Diary, August 4-10, 1918

Aug 4. Sun. checked up this morning. This afternoon went to Camon. rejoined Reg. Hdq. Slept in a big barn on the banks of the river Somme. Seems queer to think that in 1914 the river run red with blood & dead bodies. Saw 4 crosses for graves of our fellows dead.

Aug 5- Mon. I made me a sod hut to live in. walls 3 ft high. Sure is comical looking. was issued with gloves & a pair of Binoculars today. as yesterday I was put in visual Sig outfit. today I made a $15.00 allotment to mother. to start with aug. pay. got letters from Maude 1 Pearl 1 mother 2. our reg. is leaving this sector. raining all afternoon. Sig plat and the whole reg. leaving this sector. going to Allonville tonite- am staying in Camon on Detail.

Aug 6 Tue. got up at 8 AM. good sleep. This afternoon transfered all my sig equip to the road. 730 PM a Truck came & took all to Contay. There I was sent to daily Mail woods - after wading thru mud to my knees all nite I found Liut Smith - He said take it to Contay. on returning Cpt. Nickerson gave me orders to take it to Beaucourt.

So at 4 AM Aug 7 Wed I had detail wait until I seen area commandnt - he was drunk so I found an empty shed & put junk there. Slept till 2 PM.

Aug 7 - this - evening leaving in truck for Contay. slept till 11 oc & packed up to move.

Aug 8-Thur. 1:30 a.m. leaving for woods east of Behencourt. 3:am. arrived. passed thru Beaucourt, Montigny & Behencourt. slept today. 5 P.M. ready to move.

Aug 9 Fri- in Round woods. have sig office established. worked till 12 oc. Big drive on Ameins front in prog.

Aug 10-Sat. 1 am going to bed. 12:01 PM. just got up- had dinner- Saw Sgt. Baum. Sgt Mitten & detail going to trenches tonite. Jerry was over last nite and dropped 6 & got knocked out himself. visited our german prison camp today. Captive Balloon broke loose & went floating back from lines. very pretty day. we are getting ready to move our sig office up tomorrow. Advancement on this front going on rapidly. German prisoners wont believe we are Americans. Lieut Garry broke his arm last nite on detail put wire to B. Hdg.