War Diaries (October 24) (nonfiction)
War Diary entries for October 24
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Diaries
John Hale Chipman: October 24, 1943
October 24, 1917. Wednesday, Intermittent rain.
Up at 8:45 washed and had breakfast. Hung around camp peeling potatoes for dinner which we had at 10:30. Then at 11 A.M. 11 camions [trucks] loaded at Bazoches with these sacks which are filled with dirt for trench supports. We carried these through a nest of booming cannons to Crany. Here hundreds of wagons, cannons, soldiers, were passing in endless streams it seemed. It took us 7 hours to get to C. only 32 kilometers so you can imagine what congestion there was here. While we were unloading about a hundred new Boche prisoners passed and also a tank. They are just as you see them in pictures, grim, stiff, awkward things. It was funny, our cannons here almost split one's ear on account of the immense calibers but there was not a single arrivée.
We had our supper brought to us and though it was quite dark, I used the steering gear for a table and out the meat with my jack-knife while I helped juggle the plate with my knees. Then it started to rain so we didn't bother to wash our dirty plates but let the rain drop on them then threw them into the boxes at the side of the camion. We got home at 8 P. M. and turned in early.
Today I learned that the boy who lost his hand a little while ago (Sect. 133) has received a fine citation for courage has won a Croix de Guerre, with a palm leaf, and so did his comrade who was injured with him and also he consequently won a citation and war cross for his section. The first honors a transport section has ever won but they deserve it. Lord knows,--our work here is as important as the Ambulance but somehow nobody recognizes our good work. Not that we want croix de guerres for nothing, but we do want "square" treatment which these French officers don't know how to give.
After I got in, hung around, read then turned it. Bed 8:30.
—John H. Chipman (diary)
George Beck: October 24, 1943
Today I made a form out to the regimental paymaster for twenty pounds to be sent to the wife. No news whatsoever this last week for the radio was taken away when the last guard left. Still living in high hopes of peace. Roll on.
—George Beck,1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, prisoner of war (diary)