Thurs Nov. 1st 1917.

Rain. nothing new. Daugherty got back.

Fri Nov. 2nd 1917.

Got to give up room. Tough titty, but I guess I've got to suck it.

Sat Nov. 3rd 1917.

Inspection. In ch'g'e of qrs. bum job, bum place to do it in.

Sunday Nov. 4th 1917.

Move back to qrs. built another bunk. Put on Provost Guard to quell disturbances among drunks.

Mon Nov. 5th 1917.

Still on Prov. Gd. Nothing new.

Tues Nov. 6th 1917.

Rain. Arty dr. A.M. Sig. dr. P.M.

Wed Nov. 7th 1917.

Usual drills, learned a little Fr. Fire control system. Got letter from home. Wish my tobacco would come. Haven't had a decent smoke for a dog's age.

Thurs Nov. 8th 1917.

Nothing to say.

Fri Nov. 9th 1917.

Ditto.

Sat Nov. 10th 1917.

Inspection. General Coe Inspt's. Rain

Sun Nov. 11th 1917.

Nothing doing all day.

Mon Nov. 12th 1917.

5 hrs. Arty. drill guess we'll soon know it at that rate.

Tues Nov. 13th 1917.

Nothing new.

Wed Nov. 14th 1917.

Got letter from best girl in the world outside of Wifey, Goldie is sure there. Letter from H. Bunch also. Red Letter day all in Capital letters.

Thurs Nov. 15th 1917.

Same old grind.

Fri Nov. 16th 1917.

Put the gun in both positions in 40 minutes. going some but think I can beat it.

Sat Nov. 17th 1917.

Usual inspection. Nothing else.

Sun Nov. 18th 1917.

Black dog tribe drunk and raising hell again.

Mon Nov. 19th 1917.

Charge of quarters.

Tues Nov. 20th 1917.

Someone broke into a wine cellar last night. Officers running all over the place trying to locate the goods. Hope they catch them. Couldn't have drill today paivl lever was broken.

Wed Nov. 21st 1917.

Rain. Sure makes it bum every way you take it. Bunkie gave me the pen I'm writing this with it don't work very well.

Thurs Nov. 22nd 1917.

Under arrest in quarters.

Fri Nov. 23rd 1917.

Tried by Summary Court. Get returns tomorrow or next day.

Sat Nov. 24th 1917.

Usual inspection. A Buck Private once more. Rain.

Sun Nov. 25th 1917.

Rain all night last night. Near drowned us out. 3 of us are planning to go west and stake a homestead.

Mon Nov. 26th 1917.

Pretty tough day nothing to do but drill all day long.

Tues Nov. 27th 1917.

Same as yesterday. Saw something curious tonight. Now don't think I'm drunk because I'm not and several others saw the same thing. In the hot coals in the fire place there formed the head and face of a beautiful woman who would smile and laugh & at other times seem to frown. & Yes I insist that I'm sober.

Wed Nov. 28th 1917.

Long hike A.M. Wish I could hear from home.

Thurs Nov. 29th 1917.

I wonder what I've got to be thankful for. Being alive I guess..

Fri Nov. 30th 1917.

Muster and usual drills

Sat Dec. 1st 1917.

Inspection. Took a good long walk. No word from home yet. Wonder what's wrong.

Sun Dec. 2nd 1917.

Nothing doing.

Mon Dec. 3rd 1917.

Colder than hell.

Tues Dec. 4th 1917.

Ditto on the weather. Red letter day.

Wed Dec. 5th 1917.

Nothing new. Wish we would go up to the front and get shot or some damned thing this place would ddrive a hog crazy.

Thurs Dec. 6th 1917.

Same old grind. Red letter.

Fri Dec. 7th 1917.

Got our full equipment.

Sat Dec. 8th 1917.

No inspection worked at the guns all morn. Stood guard. Rained like h__l.

Sun Dec. 9th 1917.

Rained all day. Caphron dropped dead. Took big hike.

Mon Dec. 10th 1917.

Worked at guns all P.M. Red Letter day.

Tues Dec. 11th 1917.

Sick report.

Wed Dec. 12th 1917.

Reported for inst. driving trucks. Making good.

Thurs Dec. 13th 1917.

Trucking all day. Made trip through Mouchy and over to (Morey or Mouy).

Fri Dec. 14th 1917.

Trucking all day again. Wish mail would come in. Guess we are going to get a move from here soon.

Sat Dec. 15th 1917.

Beat inspection. Trucking instead. Got truck assigned to me today.

Sun Dec. 16th 1917.

Near dead with a cold. Heard today we had to be in Bordeaux Jan 1st. Snowed all A.M.

Mon Dec. 17th 1917.

About 3 in. of snow. Snowing a little today. Cold no better. Nose running to keep warm. Most everybody got a pkg. from home yesterday. Don't see why mine didn't get here. Not even a letter.

Tues Dec. 18th 1917.

Colder than h_ll. More trucks. Some job in cold weather. Cold is a little better

When you're crouching in your booby hatch
In the slimy, sticky slush
And you're booked for hours to stay there
Tho' you took it with a rush,
With your fingers damned near frozen
And your breakwheel icy cold,
And you curse the life you've chosen,
Hell, the story's easy told,
You're miserable and lonesome,
Got a grouch and feeling blue
Its then you need a cigarette!
Believe me, so would you.
Or you're lying in the barracks,
Tired and worn and just all in,
Arms and legs and back all aching,
Driven crazy with the din
Of bullets as they whistle
Of the shrapnel bursting near
Feeling everything you can feel
That is, everything but fear!
And you wish that you might croak
You're dry and parched and dirty
But soon you're feeling perky
When by luck you've got a smoke.

Wed Dec. 19th 1917.

Pretty near frozen.

Thurs Dec. 20th 1917.

Just 9 yrs. ago today that I held up my right hand for Uncle Sam.

Fri Dec. 21st 1917.

Same old stuff.

Sat Dec. 22nd 1917.

Inspection. Payday. Went to Beaumont. Bum town.

Sun Dec. 23rd 1917.

Left Beaumont and went to St. Geneveive. Ditto town.

Mon Dec. 24th 1917.

Full as a goat on Champagne.

Tues Dec. 25th 1917.

Oh you morning after the night before. I wonder how sick a man has to be to die. Got a box of paper and a cig. holder from C.C. for Chris. present. Rec'd a dandy present from N.S. two pair of hand made wool socks. Hadn't ought to get cold feet now.

Wed Dec. 26th 1917.

Packed up ready for a move.

Thurs Dec. 27th 1917.

Left Pouchon about 10 A.M. arrived Beauvais about 11:30 A.M.

Fri Dec. 28th 1917.

Billetted in Beauvais last night. No blankets near froze. Cold as h_ll today. Left Beauvais on flat cars about 8 P.M.

Sat Dec. 29th 1917.

Still stopping at Hotel de Flat Car. Wish they would get some heating apparatus. Nothing to eat and cooks too drunk to cook it.

Sun Dec. 30th 1917.

Arrived Bordeaux 8-30 A.M. Looks like pretty big town. Arrived Camp de Songe 10 P.M.

Mon Dec. 31st 1917.

Muster. Biggest camp I ever saw.