The 13th Engineers didn’t stay in England long, but their visit marked the first time US troops had landed there since the Revolution. Their parade passed before the King and Queen, Prime Minister and members of Parliament.

Sunday, August 12, 1917
Pulling up the Mersey when I woke up. Beautiful place, streets so even and pretty. We loaded on train and left Liverpool at 11:00 a.m. Such funny trains and engines. Dinner at Birmingham. Reached Borden 7:30 p.m., camp at 9:00 p.m. Beautiful place, thousands of tents. Watched the searchlights play over London last night looking for zeps. Could see them 60 miles away. Also could see them in Southampton. Wonderful life, name of camp is Camp Oxney. Gets dark at 9:00 p.m. here. Rode over London and NW Railway.
The Mersey is the name of the river that runs through Liverpool.

Monday, August 13, 1917
Slept good on ground last night. Met Walt Frost here from the 11th. Looks good. Just wrote Cecil letter. Rained all day. Had gas lecture and practice with O2 helmets, learned to handle them. Went into Borden at night with Smithy. Met Australians, got something to eat at restaurant. Bacon and eggs one dollar. Back home in rain. We had gas drill and were put in gas trenches with tear gas and lung gas. Surely terrible stuff.

An O2 helmet was also known as a PH helmet. The regiment history notes that Canadian overcoats and English trench shoes were issued at this time to the regiment, but that the use of either could not be properly understood until some time later, on the French front. The overcoat was made of heavy wool. It had leather reinforced cuffs, and a gas-collar, which was basically a flap that buttoned across the neck of the coat, producing a seal against contamination by gas.

The PH helmet was worn over the head and inside the overcoat. The collar was then closed about the lower section of the hood for protection. The helmet was constructed of a double layer of light blue-grey flannel, with two glass eyepieces set in metal rims. The ‘snout’ of the helmet had a metal tube leading from a rubber mouthpiece held in the mouth, to the outside of the helmet where a rubber valve would be usually found (missing on this example). The rubber mouth piece was identical in design to modern day snorkeling and scuba diving mouthpieces. The user of this gas hood would be required to breath in through the nose, the air passing through the chemically soaked material hood, and he would breath out through the mouth piece.

Tuesday, August 14, 1917
Up early. Went bathing then uptown. Drilled all day for big parade in London tomorrow afternoon before the King. All Camp Oxney goes. So many wounded boys here now. Tales are so sad. 36 people killed in Southend last night. We saw the searchlight after them, so close to war here. We go to Southampton Friday, then to France. I think the war will last three years now, since I have gotten over here. No letters yet received from her. Up in Schatel canteen all evening talking to wounded soldiers.

Wednesday, August 15, 1917
Up at 3:00 p.m. Breakfast 4:00 a.m., marched 6 miles to Liphook. Beautiful country. Took train from Liphook for London over London and SW Railway. Reached London 11:00 a.m. Started on parade 11:15 a.m. Stopped in Buckingham Palace estate for lunch.

This is the first time in history American troops ever visited London. We were 5,000 strong, 13th, 14th and 17th regiments. We stretched about two miles long, four abreast. Grandest sight on earth.

Were reviewed by King George and Queen Mary. He was in a red uniform, stood on the lower step of the palace. I passed within 10 feet of him, and he saluted. This was the greatest event that will ever happen to me. Papers in London are full of it tonight. Over two million people saw it. We were treated royally. Girls gave us sandwiches, apples and threw flowers and things at us. Gave them almost all the buttons off my uniform as souvenirs. Wonder if the folks and Cecil will see the write-up in all the papers. I’ve saved the clippings. We marched through The Strand, Piccadilly, and all the main streets. Saw the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. London is surely showing the war. Not a young man on the streets. Met a chap about 20 in the line when we halted. He had one arm gone and half a foot gone and wore the VC. I says “where did it happen, Tommy?” and he answered “Vimy Ridge.” I would have given worlds to have had home folks see us. Saw Lloyd George and [the Earl of] Balfour and James Page. We marched about five miles all told, took train home for Camp Oxney 5:15 p.m. This is the first time in history American troops ever visited London. We were 5,000 strong, 13th, 14th and 17th regiments. Reached Camp 5:30 p.m. sore and tired, but an experience of a lifetime. Captive balloons hovered high over us while we marched, looking for German air fleet attack. We never got out of ranks except to eat a lunch in the ground of Buckingham Palace. I’ve seen the King of England and the Queen. Something the rest of the troops will never see. Aeroplanes and scouts hovered over our lines watching for enemy planes. We stretched about two miles long, four abreast. Grandest sight on earth.

Thursday, August 16, 1917
Up again 3:00 a.m. Left Borden station 7:25 a.m. Goodbye Camp Oxney. Reached Southampton 10:00 a.m. Unloaded on pier. Big boats in harbor, including a Jap cruiser close in. Two Red Cross trains came in from the boats as we arrived loaded with wounded. Sure sorry sight. Loaded on a German interned troop ship 3:00 p.m. and left at 4:00 p.m. for France. One destroyer and one mine sweeper ahead. Everybody with lifebelts on and no one allowed to sleep.

According to the regimental history, the ship used for the voyage from Southampton to La Havre, the Huntscraft, was actually a captured German cattle transport, and it noted that “the stalls were not quite as comfortable as the berths on the Orduna and the St. Louis.”

Friday, August 17, 1917
3:00 a.m. Still trying to keep awake on this transport. The most dangerous part of this voyage.