AN AMERICAN WW1 SOLDIER WRITES HOME

 [This is the final installment in the effort to transcribe Clyde's military career diary augmented with his letters to his Aunt Nell - Miss Nellie B. Sergent, 503 West 121st St., New York, NY. There are 68 installments - please review from the beginning to get a full appreciation of this young man's service.] Letter to Aunt Nell - Le Mans, F. 10 April 1919 Dear Aunt Nell - Well - here's April 10th and the big rumor is that we will entrain the 13th for St. Nazaire sure! Everything points to a very early movement, anyhow, as the final inspection of the troops is being carried out today and there's no reason why we can't shove off touts de suite! Now - the only question is - "What is the shipping situation at St. Nazaire?" "How long will we have to wait there for our turn for a ship to transport us?" It would seem that we can expect to stay there anywheres from 3 hours to a week or 10 days. It is more than likely that we'll either land at Newpo

  [ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING] Letter to Aunt Nell - H.Q. 1st Bn. 112th Inf. Le Mans, France 25 March 1919 Dear Aunt Nell : - Well, I'm finally with my outfit again - rather rested up and - well, wondering what the H--- is next! Fact is the Battalion pulled out of little, old Burey - la - cote last Tuesday morning - after 69 days there - and after our 24 hour claim period was up, I started balancing up, getting Billeting Lists signed and clearance papers fixed. Well, I got away a couple days after - all clear as far as I know (if something unforeseen comes up I presume I'll have to go back) and went to Neufchateau (big entertainment. "Y", K of C and Hospital center). From there to Toul where I staid all night. Then I went to Commercy; Bar - le - duc; St. Digier; Vitry; Epergny; Chalous - sur - Marne and Chateau - Thierry. Fact is I was very disappointed in the final state of the later [latter?] as

  More diary entries - March 1, 1919, Sat. Beautiful day! Up for inspection. Major back from school. Inspected section at 9. Very good! Wrote letters in a.m. Worked in p.m. on my new billeting records. Bn. dance tonight. Didn't go! Staid here to play Black Jack. Bed at 10:00. March 2, 1919, Sun., Fair day. Slept quite late - breakfast at 8:30 - wrote a few letters - read - played cards - a bit o' foot ball. Sent in some reports, etc., mailed home Joan of Arc souvenir cards. Wrote letters & talked in evening. Bed quite early. March 3, 1919, Mon. Rain. Lectures and review inside in a.m. Base ball game in p.m. (14 - 8) Wrote letters. Old lady drove the boys out of my room today. Wrote Anna. March 4, 1919, Tues. - Rain. No drill today. Went to Goussaincourt to fix up some claims in a.m. Got some orders out - rec'd pay - 745 fr. - wrote letters in evening. Bed early. March 5, 1919, Wed. Up for reveille - Rain. Drill, field work, lecture - aero - photo study in a.m. Loafed in

  Another diary entry - February 8, 1919, Sat. Maneuvers called off - coldest day yet. Took my outfit for 1 hour road march this a.m. to Sauvigny to be snapped [photographed?] in fighting togs in afternoon. Good supper - up to Sorenson's to write in evening. Crouse to dance at 3rd Bn. No mail. About 4 or 5" of snow on ground. Have a pair of long OD breeches - very comfortable. Letter to Aunt Nell - France 8 Feb. 1919 Dear Aunt Nell - Tho I wrote you only yesterday - I've a long evening, a warm fire, beaucoup candles burning, an easy chair, a fresh box of cigars and a quiet room - so - I'm going to use up this abominable paper that my orderly got for me by telling you something of life in a French village - based on my last year's experiences as a doughboy and my present ones as an officer. So, if you haven't time to read it now - you can lay it away - as there's nothing worth while to follow! Ha!Ha! The Battalions (4 companies, 1/3 of a Regiment) hike separ

 More diary entries - January 20, 1919, Mon. Busy getting drill fields. Lectures & drill in a.m. Athletics in p.m. Feel bum. Fine day. January 21, 1919, Tues. Feel fine. Beautiful day! Drill & lectures in a.m. Games in p.m. Colder today. Colonel Geo. Rickerts up. Wrote a few letters in p.m. No mail. Rummy in evening. January 22, 1919, Wed. Fair. [ some of entry erased or too light to decipher] Very cold. Bn. went for Reg't'l. (?) in a.m. Athletics in p.m. ....... AWOL men back. January 23, 1919, Thur. Fair - very cold - a bit of snow in the air. Drill, good lecture & mapping. Ball game in p.m. Rec'd 3 letters. Having some trouble over one of my men who went to Paris, arrested. Guess I'm in wrong with Reg't'l Adj. Damned old crab! January 24, 1919, Frid. - Fair. Cold. Drill, hike, sketching & lectures in a.m. Planning for big football game Sunday. Wrote a few letters - bed early. News of going home in Feb. today. January 25, 1919, Sat. Cold. Cloud