AN AMERICAN WW1 SOLDIER WRITES HOME

 Letter to Aunt nell - 12th Co. 3rd Bn. Army Candidates School A.P.O. 714 A.E.F. France October 27, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell: - I received a batch of letters - 21 in all - the other day - from Anna, Mother, Grandma, Ethel W., Dorothy Culver, Berneice H., Martha Todd, My Lodge Sec'y, Margaret Rose, and Frank Yates and - not a single one from you! I wonder if you have written very regularly lately? There's not much news - am in town again today - for luncheon & dinner. Will let you determine from the two menus below rather we fed well or not. Luncheon - des oeufs sur le plat Porc cotelette Sadade de ce'le'ri Les pommes de terre frites du pain blanc et du beurre Une pomme; une tasse de cafe' au lait Raisin Dinner - Un potage consomme' Un canard rote'aus petit pois Aspereges a' la sauce blanche Cafe' Fromage francais Un gateau (and) "une bouteille de vin blanc" So you see, along with study, writing notes and outlining some lecture topics for fut...

 Letter to Aunt nell - Oct. 19, 1918 Dear Aunt Nell - Just a few lines to say the exams are over and - well - I was surprised to discover that I would answer every identical question - dead easy! So - tonight I'm pretty satisfied with myself & the world in general - and - while not too confident that I'll be Lieut. Bliss in a week or so - I've no reason to be other than sure I've done my best and think that chances are "pretty durned bon." Will write you as soon as I know - and - if that cablegram comes with the money in time, will cable you, and you can let the folks at home know. Do you know the meaning of the French word "liaison"? Anyhow - we military students and "experts"(?) use it daily - it's incorporated in ever tactical problem or military source or vein of thinking. It means "communication" or "cooperation through close touch between the (?) of the service." Well a French Lieut. was lecturing us this w...

 More diary entries - October 7, 1918, Mon., Partly cloudy. C.O. drill, bayonet & physical, map problem, patrol conference, a T.M. lecture and an approach drill in a.m. Had 2 hours of writing up a patrol (reconnoitering) problem & a 1 hour conference in counter attack in p.m. Study combat & Browning A.R. in evening. Bed early. Cold night. October 8, 1918, Tues. Rain. Went to Polygon for a counter - attack problem in a.m. Critique on yesterday's Map problem. Mine was perfect. Class in attack work in p.m. and an advance drill. School in defensive combat in evening. Shaved. Wrote notes. Bed at 10. October 9, 1918, Wed., Cold - fair. Regular old fashioned foggy morning. Had terrain exercise in jumping off attack in a.m. & a hike. Lecture on field forts & attack exercise in p.m. - then fixed stone walk. (?) Rotten meals here lately. Study 7 - 9 p.m. Now sleeping next to aisle. Cold night. No mail. October 10, 1918, Thur., Fair. Went to Polygon for a problem in cleari...

 More diary entries - September 30, 1918, Mon., Rain in a.m. Clear p.m. Fired rifle grenades in a.m. - to Langres at 10:00 - 5 of us - to be "de-cootieized" again. Had excellent dinner, long bath, shave, clothes pressed & cleaned - back at 3:20 for a map conference. Study & lecture in evening. Very cold. Am feeling more fit today than ever before. This stuff is great! Bed at taps. October 1, 1918, Tues., Cold day. Had offensive formations & maps in a.m. and bayonet & messages in p.m. Studt 7 - 9. Stiff stuff. We hear our Reg't. is in Cambrai. Oh! to be with them! No mail. October 2, 1918, Wed., Cold. Fair. Had bayonet & lecture on Infantry weapons, lecture on Field Fortifications & in p.m. 2 hrs. of formations for combat & a lecture on the organization of terrain. Study 7 - 9 in p.m. Very good news in the papers today. Wrote notes 9 - 10. Cold night. October 3, 1918, Thurs.. Fair. Warmed up in p.m. We had C. O. drill,bomb throwing (live) & ...