote a bunch of Xmas greetings - went to a football game between (?) cannon & Stokes mortar - score 0 - 0. Read & wrote a bit in evening.

November 24, 1918, Sun. Cloudy - Some rain.

The first rainy day since peace! Loafed in a.m., went to bible class, wrote a few letters - shaved & bathed in p.m. & talked around our barracks stove. Bed very early.

Letter to Aunt Nell -

November 24, 1919

Dear Aunt Nell -

Well, here's Sunday. I've (?) out that Dad's Xmas letter they've so widely press - agented throughout the A.E.F. - and - as censorship regulations have been eased up a whole lot - I was able to tell Dad about all that has happened since I left USA. 

I don't know how much you've already heard about my old Division's career over here - but I'll simply say that they made good - were highly praised by Sir Douglas Haig - and kept on making good. I fought with them on the Flanders front, south of Ypres, at the time the Boche went back at Mont Kimwell (??). It was there that I made good and received my recommendations for promotion - but I did not leave the Regiment until after we came to the Cambrai front - between Cambrai & St. Quinten - at Le Catelet. Since then I've been up in the Argonne Forest, a short trip to the St. Mikiel sector - and - after being commissioned was rushed out to my present Division, near Verdun, in front of the Metz forts - so, the scenes at Ypres, Dickebush, Mount Kimwell, Cambrai, St. Quinten, Le Catelet, Soissons, Chateau Thierry, Verdun, St. Mikiel, and Metz are all more or less familiar to me - and I've been in reserve, as well, at Arras, Amiens, Poperinge, Dixemude, and beyond Toul. [note - Clyde is writing with a fountain pen or something with a very fine point and it is near impossible to decipher what he's written.] There one trip up near Rheims about completes my little experiences. You see, I'd be in school and a chance for expert snipers or scouts would come for a hurry emergency trip and - every time I'd be lucky enough to get in on the Specialists party - make a new sector each time. - have quite a few thrilling little experiences - and by plain damn fool luck - come out of each one alive.

Among the experiences that I think will interest you most, when I get home, are some that are real stuff. Once over a kilometer behind the Boche lines at night, on patrol was the closest call, I think, as it was getting near morning and - well - I'll tell it - not write it. Then, I went out in nomansland one morning before day break with a sniper's rifle, alone, to see if I couldn't catch a Boche Machine Gunner sneaking back to his lines from his night post. It was a foggy morning, by the way, and - the fog suddenly lifted, making it as light as day. My day out there in a half water filled shell hole is another little tale of woe quite amusing. And - such are the type of things that happened all summer. I've been tremendously lucky - once I saw a friend I hadn't seen in a long time - jumped out of my shell hole to shake hands with him and a sniper's bullet caught him right between the eyes as we were shaking hands - and he a little runt half my size. Why the sniper picked him I never knew but I do know the sniper didn't have time to get me before I got back in my shell hole! Yes! if the YMCA could only loosen up on their paper a bit, I would jot down things from memory all afternoon - but - they'll keep until I see you, I guess!

Will close for now - wishing you a very Merry Xmas, as ever

With much love, Clyde

My address

2nd Lieut. Clyde G. Bliss

H.Q. 1st Bn. 112th U.S. Inf

A.E.F. France

A.P.O. 744