War Diaries (October 3) (nonfiction)
War Diary entries for October 3.
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Diaries
Pierre Minault: October 3, 1914
The village (Suzanne) has badly suffered since our last visit; the countryside all around has been torn up by shells, those huge German shells which dig big, black holes in the chalky soil. Also in the village itself, many houses were destroyed or gutted. A fine farm in the middle of the village has burned to the ground, grilling the 18 cows and 3 horses that inhabited it. Shrapnel has scarred or pierced bricks; slate and plaster are everywhere. A few inhabitants stayed behind, hiding in the cellars when the shells fell, and coming out when the shelling slacked off.
- Diary of Pierre Minault - "Among the soldiers was my grandfather, Pierre Paul Antoine Minault, 26 years old, the father of two, a Sergeant in the 43rd French Colonial Infantry. He kept a
pocket diary that described his experiences. He was educated, sensitive, and articulate, with a great appreciation for the beauty of the French countryside, and great sorrow at the devastation caused by the war."
