Sgt. Bailey Diary - Pages 62-70

11 Aug 2nd we were relieved by the         4th division. Happy.       3rd We rested in a wood              where we left our pack              till the 11th.       11th Left stopping in wds              near Cht.Thray at 1 p.m.       12th Left for Charly near               the Marne.        18th Boche planes bombed near               by towns        18th Left Cht Thry at 1 p.m.               on train.        19th Unloaded at Baum               Court at 8a.m. hiked to               Outreme Court were we               rested and replaced 125               men        23rd Was our 1st pass in               review in France.

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12 Aug 25th Co got paid        28th We left for Branf-               mont.        29th We left for Chatonoir              arriving at 3 a.m. on the 30th         31st Left for Balleville stayed here until. Sept 4th Left for a valley that              was once a river bed.             Rained both shoes full             of water. Sept 5th Left Valley at midnight         6th Arrived at Barrzey-au              Plain at 5 a.m.         7th Left for Santilures Les              Vornnes signed pay              roll.         8th Left S. V. Arrived              at camp Tonl Left               Tonl.

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Sept 9th Arrived in woods.               Name unknown.         10th Left wood at 1:30 A M arrived              at 5 a.m. in another woods.               Near the front. Dug in.        11th Spent day in woods               Left in evening for               front. Dug inwaiting               our barrage to start.               Got my orders in afternoon.         12th Barrage started 1:00              went over at 6:00. Keep              the Boch going all              day. 10,000 prisoners. September 13th Still after Boch taking prisoners. Raining disgusted. Dug in. September 14th Dug in in a wood waiting relieve reached Obje Tirne. Lake ahead.

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Sept      15 Still in wood. Eat           15 pancakes. All's well            rumor that 3rdDiv.            will relieve us.      16 Still in woods. 3rd           Div. nowhere in sight           rec. mail in evening.      17 Left woods at 9:15 in           morning hiked back           to Dutch barracks 6           kilo. Quiet on front.      18 Nothing doing rest.      19 Nothing doing rest.      20 Nothing doing rest rain.      21 Nothing to do. Rest rain.      22 Nothing to do. Rest rain      23 Went to the front to look           over position for my           platoon. Hell of a hole.

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15 Sept       24 Still in wood inspected            platoon orders to dig in            expecting Boche to shell            dug in a trash            pile. 70       25 Still in woods drilled           1 hour. Our boy attack.            Stayed in hole all night       26 Drilled 1 hour in forenoon            and rested in afternoon       27 Left at 6 p.m. a dam            burned guide in charge of            platoon divided in 2 parts.       28 Stayed in holes all            day Boche shelled a            little.       29 Still in holes Boche            start to shell put over           1000 shell in 2 hours. All           gas mustard.             Halladay wounded.

page 66

16 Sept        30 Left front line at 10             had a time getting platoon            together. Don't know            where am taking platoon            but on my way. Arrived            in a wood at 2:30 a.m. stop            rest of night. Oct. 1 Left wood at 12:30 P M            hiked 15 kilo. loaded on            trucks at 6 p.m. rode all            night. Hit hole.         2 Got off trucks at 7 a.m.            are in Neuville N Verdens           9 A.M.. tent up.        3  Rest.        4  Left Neuville En Verd            unois at 10 AM hik            to Jub Court 30 K ar.            at 6 p.m.

OIR shows Leonard Bradshaw, Robert Grunden, Stanley Griffiths, Peter Kemp all killed on Sept, 30, 1918. A rough day for Co. D. (may have actually been night of 29th)

page 67

17 Oct  5th Left Jube Court at 1 p.m.               hiked to woods near               Verdun front.         6th Rest.         7th Rest.         8th Rest.         9th Rest.         10th Left woods 9:00 p.m. and                hiked to thicket near                front line ar. at 6a.m.                Argonne Forest. Dead.         11th Dug my self home.         12th Rest. My birthday.         13th Rest.         14th Left Argonne for                drive no on hill are                some guns. w hell to take         15th  Advance to a hill out                 side of town held.

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18 Oct  16th Still on the hill. Shelled         17th Still on hill shelled.         18th Still on hill shelled.         19th Still on a hill shelled.         20th Still on a hill shelled. October 21st Still on a hill shelled. October 22nd Still on hill shelled. October 23rd Still on hill shelled . October 24th Was relieved by 2nd Bat. went back to Hill 240 dug in. October 25th Rest October 26th Rest October 27th Rest. Airplanes thick October 28th Rest October 29th Rest October 30th At 11p.m. Left hill 240 hiked 9K to rear camped on a hillside. October 31st Rest. Barrage.

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November 1st Rest. November 2nd Rest. November 3rd Left camp on a hillside hiked to Verpel 18 K across fields. November 4th Left Verpel and hiked to tram way. Dug in for night. November 5th Left tram way started on drive Tammy name of town where we started drive from. November 6th Advanced all day nothing doing till night then shelled to beat hell slept in ditch rain all night. November 7th Chehery we were relieved by French went back to Chemery. Granpre Cotres.

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