Diary, July 14-20, 1918

[begun with previous day's entry] I was up July 14-Sun. until 1:30 putting our gang to Bed. Being only 2 Sober men it fell on Miller & I to get them quiet.

July 15 Mon Had school all day. Made me a cap yesterday.

July 16 - Tue. Sig plat test - we made a practice deployment and strung up lines for regiment fighting. 8 PM- rec rations and packed up complete. 11:30 at Ergenese - Rheumatism in R. knee a fright.

July 17 Wed Starting this morn. for front line at Ameins. I being left in charge of our equip. on acc of knee. noon- at our stopping place for tonite. 4:30 at wrong place was taken a couple miles from here to another camp - this is a few miles out of Flexicourt. 7:PM. Hailing like hell and an awful wind

July 18 Thur. slept in pup tent with Sgt. Mitten. comp by here at 10 AM. for Allenville. was left here in charge of detail of blankets. Lorries picked us up again at 7:PM. I bathed & shaved this fore noon. 130 3rd Bat. arrived at noon was taken thru Ameins to Camon. got here about 11 PM Supp. Co. Headqu are here. Have no rations - Bum all I get.

July 19 Fri. Slept in Chateau. Had a bite to eat. was in charge of 2 lorries going to 1st Bat. which pulled into trenches - 3 miles farther up to the lines. Saw Jerries big guns shoot. many dugouts - trenches - areoplanes. ammu.- along a road the field is full of shell holes. many observation Balloons. anti aircraft guns going when Jerry comes over. Trucks unloaded and found sig. detail stayed at Allenville -- noon at Cameon- I am here with sig equip. going to Allenville. Ate dinner with sup. co. Cpt Groom said do all I could to get to the sig detail. He will help me if I can get no other way. Last nite I saw my first tanks. a couple dozen of them. 12 oc. in Allonville. Brig Hdq here. a couple shells landed in here. Found sig. plat of 129 & 130 here. Dont know how long we stay. Dameral paid me the $5 bet I made with him- that Sgt Baum was but a 32 degree Mason - he thot him a 33 degree M. No money was put up but he paid - was my 1st bet & I won.

July 20 Sat. took a shower Bath at an Australia bath house. this after noon we moved into woods outside of Allonville a mile. then I went to reserve line with Hane[] to get Blankets in a Lorrie. went past the Cathredal in Ameins & Depot - church had 1 shell & dep & surroungings badly damaged. was 3 kilos this side of Villers Bretomnears- 5 shells burst within 600 yds of where I was. got in at 11 PM. Broke down once.