River Falls SC 256

Eldon C. Kinne diary: written August-December, 1918.

Eldon C. Kinne was a member of Co. F, in the 342nd Infantry serving in Europe over World War II. The following is his personal diary describing his voyage to Europe as a soldier and his troop’s movements in England and France. His last entry was written on November 24, 1918. He died the following month on December 28, 1918, of labor pneumonia.

Note: This diary begins in mid-entry; many entries are not dated. [Illegible] or other text in brackets has been inserted where penmanship cannot be read.

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…and there came the great day when we were to leave. I am not permitted to give data hereafter for should this book fall into the hands of an enemy agent it could be of value if dates were given. Suffice to say we sailed from a nearby port on a bright September day. Several heavily loaded transports with an escort of destroyers and submarine chasers. We enjoyed a good look at the harbor sights all on deck and the open sea. Our quarters are fairly good. O well, this is work! We keep our life savers on at all times except when near our bunks. We are allowed-in fact we are ordered-to stay on deck most of the day. There are canteens on deck where we can buy various kinds of refreshments. There is also a library so it may not be so very hard to fill the idle hours of which evidently there will be before we reach our port in Europe. I fear though that many of us will have a serious time with ourselves [illegible] due to lack of variation. The days pass. They are pretty much alike. Pretty tiresome as our only variations are life boat drill, physical drill, and …and guard duty which makes up the daily routine. We get dispatch on the war situation and changes by wireless which help some. There is much interest to us in the sea and we spend hours watching the peculiarities of the flying fish.

Land! Land! At last on the 10^th day land is in sight, a mighty welcome sight to all. We pass thought the most dangerous zone, as to submarines, and the sight of the sinking of the great liner Titanic in 1912. We had hoped not to spend another night but no. One more sleep (more or less) in the hammocks, one more…..of the….kind we have never gotten used to. In the morning we [police/polish?] up, again at noon, preparatory to disembarking.

We spend the forenoon on deck watching the harbor life including the foolish maneuvers of the sea gulls. At 2:30 pm we leave the boat and make a 5 mile hike over cobble stone streets to rest camp. Rain and more rain. At camp we become quartered in tents. 20 men to a tent. We eat in mess tents. We don’t drill. We take hiked through streets and country roads. Peculiar sights greet our American eyes on hykes [sic]. There are green fields, quaint old fashioned buildings, holly-bordered [illegible], autos run under steam power with coal fired engines, double-deck street cars, 1 horse, 2 wheel wagons. Also we see many wounded British soldiers. Entire companies enjoys plunges at public baths. There is lots of mud and all suffer more or less from foot soreness caused thereby. We move again through miles of Grand English rural scenery to a port of embarkation for it seems we are to go right on toward the [illegible]. This trip I shall long remember due to the riches of nature unfolded to us at every curve. Vast stretches of meadow lands sectioned off by hundreds of miles of hedge. Fat, contented cattle. Quaint buildings, also mammoth lime kilns. We leave [by] train at night and march to more tents. Next morning we hyke [sic] through more high-priced for several miles to the port where we board a US boat for the passage to Europe proper. Once more we arrive safely. We do a grueling march to camp where we spend a few days. There off once more this time in slick cars, this ride took more out of me physically than the ocean voyage and landed many on sick call for several days. We disentrain at last and able ones march and cripple ride in trucks to small villages where we are assigned to “billets” in stone buildings which must have been constructed hundreds of years ago. Here we sojourn for a time, enjoying the generosity of these ancient people by eating their grapes, drinking their wines, etc. In a few days, large detachment leaves for St. Andrew. Later, rest of company go to Lugon where we are quartered for a few days. Sergeants leave for training camp (Capt. and 1^st Lieut. left us at St. Romaine). Pay day and preparation to follow detachment to St. Andrew. Increase of 20% pay.

Oct. 20: I leave with detachment of 23 to vicinity of the front. Very pleasant trip as to the scenery, but crowded quarters in box cars. We leave grape country and pass through fields where wheat and more cattle are raised. We cross France going through [illegible]. Big variety of trees-pines, evergreens, ferns, poplar, birch, etc. Also fine cattle and goats. Canals. Drainage ditches. Rather rough country.

Lots of farming. We see US soldiers, locomotives with US crews, Red Cross trains, trains of French soldiers, etc. at various points. Some quite modern towns and people, a good change from the ancients in vicinity of Bordeau. Laroche, largest railway yard in France. Maugels and alfalfa. German prisoners. Absence of horses. Plowing with axes. Reversible plows.

Canal for miles-more cattle here-great RR system blocks-great [illegible]-walls, bridges, depots-tunnels. Arrive at point of detraining in Verdun section. Have lunch in the early morning. Object of attack by enemy aviators who are driven off. We train on flat cars and after an hour or so stop at camp at [illegible] where we spend the night on low, wet field. I draw guard duty. Next pm we move to higher ground. Following day we march for ten hours toward front.

Sunday, Oct. 27: We spend in camp at Lacouteur. Some drilling and church services.

Oct. 31: We march all day with full pack to point behind lines (Chateau Theirry)

Nov. 2: Move farther up under big guns. Detached from our company H and attached to machine gun company as morning detail. [Last!/Lost!] Fell out. Drop in at casual company station at Chateau Thierry. Good hot supper and sleep over night. Breakfast and dinner. After dinner moved on to MP station. Sleep. Rolled out early and joined Co. H nearby. Leave on long hyke [sic] and as night comes I am again forced to fall out and pitch tents with fellow sufferer. Next morning move to shelter where I spend two days while the division pursues fleeing Huns. They are now many kilos away. Whole country mass of craters and mud. Some dead horses and “gerries” and a few US Marines.

This place is St. George. In following Co. I got through [illegible], [illegible], Barricourt, Bar, St. Pierremont, and [illegible]. Next morning Co. moves from [illegible] and after long march across country through wet meadows (avoiding roads) we filled in shell-worked, German barn-barracks. We leave early next morning and after several hours of hiking, into a German dug-out for the night. Off again in morning. We pitch tents alittle farther to the southeast at about 9 o’clock.

We spend the day (Sunday, November 9^th) at this place. On Monday Nov. 10^th, we make long hyke [sic] and at supper time arrive at point near place we left on Oct. 31^st. (Lacouteur) We spend a week here, drilling mostly. And parade. We live in Seine-dug outs in woody hollow. Church services, Sun. 19^th. Monday 18, we hyke [sic] 15 kilometers and pitch tents for night. Many rumors of the Division being one of the first home (soon) for the war is over and things are moving toward USA.

In morning move on through Friar Court to Robert DesPlaines, Levigny, and other towns. We travel on average 20 kilos a day.

Sunday, Nov. 24: at Braussival, 2km from Wassy. We hyke [sic] long days now and at last arrive at Stigney where we stay in barracks for some time. We drill, get a bath, etc. I go to hospital no. 49 at Laignes on Sunday Dec. 8 for treatment for [text erased] for which I have suffered for 2 months.

[Transcribed by C. Dodson 6/2006.]