William Miller Diary, April 2-May 18, 1919.
Apr. 2 Quite nice day Rode all morning and arrived at Sun-Le-Loir at about 12 M. had dinner and hiked to Grand-Le-Luce [Le Grand-Luce] about 9-45 P.M. and were billed in little Chateau.
[Unable to determine what place was meant by ‘Sun-Le-Loir’. The ‘le-loir’ suffix and the location of the railroad would indicate that it was South of Le Grand-Luce in the direction of Tours. Le Grand-Luce is near Le Mans.]
[Perhaps this is the chateau he stayed in it being the only chateau in Le Grand-Luce.]
 |
[This auto road test begins at Chateau Le Grand-Luce and describes it at the end of the review.]
Apr. 3 All slept late. Had no breakfast dinner at 12 M. All policed up in P.M. I was on water detail
Apr. 4 Nice day. All bathed and cleaned up equipment
Apr. 5 Nice day. Reg. Sat. Ins. And went for 1 hr. hike in morning.
Apr. 6 Sunday Was to 10 O’clock Mass and were paid in P.M. Very nice day.
Apr. 7 Drilled in A.M. Went on Guard in P.M. at 4-30. Nice day
Apr. 8 Quite nice day Was on Guard untill 4-30 P.M.
Apr. 9 Nice in A.M. rained some in P.M. Drilled in A.M. (inserted medical Ins.) had ball games in P.M. C. vs. D. and B. vs. A.
Apr. 10 Rainy. Co. B. bath day and had rifle instruction in P.M.
Apr. 11 Quite nice day Drilled in A.M. I went on detail painting Y.M.C.A.
Apr. 12 Rainy Regular Sat. Ins. On detail at Y.M.C.A.
Apr. 13 Palm Sunday. Quite nice day Was to 10 O’clock Mass. Were all inoculated in morning
Apr. 14 Rainy Was on detail at Y.M.C.A. in A.M.
Apr. 15 S.O.S. [Services of Supply?] Inspection on drill field at 8 A.M. were out most of A.M. spent afternoon cleaning up equipment
Apr. 16 Drilled in A.M. Rained some Had ball games and athletics in P.M.
Apr. 17 Quite nice day Drilled some in A.M. B. Co’s bath day. Athletics in P.M.
Apr. 18 Good Friday. Quite nice day Final S.O.S. Ins. B. Co. and Hdq. passed 100%. Had afternoon off except athletics
Apr. 19 Holy Sat. Had day off. no Reville. Nice day
Apr. 20 Easter Sunday. Beautifull day. Was to 10 O’clock Mass.
Apr. 21 Nice day Drilled in A.M. athletics in P.M.
Apr. 22 Rained some
Apr. 23 Nice day Drilled in A.M. I went on Guard duty at 4-30 P.M.
Apr. 24 On Guard untill 4-30 Quite nice day.
Apr. 25 Nice day Drilled in A.M. Athletics in P.M.
Apr. 26 Quite nice day rained little in P.M. Reg. Sat. Ins. Had final ball game of Schedule.
Apr. 27 Sunday. Nice day. Was to 10 O’Clock Mass.
Apr. 28 Rained and snowed quite hard in A.M. Drilled in A.M. untill 10. O’Clock.
Apr. 29 Rained most all day Drilled some in A.M. I was on police detail
Apr. 30 Nice day Cootie Ins. on field by S.O.S. Pay day
May 1 Drilled in A.M. Rained almost all day
May 2 Rained most all day Went for hike in A.M.
May 3 Regular Sat. Ins. Quite nice day.
May 4 Sunday. Nice day Was to 10 O’Clock Mass.
May 5 Nice day. Drilled in A.M.
May 6 Nice day Drilled in A.M. All bathed in P.M.
May 7 Nice day very warm Drilled in A.M.
May 8 Nice day. Drilled in A.M. Had General Review before Gen. Cronkite in P.M.
[Adelbert Cronkhite (with an ‘h’) was in charge of the 80th Division. And, yes, he was related to Walter Cronkite (without an ‘h’) as described here along with some Camp Lee/80th Division history.]
May 9 Nice day. Drilled in A.M.
May 10 Reg. Sat Ins. Nice day.
May 11 Sunday. Nice day Was to 10 O Clock Mass Mothers day
May 12 Quite nice day Had Final cootie Ins. in Field by S.O.S.
May 13 Nice day Drilled in A.M.
May 14 Very nice day. Exercises and competitive games in A.M. Bathed in P.M.
May 15 Rained in A.M. and some at night All policed up
May 16 Reville 5°-45’ A.M. Rooled packs and loaded them at 7-30 A.M. All policed up all forenoon dinner at 11 O’Clock Was very nice day. Left Le-Grand-Luce on trucks at about 1°45’ P.M. and arrived at Ecommay [Ecommoy] at 2°30’ P.M. Supper on train at 8 P.M. 65 men in box car. left about 8-30 P.M.
May 17 passed through Le-Mans through Melun and Rennes arrived at Brest at about 5 P.M. had supper and hiked to Camp Pontamazen about 4 K.M. arrived 7 P.M.
[Pontanezen doesn’t exist as a separate place but is a section of the city of Brest, (le quartier Pontanezen). ]
May 18 Nice day. Bunk Ins. in A.M. All went through Bathouse and Had medical Ins.at 3 P.M. also got new clothes
[The diary ends here but indicates that it is continued in another book. Unfortunately we do not have that book. Next time, a little more about the now almost forgotten Camp Pontanezen.]
Posts
1 comment:
Great stuff, Jim. Thanks! I got a real kick out of the "cootie" inspections. Regarding Sun-le-loir: My guess is that his handwriting probably said "Sur-le-loir." That would place him at the railroad depot near the intersection of D304 and D305, and near the town of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir. He would have then marched along the path of D304 to La Grand Luce. --Brad
Post a Comment