Private James Bradford - WW1 Diary
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Diary Part 1 - Pages 1 through 23
| (page 1) Privet James R. Brafford Co. A 101st Amm train American E. F. France March 11th 1918 I Left Camp Sherman for camp Merritt N.J. I were on the train 3 days and 2 nights. March 14th I Left camp Merritt for France I took the boat at Hoboken N.Y. I were on the boat 12 days and 13 nights arrived at Brest France on Mar 26th and unloaded the 27 and hiked about 3 miles to a camp and stayed there for 3 days. March 29 I left for St. Amegy I were on the train 2 days and one night I landed one Saturday stayed there one night March 31 We started for Amontoul. It were about 15 miles.We hiked all the way this was Easter Sunday. I were attached to the 12th company and drilled for 17 days. April 11 We left Amontoul for the front St. Mihl sector on the train 3days 2 night. |
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| (Page 2) After gas come back at supper time. Aug 17 Saturday Went to Chatillon after Hay and took it to the 104 machine gun co. and one load of parts. Aug 18 I took a walk down to Chatillon to the YMCA. |
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| (Page 3) Saturday Aug 31 We left Chattilon - Sur – Seine we went through Montierny Borst – Cube Soutainles in the after noon Montierlycher. We stayed at St. Inzier for the night. Sunday Sep first We left St. Inzier in the morning and went to Bar-la-duc, we got there at noon and left there for Courcelles where we were stationed for a while. I help to horse the headquarters. In the evening I went out to haul troops. Sep 2 I helped to haul water for the kitchen. Sep 3rd I help to wash our truck the truck went down to the rail head to get blankets for the Co. Sep 4th I went over to the rail head at Hargville after ammo and
did not get any. |
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| (Page 4) Sep 17th It was room orderly did not do nothing but bum around. Sep 20 th I went on company guard at 2 Oclock in the night and came off at 6 in the morning went on at 2 in the afternoon came off at 6 in the evening Sep 22nd We moved from Genorcuit to Ambly in the afternoon it rained to beat the band Sep 24th I went up to the horse section in the afternoon. Went down to the rail head in the forenoon. Got back at suppertime. We had pie for supper. Sep 26th I did not do nothing all day my truck went out in the morning. Sep 26th I was called at midnight got up and went down to Ginecort
after amm and went up to the front got back at 1:00 in the after
noon eat dinner and |
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| (Page 5) Went to bed it was affley cold and heavy fog. Sep 28th I was on the Detille in the forenoon and went on amm guard in the evening at 7:00 Oclock and came off at 12:00 Oclock it rained to beat the band. We had a show at the K of C hall I did not get to go on acont of the guard. Sep 29th It rained all forenoon I did not do nothing all day my truck went out. Sep 30th I did not Do nothing I was transferred from the 5 section to the 2nd section. Oct 1st I went up to the front after salvage amm got back at 3 Oclock in the afternoon. I was on room guard duty I worked a little in the forenoon
that is all we did till supper. |
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| (Page 6) Went out and did not come back till night when it come in it was no good. Sep 29th I was transferred from the fifth section to the second section that is all I did that day was move. Sep 30 It rained in the fornoon. I did not do nothing all day. Oct 2 I went up to the front after salvage amm got back at 3 Oclock in the afternoon. Sep 5th I went up to the 103 infantry with garmades and show showes and US caliber pistol amm. Left at 5:00 got back at 8:15 in the evening. Oct 6th Sunday We got paid in the afternoon that was all I did. October 7th 1918 I worked at battalion |
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| (Page 7) Head quarters in the forenoon. I helped to clean the truck in the afternoon for inspection in the evening. Oct. 8th I did not do nothing all day. My truck went out and did not come back till evening it rained nearly all day. Oct. 9th I went over to the new amm dump with one load of 75 shells got back at 7:00 in the evening. Oct. 10th I went up to the front to get a truck out of the ditch. Oct. 11th I did not do nothing all day but bumb around in the forenoon and in the afternoon I got ready for inspection Saturday morning. Oct. 12th Did not have inspection in the forenoon. |
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| (Page 8) We moved in the afternoon from Ambly to Puhe it rained in the evening . Oct. 13th I did not do nothing it rained all day. Oct. 14 I worked on my truck in the forenoon and sleep in the afternoon. Oct 15 I did not do nothing all day. Oct. 16 I worked in the forenoon was room ordry did not do nothing in the evening . Oct. 17 I went and helped to get a truck out of the ditch. Oct 18 I did not do nothing all day. it rained in the forenoon. Oct. 19 I was on guard from 10:00 Oclock in the evening till 2:00 in the morning. |
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| (Page 9) Oct 20th I went up to the front with 75 shells got back in the morning in time for breakfast. Oct 21 We moved from Rupt over in the woods close to Verdun. Oct. 22nd I did not do nothing all day. Oct. 22nd I went out at 8:30 went up to the front was up there all night the Huns sent over some big shells. I got back in the morning at 7:00 Oclock eat breakfast and went to bed.
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| (Page 10) Nov. 1st 1918 I went up to the front and got shelled to beat the band. I had 1.55 gauge shells. Got back in the evening Nov. 2 Was payday I did not do nothing. Nov. 3rd I was on guard in the evening went on and 6:00 and came off at 10:00. Nov. 4 I went on guard in the morning at 6:00 come off at 10:00. November 11th The armistics was signed and in the evening we had a big time we had two kegs of beer in did not go to bed untill 1:00 Oclock. |
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| (Page 11) The ammunition train |
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| (Page 12) When they die they're bound for heaven cause they done their hitch in hell. And went the final taps are sounded and we lay aside lifes care. And we do our very last parade right up those golden stairs. And we'll hear the angels singing and the harps began to play. And we'll draw a million canteen checks and spend them in a day. Then we'll hear Saint Peter tell us loudly with a yell. Take a front seat ammunition train. You done your hitch in hell. |
| (Page 13) THE AMMUNITION TRAIN I'm sitting here and think I Left behind And I'd like to put on paper Wh through my mind. We'll dig a million trenches And a meaner place this side of |
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| (Page 14 ) 13 We've told you for the last time so dear bill it's up tp you And if you do not stop it You halft to fight us to. 14 I did not listen to him And he is coming after me With a million Yankee soldiers From their homes across the sea. 15 That's why I call you satan For I want a advice from you I know that you will tell me Just what I ought to do. 16 Might dear old Kaiser William there's not much for one to tell For the Yanks will make it hotter Than I can for you in hell. 17 I've been a mean old devil But not as mean as you And the minute you get here I will give you my job to you. 18 I'll be ready for your coming And I'll keep the fires bright And I have your room all ready When the Yanks began to fight. For the Boys in Blue will get you I have nothing more to tell Hang up the phone and get your hat And meet me here in hell. |
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| (Page 15) One DEAD MANS CURVE: To night I am a wondering Just what life means to me Of the Paradise I call home So far across the sea. Two We're loaded down with gas shells Ten trucks a pretty sight As they move in train formation Into the darkness of the night. Three The boy's are in goods spirits A better bunch there's none But their spirits seem to dampen As the hills shut out the sun. Four We pass a bunch of wagons There pace seems awfully slow A star shell shoots up in the air And casts is glares below Five Three shells in quick sucession Break a hundred yards ahead An ice cold shiver runs up your back And your helmet seems like lead Six You grasp the wheel more firmly Your foot is prest down flat She takes the gas with a guesling sound And jumps like a frightened cat Seven You wonder how fast you are going As the car seen to rock and shiver The your heart jumps quickly |
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| (Page 16 ) To your mouth as you roll round dead mans curve Eight And then oh boys you know the rest You thought as you take the hill But the memory of that dreadful Curve will stick like a bitter pill Roymeix France. A PRAYER FOR A SOLDIER Keep me O heavenly Father Straight and pure and true Protect my dear ones at home What ever comes help me to Do my duty in Christ's name Amen: From home rote by mother. |
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| (Page 17) I left home on September 9th 1917 for Camp Sherman I stayed at Millersburg all night. I started Early next moring. I arrived at camp at 4:00 Oclock in the evening. I Left Camp Sherman on March the 4th 1918 for camp Merrit in N.J. I was there from Mar 8th till Mar the 14th. On March the 14th I sailed from Hoboken and landed at Brest on March the 26th and unloaded on the morning of the 27th and hiked about 4 miles to a camp and left on March the 29th for Stagnist I arived there on March the 31 and staid there overnight. The next day was Easter Sunday I hiked about 13 kellmetters to a little town named Montorswher. I stayed for two week. And on April the 15th I left this camp for my first trip to the front I arrived at a little town named Mill-La-Tour this town is close to the big city of Toul. I arrived at Mill-La-Tour on April the 18th 1918 on April the 19th and 20th I worked on the ammunition dump. Both night it was up close to the front. And on April the 22nd I was asined |
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| (Page 18) To the 101st ammunition train at Roymeuix I was at this town for one month and then we moved from Roymeuix to a little town named Lugy this was on May the 21 we stayed there one week we moved from Lugy on May the 27 and moved to a little town named Lagney where we stayed for one month. We moved out on June the 27th and stopped at a little town named Gonderville we arrived there on the same day. We stayed there for 3 days and left there June the 31st. We were on the road two days and one night and stopped at Monthton where we stayed for 4 days we arrived there on July 2nd late in the afternoon. We left there on July 4th for Laferte where we stayed for five days we left there on July 14th for Laferte woods where we stayed for 14 days July 9 we moved and July 22nd We moved out and stopped at Chateau-Therry . We stayed there from the 22nd to the 25th. I was on D. S. With the 103 artillery and sleep in my truck. When we were at Leferte woods we sleep in our pup tents for the first time. I had some time with the artillery boys. that was the first time I was in gas. I went up to the artillery on July the 19th and come back to the Co on the 24th |
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| (Page 19) Of July and on July the 25 we moved from Chateau-Thery to a little town called Virdilly we were there from July 25 till August 3rd. There we lived in our pup tents I like to live in pup tents. We left there on Aug 3 and arrived at Cyence the same day. We stayed there from Aug 3 till Aug 5th. We moved up closer to the front we arrived at Logrs Farm on Aug 7th. I was with the company at that time. We stayed there from Aug 7 till Aug 14th then we moved to Goylum we arrived there on the same day and left there on Aug 15. We arrived at Gerriley on Aug 16 we were to stay there for four months it was to be our rest camp we were all happy when we received the news at the fron that the old 26 was on her way for a rest camp. We were in this camp from Aug 16 till August 31. We all though of the times we would have we went to that wonderful city of Paris. But one nice summer morning the bad news was received that we were on our way to the front again we left Cerriley on August 31. We arrived at St. Dizire on September 1st this is where we stayed over night we left the next morning we arrived at Bar-La-Bugh |
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| (Page 20) At noon time we eat dinner and about two Oclock in the afternoon we started out for Courcells this was up close to the front. We arived there late in the evening about seven Oclock. We stayed there from Sep 1st till Sep 5 then we moved up closer to the front and stoped at Monthireon. We stayed there till Sep 9 then we moved to Genecort we arived there late in the evening about 10:00 Oclock. We lived in billets which were old French houses. At all thes places we were there from Sep 9 till Sep 22nd then we moved to the little town of Ambly which was up closer to the front. We arived there in the afternoon and on Oct 12 we moved out of Ambly and stopped at the town of Ropt. We stayed there from Oct 12 till Oct 21 then we moved over in a big grove by the name of Moulen Broe. This was big Frence camp and lots of mud we lived in barracks while we were. And on Nov 13 we moved back from the front to a little town I don't know the name of it for we did not stay there long and from the from ther we move to another little town we did not stay there but a few days and did |
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| (Page 21) Not learn the name of the towns and and from there we move to to the little town of Plesnoy where we stayed for eight weeks and do squad right and left in the mud rain and sun shine. We were there for Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years. We done all are moving in with our big A.E. Trucks we moved with the trucks from Roymeix to all the places we went. When we moved from Plesnoy we moved on the train. We stayed at Plesnoy eight weeks and four days. We went to Vietrey it was 22 miles fron Plesnoy. We left here Jan 23 and arrived at Nemeral on Jan 26 1919 about 2 Oclock. We left Plesnoy Thursday afternoon about 4 Oclock and arived at Vietrey at 12 Oclock in the night. And on Jan 24 we load on the train |
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| (Page 22) June Glouster O Howard Elliott 14 Spring Street St. Glouster |
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