More diary entries - September 13, 1918, Frid. Looks like a better day. Stood reveille. Camp a mass of mud. Sent packs to Doullens at 11. Bill McGuire & I went to the luncheon after a grand farewell to all the boys. Left Doullens at 7 p.m. - in a box car - reaching Abbeville about 12 p.m. - where we staid for the night. 32 of us picked from 107th. Golding of L Co. and Al MacBurney among them. September 14, 1918, Sat. Awoke in Abbeville yards. Bkfst. at YMCA. Up town at 11 a.m. Fine 17 franc luncheon and a 20 franc mademoiselle by name of Mignonette! Ha!Ha! Left at 6:45 - in a box car. Rode nearly all night. Crowded. Cold. September 15, 1918, Sunday. Awoke - nearly froze - in city of Rouen at 7:30. Put away packs - had good breakfast. Then saw this beautiful city on the Seine. Wonderful town. Saw many Boche prisoners during past 3 days. Left for Paris at 7:30 p.m. September 16, 1918, Monday. 23 years old today! Begun my birthday by waking in the Paris yards during an air raid -...
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More diary entries - August 25, 1918, Sun. Fair. Warm Up at 6 - washed - reveille - good breakfast - wrote letters in a.m. Hiked 3 or 4 miles to a bath house in p.m. Had a good feed at night - rain in evening. Jerry shelled Watou during evening with long range guns. Bed early. August 26, 1918, Mon. Rain most of day. Took my laundry out & had a feed in a.m. and went to town with Harold MacIntyre in p.m. Mac & I talked all evening. Jeal made Battalion observer. Bed about 10:30. August 27, 1918, Tues., Rain some. Had sitting up exercises and a bit of drill in a.m. - and an inspection, drill and retreat in p.m. Ray & I went to town for a brush, candy, vin, etc. in evening. Bed rather early. August 28, 1918, Wed. Rain most of day - cool. Maj. Gen. O'Ryan inspected us in a.m. and raised particular hell with the C. O. about things in general. C. O. takes it all out on us Sergts! Ha!Ha! Loafed most of p.m. Wrote Peggy in evening - bed at 10:00. August 29, 1918, Thur. Up ...
More diary entries - August 23, 1918, Frid. Left Chile farm - through Abeele [Abele (also spelled Abeele) is a small village or hamlet in the city of Poperinge, in the Belgian province of West Flanders.] to Watou, where we went into the same camp we left Aug 12th. Arrived after noon - had good meal. Jeal & I in pup tents - rained in night - feel rotten - diarrhea and sore throat. [perhaps from gas exposure] Bed & asleep early. Some peaceful place, this! August 24, 1918, Sat. Slept until 10 a.m. Sick - didn't make formations - felt slightly better at noon. Sewed, wrote mother & Anna in p.m. and played cards. Were paid after supper - 265 francs - Jeal & I went into town - bed rather late. Felt pretty bum all day. Rotten night. Letter to Aunt Nell - Somewhere "over here? August 24, 1918 Dearest Aunt Nell - After asking me so many times of my impressions of the life of a soldier in the front line trenches, I believe the time has come when I can tell you something ...
More diary entries - August 15, 1918, Thurs. Up 6 a.m. Slept good. Sent out on early salvage detail and a working party. Later, Roger & I cooked breakfast, cleaned up, etc. in a.m. Nice day. Hiked to B.H.Q. [British HQ] in evening, then into the front line trenches, left of Kemmel [Belgium]. In full command of my platoon. Just as my last section was about to step into the trench a Boche M.G. [machine gun] bullet caught Roger Smith thru the chest. Sent him back at once. Made reports and staid up all night. August 16, 1918, Frid. Slept from 6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Visited my men & cheered 'em up a bit - are well situated. English units changed tonight - now C.S.M. (?) fine chaps (Sherwood Foresters ) [The Sherwood Foresters - Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment - was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970.] Quiet day - few shells near, plenty of sniping - 2 hour patrol at night. Roger died this a.m. August...
More diary entries - August 5, 1918, Mon., Rain. Marched to a rifle range. Shot on 300+ & 500+. Good shooting. Rotten eats. Rained nearly all day. Not back until 7 p.m. Take charge of my platoon again tomorrow. Rec'd 8 more letters tonight. Signed pay role. Have 8 Francs due me from Hagen and June & July pay due. Rained most of night. August 6, 1918, Tues. A few showers. Cooler Took command of my platoon again at reveille. Bunch were mighty glad to welcome me back. Drill this a.m. - good - gas work & drill in p.m. All very good. Rec'd 7 more letters today. Wrote a few letters in evening. Bed early. August 7, 1918, Wed. Fair all day. Hiked to rifle range - marking targets all day. Co. K fed us lunch - rotten. Back at 6:30. Great feed at night. Old platoon - "Terrible Tigers" in great spirits again. I am in sole command of platoon again. Played rum, talked in eve, Bed early. August 8, 1928, Thurs. Cool. Partly cloudy. Left at 7 a.m. for range. Shot in 500+ ...
More diary entries - August 1, 1918, Thursday Up 5:30 a.m. Made pack & (?) & hiked back to Abbeville. Washed up & had breakfast of corn willy, 'tack & tea. On train - box cars (of course!) at 9:15. Left Abbeville - going NW at 10:24 a.m. Arrived in Etaples [Étaples or Étaples-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a fishing and leisure port on the Canche river.] at 12:07. Marched up to British rest camp on hill for over night. In a tent. Loafed all p.m. and cleaned up. Chatted with a Marine from Château-Thierry. Spent night here - Jerry attacked us - close chance from shrapnel. Warmer. Slept fine. August 2, 1918, Frid. Up 5 a.m. On train at 7. Left 7:30. Reached Boulongne at 9 a.m.; Calais - 10:30; St. Omer 1:10; Cassel 3:30 and at Esquelbecq [Esquelbecq is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.] at 5. Spent the night here in a camp for casuals. Fine night's rest. August 3, 1918, Sat. Up 5:45. Made ad-d (?) ...
Letter to Aunt Nell - France July 31, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell: - Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well and feeling as lively as usual, etc. I probably wouldn't have written you but recently I started on a journey of several days and it occurred to me that it might amuse you to learn how I was equipped by way of commissary supplies. Now you can laugh - and enjoy the situation immensely as you won't ever have to sit in a box car by day, and lay on its floor and "simulate" sleep by night - so here goes: Of course I had my full pack - all my worldly goods - and a peculiarly shaped bag in addition. In that bag were the following - 6 pkgs. of hard tack, 3 cans of corn "willy" (beef), 2 cans tomatoes, a can of jam and a piece of cheese. These I systematically divided into a number of parts equal to the number of days first - then from each day's allotment, arranged my 3 "menus." At different stations I got hot coffee (with a wee bit o' rum...
More diary entries - July 22, 1918, Mon., Fair. Warm. Had an hour of drill on offensive combat - line of half platoons, combat groups and skirmishes. Then observation practice, and some dictation on Boche organization & identification to finish a.m. Went to 100+ range in p.m. Made 7 straight bulls on 3" bull - and 5 hits ex 5 shots at 4 sep. varying target. Wrote notes. Out from 8 - 11:30 p.m. on a patrol problem - hiked 3 miles out & back. Bed about 12. Darned tired. Good patrols. July 23, 1918, Tuesday. Rain. Cloudy. Result of last Sat. Exam: Lt. Duane - on maps, etc. 98%. Lt. Conley - on musketry, sniping & R.F.'s - 97%. Lt. Graustedt - on patrolling, sketching, etc. - 90%. Lt. Egan - musketry, sniping, telescopic sights, etc. - 60%. Grand average 86 1/4%. On 400+ range in a.m. Poor light - did not shoot very well. Formed up for battle show - but it was called off on acct. of rain. Had a patrol problem and planned athletics for tomorrow. Wrote a bit in evening ...
France. Sunday July 21, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell - Here's Sunday again and it's possible to write you a few lines so here it goes! A fellow thinks observation posts, sniping, patrolling, scouting, map coordination, panoramic sketching, prismatic compass, protractors, alidades, aero-photos, range cards, telescopic sights, range finders, sniperscopes, periscopes, traversing rifle rests, theories of musketry, camouflage, minor tactics, gas defense, drill, calisthenics, ballistics and discipline all the week - then - the week end arrives and he reads the Sat. Evening Post, the Stars & Stripes, the weekly newspapers and thinks about things farthest from military most of the time. Then there are always YMCA movies and often something much better. For instance - one particular Sat. night they had a very famous lady singer from the Opera Comique, of Paris - a well known lady pianist, a tenor singer who was wonderful and - as a diversion a contortionist - so it made a regular show. Then...
More diary entries - July 15, 1918, Mon., Warm, at Langres, France Sergt.'s warrant dated 1 year ago today. Had scouting - panoramic sketching all a.m. Had practical work in S & OP's this p.m. and wrote O.P. reports, offensive & defensive range cards, sketched and repaired a S.P. Wrote notes & a few letters in evening. Bed early. Made study of Boche rifle in evening. Gas defense lecture 4 - 5:30. Very hot. July 16, 1918, Tues., Very hot. Had work on 100+ range - shooting at heads in window, periscopes & cans in air this a.m. Lecture on protractors, air-photos, O.P. records, and a quiz in map work, etc. Issue of new overseas caps, socks, etc. tonight. Wrote notes & few letters. Making plans on tomorrow's athletics. We were 2nd 1st week and 3rd last week (O&S section). Hottest day yet. July 17, 1918, Wed. Still hotter than yesterday. On 200+ range this a.m. at bullseye, disappearing walking targets. Did fairly well. Had races, tug of war, and boxing. ...
Letter to Aunt Nell - Sunday. July 14, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell :- Just a few lines to sort of show you up! How - I'll bet you haven't written me two Sundays in succession - and this is the second that I've written to you! So - get busy! Ha! Ha! Today is France's Independence Day - their Fourth! Perhaps you will have read of the Yank Fourth over here - but anyhow - I'm enclosing a clipping from "The Stars & Stripes" the official A.E.F. newspaper - our paper - that tells you more about the glorious fourth over here than you could get written any other way. Am also enclosing an editorial from our paper - which is pretty good. [see both below] Recently - at a certain place and certain date the chaplain of Columbia U. gave an address - and it was my good fortune to hear him. Later, I'll tell you more about him & his work, if I can - as I know it'll interest you. Let's see - you're head over heels in progress with your vacation by now, aren...
More diary entries - July 5, 1918, Fridat, Fair. Warmer. Langres - Marne. Up at 6:45. Fine meals - best I've had in all my service here! On 200 yard range this a.m. shooting at 8" bull, 4 sec. disapp'g silhouettes and moving silhouettes (?) much better than average. Had whole afternoon working with & being lectured on range finders - both B&L [Bausch & Lomb] and Barr & Stroud [Barr & Stroud Limited was a pioneering Glasgow optical engineering firm. They played a leading role in the development of modern optics, including rangefinders]. Very interesting. Lecture at 7 p.m. on minor tactics. Covering new assault formation. Saw "David Copperfield" movie after. 2 francs due me from Pinkerstone. (Paid) July 6, 1918, Sat. Fair. Very Warm. At O.S. School. At 100 yard range all a.m. after a bit of close order & physical. Shot rifles in fixed rest & transversing mounts, used telescopic sighted rifles and shot with the sniperscope attachment. In...
Letter to Aunt Nell - Clyde's letter to Aunt Nell July 4, 1918, from Langres, France. Knights of Columbus War Activities Somewhere in France July 4, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell - Somehow, I've an idea that you've written me one or more times since I've left U.S.A. but I've absolutely no material proof of the fact. 'Ats Right! not a single letter from you since I've been in France! But, I've been away from my company a lot and perhaps some has come in that I've not seen. You see I've carried on in my hobbies - Scouting, Observation and Sniping and am pretty busy with it - and very persistently at my notes when not taking lectures, dictation and practicing the stunts we learn. I find that as time goes on I'm thickening and hardening in great shape, getting more endurance & strength, gradually acquiring lightning speed in movement and all that sort of thing - fact is you wouldn't know me. But, due to age, I guess, I'm not as good a shot as...
More diary entries - June 19, 1918, Wed., Fair in p.m. Rain in a.m. Warmer Up at 7. Dead tired yet. Have runs good & strong; pretty weak. Had rotten bkfst. Marched to beach - odds & ends of drill all day - fairly easy. Had my platoon in new formation drill. Went fine. Feel better tonight. Shaved - washed up. Wrote - bed early. Jeal cleans my rifle. By mistake! Ha!Ha! June 20, 1918, Thur., Cloudy in a.m. Rain in p.m. Hike . Up at 6 for reveille. Rotten bkfst. Made our packs - preparatory to moving away. Left about 11 and hiked to 1:00 p.m. Fair lunch on road from our rolling kitchen. On the road again at 3:00. Arrived at a camp up in the forest near the Somme about 5:00. Not so tired - men all came in O.K. today. Jeal & I in pup tent - rain at night. June 21, 1918, Friday. Cloudy. Some Rain. On hike. Left our camp near Brancourt early this a.m. Delayed a bit a mile out for water - hiked through St. Valerey to Noyelles, where we stopped for lunch. Then hiked until 5:30 p...
Letter to Aunt Nell - [I'm inserting this letter here because although I anticipated that it was written on June 18, I discovered when removing it from the envelope that it was actually written on June 8 and I'm transcribing it here in order to maintain the chronology of this post. I also want to mention that some of the envelopes from Clyde's overseas service were discovered to be empty.] Somewhere in France June 8, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell - Just a few lines to supplement my doings, etc. since I wrote you last. Am still in France - but at a slightly different place. My company is still in billets, of course, but I'm on a bit of detached duty up here at the British School of Scouting, Observation and Sniping [S.O.S.] for Officers and N.C.O.s. I am representing my company here. We have Four N.C.O.s and a Lieut. from my battalion, learning what we can about "S.O.S." It's quite a school - and I find the British instructors (commissioned and warranted) to be very...
More diary entries - May 31, 1918, Friday. Fair. Very Warm. France Good stiff drill first half of morning - then had monthly muster. Billet Commanders meeting at 1:00 on future plans. Lecture by English Sergt. on the Short Enfield Rifle 2 -3. Cal. 303 Mark IIII. Went to a canal for a swim 3 -4. Good supper. Went down and changed money for french values (20 cents = 1 Franc) Air raid expected tonight. Wrote a few letters - bed fairly early. June 1, 1918. Sat. Warm. In France. Drill both a.m. & p.m. with reg. Sat. a.m. insp. this a.m. Not very interesting today. Air attackers very near us last night. Many Boche planes directly over us last night. Several bombs struck within a half mile of us. Jarred us nearly out of bed. Bed before the Boche arrived tonight. Had some corking fine old champagne tonight. June 2, 1918, Sun., Warm. In France Got my guard out this a.m. - then played cards with Markham until noon. Good luncheon. Wrote letters in p.m. "Jerry" didn't come aroun...