After just a few days in England, the 13th Engineers packed up and headed for France.

Friday, August 17, 1917
Made port at La Havre at 11:00 a.m. Crowds there. Big town. Threw pennies to watch kids scramble. Worked all day in dock. Uptown at night with Corning. Lots fun. Had few beers. Town sure shows war. Sitting writing cards to Father, Zada, Cecil, Lucretia, FJM. Talked to German prisoners working on streets. So many. The French hate them. One man came up and said “don’t talk to dam curs.” He had three babies and the Germans cut their hands off. Just bought some eats at YMCA. Met a Belgian who could talk French during evening. Leaving 9:00 p.m. for “somewhere.” Left la Havre by rail after midnight. All lights out in train. Getting close to war now. Lonesome night, lots of time for thought.

Saturday, August 18, 1917
Slept like pigs all night in coaches, eight men in a section, best we could do. Haven’t slept four hours in the last three days. Traveled all day through France. I’ve never seen more beautiful country. So many tunnels, long ones, too. No lights of whatever kind in the trains at night. Stopped 11:10 a.m. at Nantes, France, for dinner and breakfast. Bought a loaf of bread two feet long for one franc. Women all working in fields instead of men. Women and men all so enthusiastic. Weather real warm but cool at night. Raise everything here. Stopped in Paris 30 minutes for lunch. Bread and strawberry preserves. Sure good, too. Corned beef. Saw wonderful things. Town all shelled to pieces. Women firing engines. Reached Châlons 9:50 p.m. Marched to French barracks and the band played the Star Spangled Banner as we unloaded. We are only 20 miles from the trenches. Can see the flashes of artillery and can hear the roll of guns all the time. French people crazy about us. Women praying, kids hollering. Verdun in distance, shells lighting up the sky. We were not allowed to talk or smoke in march from train. No lights. Walked through crooked alleys and streets. Town people soon had the alarm and rushed in our formation in night clothes and helped carry packs, so crazy with joy. Châlons sur Marne, France.

Because the 13th Engineers (Ry) was one of the first units of the American military to arrive in France, and because it was to work closely with the French in the support of the French railway, it was attached to the 2nd French Army, under the command of General Hirschauer, and would remain so for the duration of the war, the only American regiment to have this status. The bulk of the American Expeditionary Force would not arrive until the middle of 1918.

Name of this town is Châlons sur Marne. People all crazy about us. Kids grab our hands when we go up the street.

Sunday, August 19, 1917
Woke up 10:00 a.m. Warm. German biplane went over our barracks high up looking for good spot for bomb I guess. German prisoners in yard. Some captured lately say American uniforms will belong to Germany. They are killing all their prisoners now. Slept late. Uptown in afternoon. Sure shows the hell of war in this town. Not much life. Building, all old streets narrow and crooked. Little kids ran along. The people never saw American troops before. Little lad took my hand and walked up the street. Reminded me so much of Don. Berry and I drank two beers and a champagne. We slept on the floor on blankets and got one loaf of bread a day and a can of horse meat. We are in barracks built in 1848. Uptown in park people gathered around 20 deep. Kids etc. Saw a fight between German and French planes high in the air at 5:00 p.m. We are to move into new barracks soon. Name of this town is Châlons sur Marne. Bed 9:30 p.m. Bugs thick.

Monday, August 20, 1917
Up at reveille 5:15 a.m. Coffee for breakfast was all. Our supplies not here. Wrote Cecil letter also one to Miss Maurine Sterghway Crown Point Indiana who sent comfy bag. Saw great fight at 7:30 a.m. Seventeen planes in it way high toward the trenches. Three German prisoners are marching up and down in front. They were caught trying to escape and must march with full equipment six hours a day for 20 days now. Saw another air fight tonight 4:00 p.m., three Fritz trying to sneak over our barracks and land guns shelled them good. Uptown at night with Smith and Hub. Fun to see Hub sweat when he was shopping 30 minutes getting cookies. Followed bunch to wrong barracks and got back in 10:35 p.m. Satisfied the officers of the day we were not drunk. People all crazy about us. Kids grab our hands when we go up the street.

Tuesday, August 21, 1917
Up early 5:15 a.m. All Master Engineers are quartered together in barracks in one room. Am on S.D. at HQ today. Big sack of mail came at 5:00 p.m. Not one thing for me. So disappointed. I know it hasn’t all come. We have over a dozen sacksful somewhere. Uptown at night. Found American papers; New York Herald and Chicago Tribune are printed in Paris for soldiers. Spent evening talking to French and trying to learn their language. I throw a wicked tongue of French. Was 30 minutes buying 25 cents worth of cakes and was sweating like a hog when I came out. Bed at taps.

Wednesday, August 22, 1917
Up at 7:00 a.m. and found a letter from Cecil written at Brown Palace dated July 31st, 1917. I should have a dozen more from her somewhere but mails are so irregular. So sorry she lost her grip but glad she had the Shrine pin on. Never was so glad to get letter in my whole life and the sun seems brighter this morning. Just one month and 12 days since I got a letter of any kind. So sweet. Read it a dozen times. Think there is some more mail downtown. Her letters were not censored at all. I got about 15 from her somewhere. Wrote long letter in the afternoon in barracks. Went downtown in the afternoon with Smithy, went through the cathedral built in 1668, a big beautiful temple.

Thursday, August 23, 1917
Up early. Guns all night long rolled. Couldn’t sleep well. Breakfast slum and coffee. We have had only bread and coffee for a week now. Supplies hard to get. Getting better feed now. We had spuds for dinner, first time since we touched England. Have no salt or seasoning. Have had nothing but bread and tea and wine but our supplies now reaching us. Some of them holler but those who really were used to good living at home don’t complain any. Loaded beds all morning, in charge of 100 men. Had some good slum for dinner. Wrote long letter to Cecil, no. 9. Uptown at night. About 8:30 p.m. the town siren blew which was the signal for an air raid. The Germans were headed for us. Everybody in town beat it for their refuge caves which are all over town. We stood in the square and watched for them. The French machines went up to meet them in battle. I counted 25 French machines as they rose above the clouds. They drove the Boche off and we heard no more about them. Bed at 10:00 p.m. We bought some jam uptown, small glass of jam for 2f 50. Rather expensive but goes good where we don’t have any butter.

The term “Boche” or “Hun” was commonly used to refer to the Germans in a generally disparaging way. “Tommy” was used to refer to the British. The French are generally just referred to as French, although EP occasionally refers to them as “Frogs.”

Friday, August 24, 1917
Up all night sick. They fed us some green meat or something. At latrines all night. Bad stomach. Feel so rotten. Mails are all shot to pieces. I only got one letter from Cecil so far and some of the boys got five or six. I know I have a dozen from her here in France somewhere lying around.
11:00 a.m. Received two letters from Cecil and one from Frances. Cecil’s dated Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, one from Denver, other at home. Haven’t heard about the others yet. Am still short all letters she wrote from July 23rd to August 1st.

Saturday, August 25, 1917
Up early, shaved, shined and dolled up for our big parade before the notable generals of France. Parade and review at 10:15 a.m. before General Carmound and Pau Pau only one arm. They played our anthem and the Marseillaise. Nice parade, though we were not up in the main part of the square as it was held in secret so German air machines wouldn’t see us. Was held about three blocks from the barracks. French machines scouted all over us while we passed in review, watching out for Fritz but he never showed up. Rolled around bed all afternoon. Took some pictures with Dick’s machine of our room here in Hotel Rue de Lause. Then some pictures with some French soldiers just in from the trenches. Walked uptown in the evening. Everybody is broke.

Sunday, August 26, 1917
Up early. Going to write some letters today. 7-up all day. Went to the trenches in the afternoon. Saw flyers and found skulls. Saw third line trenches. Long letter to Cecil in the morning. Rain all evening. Played cards. Won 27 francs in room.

Monday, August 27, 1917
Cold and blustery. Played cards. Maj. stopped in game and bawled us out on account of quarters. Walked to the trenches in the afternoon. Watched them shoot aero rockets, etc. Got hand grenade. Rained all afternoon. Stayed in barracks all evening.

Tuesday, August 28, 1917
Raining hard when I got up. Cold. Leaking on bed but didn’t mind it. Wrote Cecil, Reggie and Dad. Uptown in evening for Daily Mail. Bed early. Cold.

Wednesday, August 29, 1917
Cloudy, cold, rained during the night. Up early. Wrote Cecil a short note before going to the railroad. Down at the station all morning with Doud. Stayed in park in the afternoon. Nothing to learn at the station. Oh you dolls in the park. Doud had a regular Lillian Russell. We, We!

Thursday, August 30, 1917
Up at 5:30 a.m. Heavy artillery all night to the north of us. Kept us awake all night. Germans drove the French back five miles, I learned this morning. Down in the yard this morning. Wrote Cecil a letter before starting.

Friday, August 31, 1917
Raining in the morning. Up early. Sat looking out at the rain all morning. Real blue. Been building air castles in the rain this morning. Wonder if they will ever realize. J.N. in L.R. swept. Been broke so long. Never was flat in my life till now. Can’t even get a loaf of bread. Regimental inspection and muster at 4:30 p.m. today.

Saturday, September 1, 1917
Three months gone by. Still here at Châlons and still broke. Never broke before in my life. Walked out in country with Berry. Saw Smithy. Got some bread and jam. Saw artillery fleet go to front through the steel. About 5,000 troops. Saw some Jap troops too. Woman pulling boat through canal.

Sunday, September 2, 1917
Up 7:00 a.m. Took lunch and spent day in trenches. Took photos at hangers. Long walk. Real lonesome today. Came home 3:30, wrote Cecil letter xxxxxx

Monday, September 3, 1917
Up early. Walked to Corbureax. Got barrack bag and gloves. Found five letters and compass from Cecil. Surely sweet surprise. Compass was a dandy. Wrote her long letter in the afternoon. Got two more letters in the afternoon.

Tuesday, September 4, 1917
Up early. Walked uptown. Saw great air fight at 10:00 a.m. Boche didn’t get far. Played 7-up all afternoon. Won 38 francs. Wrote Cecil. No letters received.

Seven-up was a popular card game of the day, also known as Old Sledge.

Wednesday, September 5, 1917
Cool, clear. Lights out at 9:00 p.m. and windows shaded last night. Looking for air raid, none came.

Thursday, September 6, 1917
Payday. Sure needed it. Clear, cool, calm, pleasant. Played cards all morning. Won 8 francs. Drew 423 francs at noon. Paid at rate of 5.7. Shopped all afternoon like a woman in a department store. Bed early. Hard rain all afternoon.

Friday, September 7, 1917
Cloudy, cool. Never slept well. Drank too much champagne and wine. Over to —- last night, disgusting. Crowded, and I see men are worse than some dogs. Not for me. Wrote Cecil letter this morning. Uptown for supper with all master engineers at the Hotel à la Haute Mère Dieu. Then home 7:00 p.m. We sat at the same table at the same hotel the Crown Prince used when he captured the town early in 1914.

Saturday, September 8, 1917
Cloudy and foggy. Cold, blue. Up early for mess. Loafed all day. Uptown in the afternoon for a paper. Bed early.

Sunday, September 9, 1917
Foggy, cold. Drizzling rain. Wrote letters all morning to Cecil, folks. Slept all afternoon. Got comfort bag and Life late this afternoon from Cecil. Surely dear and kind of her.

The original Life was a weekly humor magazine. The issue received may well have been the August 2nd issue, pictured below.

Life Magazine – Aug 2, 1917

Monday, September 10, 1917
Up 5:00 a.m. Played poker all night until candles burned out at 4:00 a.m., then laid down. I run Moody ragged on four queens for 200 francs and he held four bullets. She was a heartbreaker. I quit a 30 franc loser. We had blankets over the windows. Got five letters and a telegram from Cecil. Got telegram after I got the letter telling me she had sent it. I told her not to send cables as I wouldn’t get them, but she hasn’t got my letter yet. Wish she wouldn’t spend money on me. She sacrifices things every time to do it. Must scold her, but surely sweet.