SOLDIER OF THE ELEVENTH HOUR

 

A Diary of Corporal Clyde O. Brown
Company "B", 324^th Infantry, 81^st Division, First Army
 

~ Biographer ~
FRANK A. CARLUCCI
(USN Retired - recently deceased)
 

Forward

War is the result of deep-seated resentments of people of all races, but, in order to have wars, we must have political determinations of the reason to go to war.  For that, we must have politicians.  Now is only the politicians fought those wars, we might not have war.  However, Men have to die to defend their beliefs that are generated by patriotism.  To be patriotic is to defend your country regardless of how the war started.  The common soldier has no particular hatred for the enemy, but must do his duty.

There are times in history when the will of the people forces the politicians to act on the reasons to go to war.  In the American Revolution, the Colonists hated the British for oppressive treatment and taxation.  They did not hate the individual, but the government that oppressed them.

In the War of 1812, the British attacked the American Colonies because the humiliation of losing the Revolution to a ragtag bunch of Colonists was too much to bear.

There can be many excuses given for wars that had to be fount by the citizens of the warring nations, but we tend to read history of these wars in the glorious feats of famous generals, famous battles and decisive victories.  We hear of individual heroism by some combatants, but everyone is not decorated for heroism.

We honor a place in history for the Unknown Soldier by selection of an unknown from each war, but the rest of the unknown soldiers are the millions of men who distinguished themselves only by serving their country.

Now in History, there is a War was intended to be the War to end all Wars.  The Great War.  Later to be called World War I because man did not learn his lesson.

This is the story of one of those men who emerged from obscurity to serve and then return to obscurity.  Only he left a chronicle of events that show the utter loneliness and horror of war for the citizen soldier.

The Diary

The following portions of the private diary of Corporal Clyde O. Brown, of Company "B" 324^th Infantry, 81^st Division, First Army, is an example of the many sacrifices made to keep this nation as great as it is today.

Forgotten in time and never to know that his efforts were repeated by millions of men after him, it is still a story of the civilian soldiers devotion to duty and his loves, fears and light-hearted moments even while suffering the loneliness and privations of serving his country in War.

The story begins on a chilly morning in April 1918 when he reported to the local draft board in Memphis, Tennessee. The rest of the story is written in his own hand, in a little black diary, carried with him through the terrible ordeals of trench warfare and bombardment.  This original diary is still in existence today and is the source of this account.

Many entries show the monotonous routine of a soldier's life from day to day.  I have taken the liberty to edit portions of if, for ease of understanding.  Many of the terms used to describe something are in Army slang of the times, not much different than words that were used in more recent times, to describe the same thing.  One of the more unique words to describe a baloney sandwich would not need much interpretation for any soldiers of the latter wars.  It was "Cow Willie."  A horse would eventually replace the cow in infamy.  A "Doughboy" would later become a "GI" and then a "Grunt."

Whatever he was called, the term that comes to mind is Hero.  Every citizen that had to go to War and suffer and die was one.  Not just the few who got the medals.
 

Soldier of the Eleventh Hour

April 27^th, 1918
I reported to the Local Board #4 at Memphis, Tenn.  A long dreary day of processing was only the beginning of what was still to come.  At 8pm that evening we entrained for Camp Jackson, S.C.  As I leaned out the window to give my dear wife a final kiss goodbye, I wondered if I would ever see her again, or ever kiss that tear stained face that said all the things that she was thinking, without uttering a word.

After two long days and nights, all memories of that parting were already fading into a distant time.  Only the grace of God would allow me the time to return to a life that will probably never be the same.  Or not return at all.

On the morning of the 29^th of April
We arrived at Camp Jackson, feeling very much on the "Bum" and terribly hungry.  But, after having us stand around in the warm sun all morning, we finally were delivered to the 18^th Company of the Depot Brigade, which is kind of a reception unit that takes about two weeks to transition you from civilian life to Army life.  Then the real work begins in that transformation.

I was sent to Artillery School for about six weeks, but at the last minute, the school was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky.  I was sent back to the Depot Brigade to be reassigned.  I arrived there on the evening of June 1^st and in thirty minutes, was transferred to the 81^st Division stationed at Greenville, S.C.  Another train ride to endure, but at least it was shorter.

The next month and a half was the hardest work a man has ever had to do.  The life of a "Doughboy" was not to be an easy one.

The morning of July 26^thwas to be the start of another long train ride to Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, to be prepared for overseas.

We were at this camp which was very pleasant, as the surroundings were much better than any camp we had been in up to then.  We were also treated much better by the Northern people, than by the people of the South, I really hate to sat so, being a southern boy myself, but such was the case.

August 5^th 1918 – Departure for France
We bid farewell to the good old USA on board the steamer, "Aquatania" with about ten thousand other boys of the "Wildcat" Division.  We had a very pleasant trip on the deep blue sea and arrived at Liverpool, England on August 13^th, not much fatigued from out our long trip.  While the English people treated us to a brass band, we unloaded and had a long hike to the edge of Liverpool, to a rest camp.  We stayed there one day and night, leaving on August 14^th in a side door Pullman, (freight train) travelling through some very pretty country.  Highly cultivated fields made a very picturesque scene from out observation car, which was a cattle car highly perfumed with manure.

Arriving at Southampton on the 15^th, we had another long hike to another rest camp.  We had a pleasant evening provided by tge English people, giving us a band concert attended by some very pretty girls.  Then, on August 16^th at six-thirty in the evening, we left for Le Havre, France.  The hardships of another long hike, to another of their so called rest camps was just the beginning.  For many of my buddies it would be a one-way trip.  I wondered then, if I would ever see my dear wife and wonderful home in Tennessee again.  I remember it was a feeling of utter loneliness and frustration, but I was too eager to fight for my country.  So here I am, for as yet, I know not what will become of me. 

God, give me the strength to endure.  To be what my family and my country expects me to be.

On the morning of August 17^th, we marched to the city of Le Havre to board another well used cattle car to France.  After a long march we boarded at three-thirty in the evening for a long journey to Coulon, France.

We stayed at Coulon and trained from August 18^th until September 17^th.
Our stay there was rather enjoyed after the first three or four days, as most of us ere fortunate to secure rooms with big feather beds to sleep in, which was very unusual for a soldier. The people there were the Peasant Class and lived mostly from their little crops of Wheat and Rye.  Each family had two to six cows that the women would take out to graze every day, and stay with them all day.

Then, on the evening of the 17^th, we were told to pack up and be ready to leave for the front.  Chilling words that would prove to be even more fearful as time came to pass.
 

Biographers Note:  It should be noted that the terms that soldiers used in wartime to describe different things.  The "Front" was the dreaded word of World War I.  Somehow, in time it was changed to what the soldiers of World War II and Korea heard so often, "Saddle up Men, we're moving up to the line."

Many of the terms used in Corporal Browns' diary are synonymous with words used by generations after him.  All the little idiosyncrasies of fighting men trying to ease the burden of facing the enemy and never knowing if they will see the next sunrise.  One of the more recognizable words to describe a baloney sandwich, "Cow Willie" would later change the species of animal to a Horse.  That was used by more modern men to describe a Spam sandwich.

There was always a term to describe the enemy, in the Great War it was "Hun" or "Hienie".  In a later war, the same enemy became, "Fritz" or "Bosch".  Not necessarily the derogatory terms that would be used in later wars to describe a different enemy.  Where there were no definite lines of battle and one could die anywhere that he did not remain alert, the terms became descriptive of an enemy that was not becoming hated as individuals, "Chinks, "Gooks" and other terms used even later.
 

The Sounds of War

We left Coulon about 7 A.M. on the 18^th of September
After the hardest days of work and the most severe punishment my tired body ever had, we finally made it to Wrvy, France. We were loaded on trains again leaving Ervy at 1:30 A.M. for a ride that would last until 9:30 the next night.

Right here, let me say just what was in my pack, (which in civilian life could not carry 100 yards, much less all day and night).  Full field equipment, tent poles, five tent pins, encampment can, baking can, meat can, (a mess kit of later day soldiers).  Also included was a Haversack, canteen of water, belt, bayonet, rifle, one blanket, four towels, six handkerchiefs, four pair of socks, two suits of underwear, one extra pair of shoes, overcoat, rain coat, one day cans of tobacco, bed sock (mattress cover) and a small Red Cross bag with personal belongings.

We unloaded from the trains at a place called Drycimon, and now we could hear the faint sounds of war.  Although way off in the distance, the effect made you uneasy for the firsst time and the reality of things to come, surged inside me.  We rested here for four days and enjoyed ourselves drinking French wine, but that was not to last.   We all knew that, but a rest is a rest.  We could look back on that time as something we could all have again.  Not the Eternal rest that would or could possibly come all to soon.

September 19^th
We were told to pack up at 2 P.M. and be ready to leave this place at 4 P.M.  We hiked all night toward the sounds of war that seemed a little closer by every one of the 25 miles that we marched.  They were the longest 25 miles that I ever hoped to see.  We came to Verdun.  With the sound of war louder now, we were told to rest.

September 20^th
I left Verdun around 5 P.M. with my pack slung on my little worn out shoulders and hiked until 3 A.M. on the morning of the 21^st.  This new place was Roan Le Tope, and I finally had my bed made around 5 A.M. and then was too worn out to sleep, but by the next afternoon at 5 P.M. I had some rest, only to be told to join in the hike of about ten miles to some French barracks, high up in a beautiful forest of pine trees so thick that you could not see the place from 100 yards.  We were at what later became the final place to relax and rest before the coming ordeal.  This we did without interruption for about six days.  We wondered where the French troops that really were stationed here could be.  We would find this out later.

September 27^th
We left Pierre Peercee about dusk, for the trenches.  We now relieved the very Frenchmen whise barracks we had used for six days.  It was around 8 P.M. when we arrived, only to find out that the French could tell is nothing about how they were fighting in this sector.  So after posting us on the different listening posts in the trenches, we passed a night that was full of imaginary raids by the Huns.

September 28^th
I slept most of this day in my little bunk in a dugout.  Spending another night scared to death, shooting and throwing hand grenades at every leaf that fell or any kind of noise that sounded like a German coming through the barbed wire entanglements.

September 29^th
Some nervous shooting of anything that moved out beyond the wire.  We have not taken any casualties up to this time, but one fellow in another platoon killed two Hun snipers.  The first German killed by the 81^st .

September 30^th
Everything is becoming routine now and I am getting used to trench life, with all the shooting and occasional bombardment by the enemy.  The sounds of High Explosive shells whining overhead, destined for some target beyond our trenches.  One never knows if the next one will fall short or be actually aimed at you. We are beginning to lose some of my buddies now and it is not a good feeling to be glad it is not you.

On the night of October 1^st , we expected some kind of attack that did not come.  Straining eyes searched beyond the wire for any movement that would signal a general advance by the enemy.

October 2^nd
We are getting only two meals a day now, a detail of five men have to walk about three miles to get that.  That three miles is through some countryside that is pretty well scarred with the debris of war.  I am on supper detail today, I wonder if I can really eat anything and keep it down.  Seeing your buddies maimed and killed by bombardment is a memory that never can go away.  But, in War, you must keep a clear head and believe that you will not suffer too severely.

October 3^rd
The sector is quiet today, not much to do but wait for the sounds of war to begin again.  Time to put my thoughts into a poem that I have been running through my mind.

Rain and Mud and a spray of Blood
A moaning wind through the shattered trees.
Rain and Mud and the endless thud,
And the crash that comes from the big H.E.'s
It isn't for fun and it isn't for fame
We plunge to the big advance
But its all in the game – its all in the game.|
Until the Hun gets our of France.
A rain soaked night and a bitter fight
Where the dripping trees sing a dismal song,
Where the flash of guns give the only light
The Yanks can use as they drive along.
This isn't the life a man might claim
Over the bloody sod.
But its all in the game – its all in the game . . .
To the final . . . . . . . Kamerad

October 4^th
On this date we were relieved about 8 P.M. by the 1^st platoon and told to move about a mile back and do patrol work at night.  In case of attack, we were to move in support of the other platoons.  Something was stirring in the sector, but no one has the answers to that except the higher command.  I think it is better not to know more than you can see in your own sector until it is forced upon you.

October 5^th
Nothing to do but sleep and eat.  Sleep is something that all of us need badly at this time.  You do not get much in the trenches.

October 6^th
Went out on patrol about 10 P.M. and hunted Germans until 4 A.M. but was awful glad we didn't find any.

October 7^th
We were relieved for a spell by another platoon and given some time off to go into Roan Le Tope.  I accompanied Sgt. Boynton of my platoon and was like a little kid who gets to town about once a year.  I bought all the candy and cake I could carry back with me.  I also bought my wife a silk scarf and apron but don't know if I will be able to send it back home.  I hope that somewhere I will run into someone that can do it for me.

October 8^th
I was told to be ready to leave at 8 A.M. by Capt. Marchant, to go to Lexiel, France which is about a hundred miles from our present location.  They have a signal school there, where I am to learn the method of signaling with panels laid out on the ground for our Air Corps.

October 9^th
Hiked to roan Le Tope with full pack and reported to HQ and after hanging around all day we were taken to a stable to spend the night.

October 10^th
We left Roan Le Tope at 11 P.M. in a second class car, for a change. We arrived at Luxeil at about noon the next day and much to my disbelief, we were given a ride to the school in small trucks.  Someone around here is used to living a little better than most soldiers.

October 11^th
This was a school for Aviation, which would help to explain the better treatment.  They always did live a little better than "Doughboys" even if their life expectancy was only about three weeks.  We were given a nice dinner and then we were given a line on what our duties would be while we were here taking this course in signaling with the panels to the airplanes.

October 12^th
The Liaison system of signaling is what we were told we were there to learn. Lectures were given by Lt. and the Major of the flying school.  These lectures usually connected the laying of the panels to direct the airplanes to spot enemy positions for the artillery that would get maps of the terrain from the results of the airplane observations.

We spent the next few days with these lessons and had a nice time of it.  Plenty of good eats, we had our own cook along and he could draw all the rations he wanted.

The general outline of laying the panels was sort of coded and was changed every time an attack was to be made.  So it went for the short period of training and then back to the front for the real work of crawling out between the lines at times to lay these panels.  Not a very healthy way of spending a day or night.

October 15^th
Went back into Luxiel for a visit to the hot springs that are there.  Much like the springs in the states.  Had a nice hot bath in a real bath tub for the first time since I left home. (That is a bath in a bath tub) mostly use the helmet for a wash basin when you find the soap and water.

October 16^th to 18^th
I left Luxiel around 9:30 A.M. on the 16^th and arrived in 'roam Le Tope the night of October 17^th and rested in some other small French barracks up in the mountains, behind the front lines.  We were having a good rest, lying around all day on the 18^th , but much to my sorrow, we were told to pack up and be ready to leave at any time.  So, I have just finished rolling my pack after throwing away about half of my belongings, as I understand it is to be quite a long journey and I am sure tired carrying a load that I wouldn't put on a mule.

So I an now awaiting the order to sling my pack and beat it.  While waiting we had a big crap game going, also some poker games.  So, to pass the time away, I joined in as yesterday was payday and everybody had lots of French money.  I was lucky and won about 150 Francs.

Information has just reached us that two Americans from "C" Company were captured from the same trench we had just left.  Three Germans were captured by "E" Company on an old house in No-Mans Land (The area between the opposing armies).  They were probably spotting our trenches for their artillery.  It is nice to know they will be temporarily deprived of that information.  Last night we were shelled by the German Artillery, artillery shells were bursting so close that pieces were hitting our barracks so, we all beat it out of there for the dugouts and spent some to  three hours in there.  No one near me was hurt, but the Company took some causalities.

Well, at last, about 10 P.M. we were relieved by some Polish Division and most of them were from the States.  So about 10:30 P.M. we moved out of Pierre Peercee, our destination being somewhere in France.  On our way in we were shelled by gas and had to wear gas masks for some three to four miles.  Arrived at the French Barracks in Roan Le Tope at 3 A.M. and turned up my toes for a little sleep and rest.

October 19^th
Spend the day just as I pleased at Roan Le Tope, got up at 8 A.M. and in the company of Privates; Mozingo, Caldwell, Harry-Tidwell and myself ventured into town before breakfast and had a few glasses of French wine and beer then had breakfast around 10 A.M. after Parlay-Vooring about one hour in a restaurant, then bought a few articles and bear it back to camp.. The afternoon we spend in our barracks as we all had a bursting headache from drinking so much on an empty stomach.

October 20^th
Got up at 4 A.M. had breakfast before daylight and by 6 was on the road to somewhere.  For the first time since landing in France we had a truck to carry only our packs so, the hike wasn't so much torture as the previous ones.  At 4 A.M. we passed through St, Benoit, at 10 A.M. we stopped and had hot coffee and 3 or 4 prunes and came very near freezing to death, as it was raining a slow drizzle which continued all day.  About noon, we passed through a mighty nice looking town, "Ramblersville" which had been slightly damaged by the German airplanes, also the town of St. Benoit had been very near completely destroyed.  At 3:30 P.M. we came to Monont, a small village and at 4 we arrived at Moyemont where we had another hot meal served us there about 5 P.M. and were billeted at a small town about two kilometers from Mayemont.

October 21^st
Didn't do anything but rest and as I had a big washing to do and it being Monday. I spent most of my time cleaning up myself and clothes.  One of our boys was shot accidently through the foot this afternoon.  Had a real good supper there.  Cpl. Sam Curl, Ala. Billie Lawson, Tenn. Adger Mozingo, S.C. John Neal, N.C. Wm. G. Pappas, Minn.George B. Caldwell, Ala. Grady Tidwell, Ala. And myself all gathered at a French Madams house next door to where we were billeted and had hot coffee served us by the old lady.

October 22^nd
Reveille at 6 A.M. breakfast at 6:30 Drill until 11:30 Dinner and rest until 1:30 P.M.  Called out for drill and went out on the field, but as it was raining were called in, so nothing to do but hand around our beautiful home, which was an old Barn.

October 23^rd
Drill and shot Craps all the morning.  Went out with the P.C. and fought the imaginary enemy.

October 24^th
Drilled all day, learning the French Formations, …etc.  This afternoon while out on the field, heard our Regimental Band playing and had no idea how starved for music I was.  It being the first I hears since leaving the Aquatania, but music always did make me homesick.  Mail came in today and for the first time sine my company received mail, I failed to get my letter.  So was somewhat peeved, therefor I am going to my stall and go to bed and dream that I am home with my wife and children.

October 25^th
Came very near having a holiday today, as it rained all day, but the Major came around about 3 P.M. and said to get us out for drill, so we went out for about an hour and trudged through a field of mud.  All sore as the devil at the Major for being so nice to us.  Played poker after supper and won about twenty Francs, only played until 8 and we all thought we were staying up terribly late.

October 26 ^th
Went to Battalion HQ to another Signal school, so haven't done very much work today.  Had another blanket issued this afternoon, so am going to sleep warm tonight.  Also received two letters from my wife, therefor feel like putting in a good nights sleep.

October 27^th
Sunday, didn't have to do anything but play poker, so put in a full day, just as I pleased and it was the first Sunday since landing in France that we had a full holiday.

October 28^th
Got up at six bells and nearly froze to death, (however, Winter is still some two or three weeks off) stood reveille then had breakfast and then Oh Gee! That daily shave in cold water on a cold day.  Something to be remembered, one help though, I let my mustache stay on my upper lip.

Then off to signal school at 9 A.M. Battalion drill in the French formation, in the afternoon and we called it a day when we signed the payroll.

October 29^th & 30^th
More schools and drill on these two days, although did not do much of either and things are moving along nicely.  Cold nights and warm sun shiny days.  The frost at six bells this morning looked like a gathering snow, but I did get a bath today and that is something.

October 31^st
Orders were issued this A.M. to pack up and be ready to move out at 5 P.M. this evening, so my opinion is that we are bound for the Front.  Several Sergeants were made today and several Corporals were busted and transferred to other Companies for being inefficient.

Well, at 6 P.M. we moved out and marched until 10 P.M. without resting, at 120 beats to the minute with full packs and believe me, it was some hiking.  Then after a few minutes rest, we started on our way.  We arrived at a place called Charmes, France, where we had a cup of coffee, then boarded a train.   The same kind of pullman that were given us before, only they packed in a few more than 40 men to the car.
 

Biographer Note: It brings to mind the famous poem to come out of France in the Great War.  "Hommes 40 Chevaux 8".  A segment of that poem describes the conditions that the men endured.

"We are packed by hand, shoved aboard in teens.
Pour a little oil on us and we would be Sardines."

That poem is not one of the actual poems that were composed by Cpl. Brown in his diary.  They are original and very moving.

November 1^st ,  1918
We unloaded about noon and had some "Cow Willie" and hardtack.  Then started put on another long hike, which carried us through several towns that had been completely destroyed by the Germans.  But, the most important place that we passed was St. Mehiel, where the American started their first big drive and it sure was a pitiful sight to see what was once a large town turned to nothing but ruins.  We then came to Rupt, which had also been entirely destroyed, where we spent the night in old torn up buildings with the roof partly gone and large shell holes in the walls.

November 2^nd
Woke up at 8 A.M. all stiff and sore, had some Corned Beef and a small piece of bread and called it breakfast.  Then at 10 A.M. we slung equipment (that is all the rest of the boys did). I was lucky enough to get my pack on the wagon for 20 Francs, which I gladly paid the driver to carry it for me.  Well we hiked all day and I cane very near going under, with no pack.  I gave Adger Mozingo a lift and carried part of his junk and Rifle.  We finally arrived at a camp up in the hills where we were told that we would stay for a few days rest, before going to the Front.

November 6^th
Moved out with full pack, about 3:30 P.M. for the trenches.  Our officers told us that we had only about two miles to go, but it came nearer 22.  But, Oh Joy, what a trench we did find.  After waling in mud up to our shoe tops for about an hour, we finally were shown to out dugouts which were also muddy and had to make out beds on the ground.  I was acting Corporal, so didn't have to do any guard duty, only post the men.

Our trench is the second line trench and all we have to do is furnish a detail to take meals up to the Front lines.  Stood guard all night, but found this sector to be very quiet.  Much to our sorrow, as we were all expecting something sort of lively.

November 7^th
Took a detail of thirteen men and went after breakfast at 9 A.M. and got a cup of coffee and some Cow Willie, which made me sick.  I think if I have to eat much more of the stuff, I'll turn into a cow.  Nothing doing for much of the afternoon, a few shells are falling around us, but what do we care.

November 8^th
Still holding our front line trenches without any trouble.  The Hun seem to be peaceable enough except a patrol once in a while.  Went to bed early and was expecting a good nights sleep, but at 3 A.M. on the morning of the 9^th, we all had to get up and roll battle packs with one blanket and emergency rations and hold ourselves in readiness to go over the top at daybreak.  Well at 7:45 A.M. our Artillery started out barrage, which was a joke.  Some of the shells were falling short and some even in our own trenches. Anyway, at 8:30 A.M. we went over and advanced about a mile through no-mans land under heavy fire from the enemy artillery and machine gun fire, but as we had war in our veins we didn't even notice the big shells falling all around us.  About 10 A.M./ we went into the woods which had been held by the Germans since 1914 and amidst a heavy barrage from their 77's and machine gun nests all around, we drove them back for about 5 or 6 miles on the run.  This was the Muese Sector of the Metz, Verdun Front.  We had no supporting artillery or machine guns, but we Doughboys showed them that nothing could stop us, but about 3 P.M. we struck a snag so strong and as we had been cut off from our main body, there was not enough of us left to go further and the Germans were getting thicker and thicker.  So, we were given the command to go back and try to find our main body, which we were unable to do. So, there we were, out in the woods that we knew absolutely nothing about, amidst hundreds of Germans who knew every inch of ground.  Every few seconds I would look up, only to see one of our brave lads fall.

Well, we found a dugout and stayed in it all night under heavy artillery fire.  No one slept a minute, which was about 72 hours, up to now, that I hadn't slept, but a very few minutes as we have been up most of the time we were in the trenches just before we went over the top.

We finally became so used to the scream of the big shells that we hardly noticed them, also soon learned to tell about where they were going to fall.  When one told me that it was going to drop close, I lost little time in getting as low as possible in a shell hole. Providing there was one handy and most of them were partially filled with water up to our necks, but we would get up and plod on.

November 10^th
The 323^rd came to our relief about 2 P.M. and started their drive and believe me, we were more than glad to see them.  They were better equipped for fighting than we were as we had not artillery support and very little ammunition left.  After going back to the Hq area, I was sent right back on a detail to carry ammunition to the 323^rd.  So had to face the fire again.  Though I had become used to the big shells and machine guns, never giving them much more notice than a bunch of honey bees buzzing around me.

My four-leaf Clover again gave me good luck and I managed to pull through without a scratch.  Returned to HQ sometime in the night, very near dead from the lack of sleet.  So snatched a little sleep and was making preparations to back to the battle field by daybreak on the morning of the 11^th.

November 11, 1918
Our Company was having breakfast, when a runner came in with the news that the Armistice would or had been signed,  and that all firing on both sides would cease at 11 o'clock, so our Officers decided not to take us out until after that hour, to see if the big noise really did stop.  So, you can imagine the suspense all of us were in for, those few hours.  Waiting there with battle packs loaded down with ammunition and rations, enough to do us until we marched into Metz, which is were we were headed for in the big advance.

But, at the eleventh hour, the big guns ceased to fire and Oh! What joy, what a grand and glorious feeling.

So, on the Eleventh month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour, the World War came to a close.

Then I was busy all the rest of that day, helping to bring in the dead and wounded boys who fell in the final advance.  Much to my sorrow, I found my buddy shot through the shoulder with a piece of shrapnel, he had been out in No-Mans land all night and most of the next day.

Still busy bringing in the dead boys and burying them, which certainly is a pitiful sight to see.  Our brave comrades, who just a few hours previous were with us in the best of spirits, now cold in death.

November 13^th
We are still located at the place we made our big drive.  Some are lucky enough to get a billet to sleep, but most of us are having to sleep out in the cold with nothing but old Mother Earth underneath and sky above for shelter.

November 14^th
Our Major says we will hold our line, just as a post of Honor, so the First battalions doing guard duty in the woods were we made our drive.  Previous to our drive, there had been eight attempts made and none of them succeeded.  We carrying away the honor of being the only ones who had ever driven the Germans back at this place.

November 15^th
We went down and took our turn at the guard.  About sixty men, one Lt. One Sgt. 3 Cpls in the group and I was honored to be one of the Cpls.  Not having much to guard, it made me think of the times I had gone hunting and camped in the woods.  No one slept, all sat around a big bond fire and really enjoyed ourselves.

November 16^th to 18^th
Nothing much happened until the morning of the 18^th when we received orders to get up at 4 A.M. and be ready to move out, which we did.  Well we hiked all day and made about 20 miles by 4 P.M. when we came to some barracks where we put up for the night. 

So made our beds on the floor, there were no cots, and slept the sleep of the weary, not caring if we were in a feather bed or on the floor.

I've slept on steam boats with my bed on the deck,
And I've slept in church, with a kink in my neck,
I've slept in fields under the stars
I've slept on trains in old box cars,
I've slept in beds of purple and gold,
I've slept out in Flanders in the mud and cold.
I've slept in dug outs with Rats and Louse
And I've slept in France in a fairly Good house
I've slept in Barns on beds of straw
And I've slept in sheds with no bed at all.
I'm sleeping now on a stretcher of wire,
And I pray my last sleep will be by a fire.
I'm tired of the wet, the mud and the cold.
And I won't be sorry when I sleep in the fold.
AMEN. . .
 

The story of Corporal Brown does not end there.  Only the forlorn poem to express his feelings.  He was to spend many more months slogging around France until arriving in Marseilles in early May.  Christmas had come and gone, as did the turning of the New Year, hiking from village to village throughout southern France, many which he faithfully noted by name, as he continued on in his writings.  He noted the names of many of the men he served with throughout the ordeal.

He finally boarded a ship for home on the 23^rd of May.  The last entry in his Diary describes the passing of the ship through the straits of Gibraltar into the Atlantic.

Then he fades back into History . . . . . .
 

Questions?
David L Eby
State Commander 1998-99
Department Webmaster

last update
2-12-06

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