William Miller's WWI Diary-Part 7

After his journey to Germany, Grandpa Miller settles in with the 80th Division in towns around Ancy-le-Franc, has a nice Christmas dinner and hauls everything from bacon to hay. He also gets de-loused and possibly into some trouble. He was billeted in Cusy near the railroad.

In his diary, he listed many of the towns that he made deliveries to:


Those towns and others mentioned in the diary are marked on this map:
As usual, click to scroll and enlarge.

William Miller Diary, December 18, 1918-February 20, 1919.

Dec. 18 Rained All policed up around barracks and drained mud

Dec. 19 Rainy I went on detail with truck at Div. Headquarters

Dec. 20 Same as 19th.

Dec. 21 “ “ “ Rained

Dec. 22 “ “ “ “

Dec. 23 On detail in A.M. Truck broke down in P.M. Rained very hard.

Dec. 24 Rained hard most all day all took bath and cleaned up equipment I went to Confession in evening and to Mass at Midnight

Dec. 25 Christmas day Rained hard most all day. Had goose, pork, mashed potatoes, cheese, dressing, apple sauce apple pie etc had Retreat as usual but no Reville

Dec. 26 Rainy Drilled about 1 hr. in A.M.

Dec. 27 Regular Camp Routine

Dec. 28 Rained quite hard Was on Detail at Railhead with truck

Dec. 29 Rained all day On Detail with truck

Dec. 30 Rainy same as 29

Dec. 31

1919

Jan. 1 On detail at Railhead with truck untill noon had afternoon off went to Ancy-Le-France. Quite nice day did not rain

[This seems to be the first day it didn't rain since he arrived in Ancy-le-Franc]

Jan. 2 On detail at Railhead. Rained some

Jan. 3 Same as 2nd

Jan. 4 Same as 2nd

Jan. 5 Sunday Quite nice but rained some I hauled water with truck.

Jan. 6 Quite nice day I hauled water and wood for kitchens with truck

Jan. 7 Nice day. Was on detail at Railhead hauled 1 ld. potatoes and 1 load coal to 159 Bgd. dump at Verdonnet

Jan. 8 Nice day Was on Detail with two other B. Trucks at Railhead. Rest of Co. worked on road I made trip to Machine gun Dump at Gigny and one trip to Villers-Les-Haut for wood.

[The Standard B “Liberty” Truck was an improvement over the Quad. See what one looked here and read more here.]

Jan. 9 Quite nice day but rained a little Was on Detail at Railhead Made one trip to 320 Inf. at Villedu and towed Supply truck back

Jan. 10 Beautifull day. Made one trip to 314 Inf. at Lezinnes and trip to Sanitary train at Gland.

Jan. 11 Rained a little Big general Inspection so did not go out on truck in A.M. Made one trip to Sanitary Train at Pimelles in P.M. B. Co. got 5 trucks from Supply Co. F.

Jan. 12 Sunday. Very disagreeable day rained all day I made one trip to Divisional Troops at Ancy-Le-France and one to 159th Bgd. at Verdonnet with beef.

Jan. 13 Rained some quite cold Hauled some water and made one trip to 159th Brigade with beef. Overholser took My truck at 7 P.M.

Jan. 14 Truck did not get back so was with Co. all day. 46 men most of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Section went to Delouser at Fulvy. Quite nice day

Jan. 15 Rained some in A.M. Hauled one load water for Railhead in morning then made trip to 320. Inf. at Villedu with bacon

Jan. 16 Very nice day My truck in for repairs Went for dental-exams.

Jan. 17 Quite nice but rained some Made trip to Div. Troops and one to Pacy to Motor Supply in A.M. and hauled load of coal from Nuits to 314. F.A. at Lezinnes in P.M.

Jan. 18 Nice day. Made trip to Div Troops at AncyLeFranc and one to Pacy to 313 with hay and one trip to 320 Inf. at Villedu with hay in AM.

Jan. 19 Real nice day. Made trip to Div. Troops and one trip to 319. Inf. at Villon got in at 5 P.M. eat supper and Reported back at Railhead at 6. P.M. Hauled G. Co’s from there to Villers-De-Haut got back to Barracks at 2 A.M. of ___?__

Jan. 20 Wagoners and Assistants on duty Jan 19 relieved for day started new system of Relief every other day on trucks Cloudy and Quite cold today

Jan. 21 Very cold. I did not go to Railhead in A.M. but towed several other trucks to get them started had water line on pump repaired and hauled 1 load water for Railhead and made a trip to Machine-gun-Battalion at Gigny with coal.

Jan. 22 Nice but cold. Made two trips to Pacy three to Ancy-Le-Franc and one to Lezinnes

Jan. 23 Made 1 trip to Pacy one to Gigny and one to Villon

Jan. 24

Jan. 25 Very cold. Made trip to Pacy and one to Villon.

Jan. 26 Sunday. Quite cold was relieved for day Was up to 10 Oclock Mass. snowed hard in evening

Jan. 27 Cold and about 3” in. snow did not go to Railhead untill about noon Made one trip for water for Railhead and made one trip to Villon to 160 Brigade dump.

Jan. 28 Cold, snow still on. Did not go out as truck broke down.

Jan. 29 Cold, snow still lies. Co. B. took bath in A.M. Went out on truck in P.M. Made one trip to Ancy-Le-Franc and one to 160 Brigade at Villon

Jan. 30 Cold snowed little more. and went to Aisy to 315 Art. with coal from there to blank and delivered to different batteries

Jan. 31 Same as 30th hauled hay and bran to Div. Troops in A.M. Went after wood in P.M. in woods near Montreal got back to billets about 1 A.M. of

Feb. 1 Delivered wood and reported truck in for repairs at noon. went out on Smith’s truck in P.M. after wood. still cold.

Feb. 2 Sunday Little warmer was to 10 O’clock Mass.

Feb. 3 Still quite cold Reported to Railhead as usual

Feb. 4

Feb. 5 Cold day. Hauled grenades to 317 Inf. at La-Foile

Feb. 6 Little warmer rained some in A.M. Delivered amm to 318 Inf. at Cry. truck caught fire burnt off wires so had A. 19. haul me in changed wireing and reported to R.H. [Railhead] in P.M.

Feb. 7 Thawing up some Reported to R.H. as usual

Feb. 8 Quite cold today. Made trip to Pimelles in A.M. and one to Villon in P.M.

Feb. 9 Quite nice day Sunday. Made trip to Pimelles and one to Cruzy-La Shapell in P.M.

Feb. 10 Truck in for Rep. B. 18’s housing on rear broke.

Feb. 11 Nice day. Made trip to Gigny to M.G. in A.M. and hauled 75’s shrap. Amm. to dump at Sennevay-Le-Haut in P.M.

Feb. 12 Very nice day. Turned in F.W.D. trucks. Went out on road with Co. built road to stone quarry

[See an FWD truck, go here and here.]

Feb. 13 Very nice day Drilled most all day.

Feb. 14 Nice day. Drilled in A.M. Bath day in P.M.

Feb. 15 Regular Sat. Inspection Went on Guard in P.M. Rained some in evening

Feb. 16 Sunday. Rainy. Was on Guard untill 4 P.M.

Feb. 17 Rained. Drilled some

Feb. 18 Rained all day was very disagreeable and Cold. 35 men got in trouble about road work.

Feb. 19 All available men went on road work. Was very nice day.

Feb. 20 Nice day All got trial and sentence for deserting _ work before finished. I took quar. at Y. Inf.

[Apparently doing road work in the rain wasn’t too pleasant and a few soldiers decided to quit work early. Grandpa is not clear as whether he was one of the 35 men.]