Private James Bradford - WW1 Diary
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Diary Part 2 - Pages 24 through 65
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| (Page 31) THE TWENTY – SIXTH DIVISION National Guard of New England: Arrived in France December 5 1917. Activities: Chemin Des Dames Sector Feb 6 to March 21, 1918 LaReine and Bouco sector April 3 to June 28 Pas Fini Sector northwest of Chateau Thierry July 10 to 25 battle Opera Tions July 18 to 25 Bupt and Tryon sector September 8 to Oct 8. St Mihtel Sep 12 to 14. Neptone Sector north of Verdon Oct 18 to November 11th Argonne Meuse offensive. Prisoners captured 61 officers. 3,087 men. Guns captored 16 pieces of artillery 132 machine guns. Total advance on front line 37 killometers. Insignia dark blue YD. monogram superimposed on diamond of khaki cloth the initial represents the nick name of the division which since its arrival overseas has been known as THE YANKEE DIVISION. |
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| (Page 38) Left Caylun 15 arrd Seriling 15 Left '' 31 arrd St. Iliyiro 31 Left '' '' Sep 1 arrd Barlidus '' 1 arrd Coursillis '' 1 Left '' '' 5 arrd Manthunion '' 5 Left '' '' 9 arrd Genecourt '' 9 Left '' '' 22 arrd Ambly '' 22 Left '' Oct 12 arrd Rupt '' 12 Left '' '' 21 arrd Marlan Brile '' 21 Left '' '' Nov 13 D.S. Left Punant '' 17 arrd Landunville '' 17 Left '' '' 20 arrd Plesnay '' 24 and stayed there. |
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| (Page 42) THE KAISOR CALLS SATAIN FOR ADVICE verse one The Kaisor called the devil up On the tell-o-phone one day And the girl at the Centra Listened to all they had to say verse two Hello she heard the Kaisor say Is old man Satain home. Just tell him it is Kaisor Bill That wants him on the phone verse three The Devil said “hello” to Bill And Bill said “how are you?” I'm runing a hell, right here on earth So tell me what to do verse four wat can I do? The devil said. My dear old Kaisor Bill If there a thing I can do to Help you I shore will. Verse five The Kaisor said “now listen” And I will try to tell The way that I am running On earth a modern hell. verse six Ive saved for this many years And have started out to kill That it will be a modering job You leave to Kaisor Bill verse seven My Army it went through Belgiam Shooting women and children down |
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| (Page 43) We tore up all the country And blew up all the towns. verse eight My zeppes dropped bombs on cities Killing both old and young And those our zepps didn't get We took them out and hung verse nine I started out for Paris With the aid of poison gas The Belgiams IAMW stoped us And would not let us pass verse ten Submarines are Devils Why you should see them fight They go sneaking through the Sea and sink a ship at sight. 11 I was runing things to suit me Till year or so ago when a Man named Woodrow Wilson Wrote to me to go more slow 12 He says to “Dear William” I don't want to make you sore So be shore and tell your U-boats To sink my ships no more 13 We've told you for the last time So Dear Bill its up to you And if you do not stop it You halft to fight us to. |
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| (Page 44) 14 I did not listen to him and He is coming after me With a million Yanke soldiers From their homes across the sea 15 That why I call you Saton For I want advise from you I know you will tell me Just what I ought to do. 16 My Dear old Kaiser William Theres not much for me 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 my job to you. 18 I'll be ready for your coming And I'll keep the fires bright And I'll have your room all ready When the Yanks began to fight. 19 For the boys in Blue will get you. I have nothing more to say so Hang up the phone and get Your hat and meet me here In hell A poem from the USA |
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| (Page 45) THE BATTLE OF CHATEAU-THEIRRY 1 We have left the old to Toul sector For another far away Where our train was needed badly To help stop the German play 2 They had sixty fresh divisions Chateau-Theirry was their game But they reckoned not with Edwards Or his vets from old Loraine 3 Twas twenty miles from Paris. This ancent city was there aim But the Yanks again frustrate them And drove them back again. 4 Our doughboys they are happy Have licked the Prussian guard For it shows what Yanks are made of When they start to promanade 5 Our artillery was working Day and night without rest Using up the ammunition That we brought without protest 6 Our task was not a light one We were dead for lack of sleep But you bet we'll never grumble For to rest would mean defeat 7 Let us not forget our Englniers Who has worked with night main |
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| (Page 46) Filling up large shell holes And keeping traffic unretrained. 8 After days and weeks of fighting The good news was breathed around We are moving for a rest camp And yes for Paris we are bound January first half $3.32 ck off Taxi $1.50 Jan last half 2.88 1.50 4.38 |
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| (Page 47) THE AMMUNITION TRAIN I'm sitting here and thinking of the things I Left behind And I'd like to put on paper what is running through my mind. We'll dig a million trenches and clear ten miles of ground. And a meaner place this side of hell I know it can't be found But there's still one consolation gather closely while I tell. When we die were bound for heaven cause we done our hitch in hell. We've built a million kitchens for the cooks to stew our beans Stood a hundred thousand guard mounts and cleaned the camp latrines We've washed a million mess kits and pealed a billion spuds Strapped a million blankets rolls and washed a million duds The number of parades we've done it would be hard to tell But we'll not parade in heaven cause we've done our hitch in hell I've killed a million cooties that tried to steal my cot And shook a thousand rats from out my Army socks. I've hiked a hundred thousand miles and made a thousand camps And shook a thousand hunks of mud from off my O.D. pants But when our work on earth is done our friends behind will tell When they die there bound for heaven cause they done there hitch in hell And when the final taps are sounded and we lay aside lifes care |
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| (Page 48) And we do our very last parade right up those golden stairs And we'll hear the angels singing and the harps begin 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. |
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| (Page 49) KING IN BABYLON 1 Or ever the knightly years were gone With the old world to the grave I was a king In Babylon And you where on Christian slave. 2 I saw, I took, I cast you by. I bent and broke your pride You loved me well, or I heard them lie But your longing was denied Surely I know that by and by You cursed your gods and died, 3 And a myriad suns have set & shone Since then upon the grave Decreed by the king of in Babylon To her that had been his slave. 4 The pride I trampled is now any scathe For it tramples me again The old resentment last like death For you love yet to you refrain and I break my heart on your hard faith And I break my heart in vain 5 Yet not for an hour do I wish endure The deed beyond the grave When I was a king in Babylon And you were a virgin slave |
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| (Page 50) THE BRETON PATROL It's a squadron that's doing its best over here To help keep command of the sea By day or by night standing by for a fight It's the Breton patrol. Oui-Oui-Oui We beat it to together whatever the weather With a convoy that's bound for its goal . If it's rain, hail or snow. Still the convoy must go. That's the job of the Breton patrol. Nov - first half Check off $4.61 Taxi 2.25 Last half Nov $3.72 received Taxi 2.15 Dec first half $3.80 200 taxi fair |
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| (Page 51) check off 3.20 for July 2.92 Taxi fair 2.50 for July '' '' 2.40 |
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| (Page 52) Your answer? What will you say Sonny. What will you say When the troop ship brings you home Kneeling at last by your mother's chair. You and your mother alone What will you say Sonny What will you say. As she searches your face to see If the boy she gave to the country's call Is still her sonny-- free 2 Free of the taint of lust and drink Free of all hidden shame Free of the bonds that slave the soul Her son - in heart and name 3 What will you say Sonny What will you say Will your heart be full of mirth Holding her close in your strong young arms The mother who gave you birth. What will you say Sonny What will you say As her dear eyes turn to you The mother who guarded your boyhood years. Say was she ever untrue? 4 And now what answer have you for her. Her fair regard to win That for the faith and she placed in you You fought your fight with sin. 5 What will you say Sonny what will you say. Will you ans - mother of mine. Look in my eyes Look in my heart. Yea read them line on line Days of fighting in field or trench Nights mist the citys lure. Battle by day or battle by Night. I kept your son's heart pure. |
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| (Page 53) March 29, 1919 We had about 5 in. of snow in Brest and it was very cold. March 31, 1919 At Brest we went to a French Y.M.C.A . to hear a French orchestry. April 1, Went to get inspected and we had to enroll our packs. April 1, 1919 We have a mess hall that holds about 6000 men and they can feed them and about 20 minutes in Brest. We are now waiting here to start home. |
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| (Page 54) Most any time. March 29, 1919 went to kitchen to help pealed potatoes. We pealed about 15 bu. there was about 5 pealing potatoes. April 3, 1919 A Zaplin plane went over the camp in France and I tell you it was a funny looking thing. April 4, 1919. Went to kitchen and cut meat for (kitchen) in Brest we cut ten four quarters of beef and and about 15 pans of bacon from 7 Oclock until 8 Oclock the next morning. |
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| (Page 55) March first half Taxi 2.25 ck off 2.50 Mar last half Taxi 3.00 ck off 4.08 April first half Taxi 1.50 Last half of April 2.28 .25 June first half Ck off $4.16 Taxi 3.75 |
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| (Page 56) First half Sep 9 ½ $68.87 -- $60.93 Ck off expenses(?) 5.44 Burial 2.50 Sep Last half 3.00 taxi Check off 5.00 7 days 50.75 Oct First ck off $6.00 Taxi 2.00 First half Nov 2.74 '' '' Taxi 3.00 Last half Nov 75.22 ck off $3.00 Taxi 3.00 First half Dec 1.74 1.00 Taxi $2.00 12 days |
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| (Page 57) Dec Last 1.22 ck off Taxi 1.50 Jan first half 75 Ck off $3.14 Jan Last half $2.58 Feb first half $3.42 Feb Last half Taxi 1.75 Ck off 3.24 First half Mar Check off $1.72 last half March ck off $3.02 Taxi 3.00 |
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| (Page 59) Geo 3.75 John 1.00 Grace 1.75 JB 2.00 6.50 ______ 15.00 |
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| (Page 60) th of March 1918 We stayed for one night ? March till the 16 of April we left on 17th April changed cars and went to for two nights. I worked the first night attached to the train. to the front 5 days before we move to for one week. Were the 16th - 17th of June there we camped The woods Moved ied over night Railhead and our camp were for one week Moved from Chateau Terry head. For one week '' '' '' '' three weeks go to the front '' '' '' '' It is some big city Now |
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| (Page 61) Aroulen - Broley Where we were billeted for 5 weeks. Shinie we went through to go to the front Siouley went through when we moved from the front. Pigmoy where we were camping for awhile. Plesnoy where we were billeted for a long time and drilled days that it did not rain November 24th we moved from Pigmos and stopped at Plesnoy. Where we spent Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year's and got one pay Plesnoy were we were billeted for eight weeks and and four days Vietry where we entrained when we left Plesnoy. Mayet is when we unloaded and hiked 30 miles to Verniel. Mr. Howard H. Elliott Glouster Ohio Mr. Henry Horman Wapakoneta RFD No. 9 Ohio Mr. Harry E. Barlager Leipsic RFD No. 1 Ohio Mr. Charles A. Bower |
| (Page 62) Frank Dressman |
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| (Page 63) Addresses of my old chums. Mr. Harold A. Turner No. Springfield V.T. Mr. Frank J. Dresman. Cumberland R. F. D. No 1 M.D. Mr. Howard H. Elliott Glouster Ohio Mr. Henry Horman Wapakonete R.F.D. No. 9 Ohio Mr. Harry E. Barlager Leipsic R.F.D. No. 1 Ohio Mr. Charles A. Bower |
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| (Page 64) Earnest E. Barlow No - Springfield V.T. William G Hibbins 656 East fifth St. South Boston Mass. Howard Elliott |
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| (Page 65) Harold A. Turner No. Springfield V.T. Frank J. Dressman Cumberland, Md R.F.D. No 1 Howard H. Elliott Glouster Ohio Henry Horman Wapakoneta, Ohio R.F.D no 9 Mr. Edgar Coffman 2188 Sylvan Ave. Toledo, Ohio Pvt Charles A Bower 906 East Water St. Lock Haven Penna |
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