War Diary of George Anderson


 

Beginning in June 1917, Corporal George Anderson kept a diary, recording the movements of his unit, Company E, 117th Ammunition Train, 42nd "Rainbow" Division.

Presented here are transcriptions and links to scanned images of the pages of the diary. Place names that have been identifed on a modern map are noted between brackets in bold text [like this].

The scanned pages of the diary are divided into two sections. The First Part contains George's day-to-day record of where his unit was camped. The Second Part begins with a three-page list, probably copied from official records, of where his unit was located from arrival in November 1917 to its final station in postwar Germany. The end of each part contains a number of pages with miscellaneous information including names and addresses, latitude and longitude of the homeward ship, lists of items, and arithmetic. The order of the pages is preserved as much as possible.


 
 Scans of the Diary:

  • First Part
  • Second Part


    •  
     Transcripts of Diary Pages

     
    June 20–28, 1918  

    … and ammunition the eve of June 20 – 18 and arrived at Clinz untaine [Clézentaine, Épinal] 100 A.M. June 21

    Left pliargentaine [Clézentaine] overland June 24 arriving at Charmes [Charmes, Épinal] and entraining for Vitiry La Francois [Vitry-le-François, Marne] the same day.

    Arrived at Vit La Francois 11.00 the 25 June.

    Left Vit La Franc … the morn of June 25 going to St Lumibry … [Saint-Lumier-la-Populeuse, Vitry-le-François] arriving the eve of June 25.

    Left St. Lunnier in ?? overland the eve of June 28 and arrived at Poix [Poix, Châlons-en-Champagne] 6.00 A.M. morn of June 29.

     
    July 6 – 21, 1918  

    Left Poix[Poix, Châlons-en-Champagne] the eve of July 5th and arrived in camp at camp De Ferme Piemont [now called Camp Militaire de Mourmelon-Le-Grand] the morn of July 6th.

    On the 8th of July moved in the woods about 1 ½ miles distance from Piermont.

    Left the woods the eve of July 18th and arrived in camp at St Halirare and Temp file[Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple, Châlons-en-Champagne].

    About noon the 18 of July we were bombed at St Halariare. On the night of JUly 21 6 bombs were dropped in our gun park. several men were killed. We were billeted a short distance away.

     
    July 24–27, 1918  

    Left St Halariare overland, the eve of July 22, camped in the woods until 200 A.M. and moved on to Chalons sur Marne [Châlons-en-Champagne, Marne] and entrained for Esbly near Paris, arriving in Esbly [Esbly, Meaux, Seine-et-Marne] the morn of July 24.

    Detrained and went overland to Isles [Isles-les-Meldeuses, Meaux, Seine-et-Marne].

    Left Isles 2 P.M. July 25 and made Verdilly [ Verdilly, Château-Thierry, Aisne] our next stop. Arriving about 6 A.M next morning July 26-18.

    Left Verdilly July 27 in the eve. and after an all nights drive arrived in camp near Beuverder [Beuvardes, Château-Thierry, Aisne] the next morning.

     
    Aug 4 – 15, 1918  

    Left Beuverder Aug 4 in the morning and stopped in the woods near Chiry [Chéry-Chartreuve, Soissons, Aisne] about noon same day.

    Left the woods evening of Aug 10th and arrived in our former camp on Beuvardes next morning Aug-11-18.

    Left camp 3 P.M. the 11th and went into camp near Epids [Épieds, Château-Thierry, Aisne] same eve.

    Left Epids Aug - 14 and arrived in camp north west of Vaux [Vaux, Château-Thierry, Aisne] in the Biller Bois.

    Left this camp Aug 15 ain morn — and arrived in Bezu Gery [Bézu-le-Guéry, Château-Thierry, Aisne] 100 same day.

     
    Aug 17–19, 1918   ;

    Left Bezu Gerry Aug 17 in the morning and after passing through Villars sur Marne [Villiers-Saint-Denis], Churly sur Marne[Charly-sur-Marne], Le Pont Azu [ Azy-sur-Marne], Aunois[Aulnois], and Essomes [Essômes-sur-Marne], we arrived in camp on the Marn river south of Chateau Thirry [Château-Thierry, Aisne] about 12 00 same day Aug 17-1918.

    Left Chateau Thirry in afternoon Aug 18 arriving and entraining at Mezy[]Mézy, Château-Thierry, Aisne] 9.00 P.M. but didn't pull out until 1 A.M. in the morning.

    Arrived in Brevannes [Limeil-Brévannes, Créteil, Val-de-Marne] at 500 P.M. Aug 19, detrained and drove to Doncourt [Doncourt-sur-Meuse, Chaumont, Haute-Marne].

     
    Aug 20–Sept 13, 1918  

    Left Doncourt Aug 20 at Midnight and arrived in camp near Harreville [Harréville-les-Chanteurs, Chaumont, Haute-Marne].

    Left Harreville at 800 P.M. Aug 29 and arrived in camp near Goussincourt [Goussaincourt, Commercy, Meuse] 4 A.M. next morning.

    Left Gussain court 8 P.M. Aug 30 arrived in camp near Fouq [Foug, Toul, Meurthe-et-Moselle] 5 A.M. Aug 31.

    Left Fouq in evening arrived in camp near Sanzy [Sanzey, Toul, Meurthe-et-Moselle] and Menil La Tour [ Ménil-la-Tour, Toul, Meurthe-et-Moselle].

    Were in the woods near the Etang De Rourne.

    Left camp at Sanzy in the morning Sept 13th and arrived in … (end of page)
    Sept 13–Oct 6, 1918  

    This page of the diary is missing, but George's unit was probably camped Sept. 14–27 near Essey-et-Maizerais, Toul, Meurthe-et-Moselle.

     
    Oct 6–Nov 4, 1918  

    in camp in a shelled forest north of Avocourt and near Montfaucon at 10:30 same day Oct 6th. [Village Avocourt, Verdun, Meuse, Grand Est, lat 49.2047 N., lon 5.1408 E.; The "Butte de Montfaucon" is about 7km north of Avocourt, and the "Fôret de Montfaucon" lies between them.]

    Left this camp in the morning Oct 14th and arrived in camp near Charpentry [Village Charpentry, Verdun, Meuse, lat 49.2584 N., lon 5.0422 E.]

    Left Charpentry in the morning Oct 16th and arrived in camp near Apremont [Village Apremont, Vouziers, Ardennes, lat 49.2590 N.,4.9674 E.] about midnight Oct 16.

    Left Apremont in the morning Nov - 4 arrived in camp between Harricourt [Village Harricourt, Vouziers, Ardennes, lat 49.4391 N., lon. 4.9245 E.] and Bar [Village Brieulles-sur-Bar, Vouziers, Ardennes, lat 49.4801 N., lon 4.8651 E.] late in the evening

    Got up at 4 A.M. next morning and made a delivery west of …

     
    Nov 6–9, 1918  ;

    Brilulles[Brieulles-sur-Bar]

    Left camp at Harricourt in the morn Nov – 6. and went into camp at Brilulles noon the same day.

    Left camp at Brilules in the eve Nov–7 and returned to camp c/o traffic jam.

    Left again in morn Nov–8 passing through Petit Armoises Lamury Chemery [Village Les Petites-Armoises, Vouziers, Ardennes, lat 49.5001 N, lon 4.8297 E] arrived at Bulson [Bulson, Sedan, Ardennes, lat 49.6279N, lon 4.9139 E] early same evening.

    Left Bulson the afternoon of Nov– 9 and arrived in our former camp at Brieules late in the eve of same day Nov 9.

     
     
    Still to come: George kept writing in his diary until he left Europe in April 1919. Stay tuned as new pages are scanned and transcribed.