War Diaries (April 2) (nonfiction)
War Diary quotations for April 2.
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Quotations
Creed T. Davis: April 2, 1865
Diary of Creed T. Davis, Private Second Company Richmond Howitzers.
While on guard last night I witnessed a grand bombardment of our lines by the enemy. It lasted nearly all night, and the very earth trembled. It is impossible for me to describe the bursting mortar shells, &c. , &c. The heavens were illumined by the flash of the guns. I thought the world would fall to pieces. The attack commenced at lo P. M. The gunboats on the left added their thunder to that of the land batteries at 11 P. M. We have it now that the enemy last night captured four miles of our works and killed General A. P. Hill in the fight. I can see large fires in Petersburg. I am informed that our people are destroying the tobacco in the town. This looks like the evacuation of the place.
Ewart James Garland: April 2, 1917
Snow, hail and 60 m.p.h. wind – some flying attempted and several machines crashed by wind when trying to take off. Quite a number of Huns up over the lines – not long ago they rarely were seen in bad weather.
- Diary of Ewart James Garland - Captain Ewart James Garland was a Canadian-born Australian who flew with the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. He signed up in March 1916 and trained as a pilot at No. 2 School of Instruction in Oxford. On 7 July 1916, then Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Garland was appointed Flying Officer and received his wings after only five hours of solo flying. Eight days later he was posted to No. 10 Squadron on the Western Front.
Reina Spiegel: April 2, 1939
Renia Spiegel began her diary in January 1939. This is the first diary entry which explicitly mentions the war. She was fifteen years old.
I'm learning French now and if there’s no war I might go to France. I was supposed to go before, but Hitler took over Austria, then Czechoslovakia, and who knows what he’ll do next. In a way, he’s affecting my life, too. I want to write a poem for Ariana. I’ll be really happy if it comes out well.
