War notebook 14-18 by Constant VINCENT

1915

On January 11, I left with the class of 1915 for Camp de Souge where there I found Rondeau of Jazennes who was injured on August 28 in Guise. Richard Clodomir who came to him from the 257th. Later he went to take courses in Saint-Maixent where he graduated as an Aspirant. Leaving a front in the 257th, he was appointed second lieutenant in the 212th after the attack on Verdun in 1916. Since we parted on April 25, 1915 at Camp Souge, we only saw each other again on November 1, 1917 at Gémozac. The time I spent in Souge was quite pleasant for me. It was not without boredom it is true, but it was much better than the trenches.

For Easter 1915, I went on leave for seven days. Which made me very happy. My godson Alphonse was ill and as his father came to see him, it allowed us to meet together, because after that day we saw each other again only in July 1917. It was then that I saw my godfather for the first time, whom I had not seen since July 20, 1914.

Wednesday, February 3, 1915

My friends

I received your letter and I read it with pleasure although she told me of the death of one more comrade who remained there. It is very terrible this war and it never ends. However I always hope to see the last day although we are not on the eve. For me Today I am well and I want you all to be the same. Good handshake to all.

Vincent

On April 23, 1915, we left Souge. We join Libourne to form a marching battalion including two companies from 57 and two from 144. The day after our arrival in Libourne we are dressed. Also as I am only 80 kilometers from Gémozac, without permission I go to say goodbye to my parents. I arrive at Prisset (Pricet) in La Foie (La Foy, Gémozac) around midnight, which completely surprised them . We talk for a while. I arrive home around two o'clock. At 6 o'clock I get up, I go to my sisters and Saint Simon. In the evening at 6 o'clock I leave the house and the family to go where I don't know but I keep the real hope of coming back.

On April 26, 1915, we left Libourne drums and bugles in the lead. All everyone is more or less happy, everything is going well. Me on time from the start a very kind young girl offered to be my Godmother. Gladly I accept because I tell myself that she will write to me from time to time, that will make me forget the bad days that are to come. Around 10 p.m. we let's leave from the station. We went through Poitiers, Tours, Vierzon, Gray, Epinal. We arrived in Nancy on the 28th at 9 o'clock in the evening where we landed and confined. The weather is superb and the night is calm. The stars shine. You can hear the engines of a few airplanes flying over the city ??and in the distance the dull sound of our cannons.

The 29th departure from Nancy at 7 am. We have 12 kilometers to go. He is very hot. We arrive at Laître-sous-Amance, a small country which was occupied by the Boches in 1914 and which is half demolished and burned. People who live there are half Boches, so we are more or less well received. We stay there until May 4 and although we are only 6 kilometers lines, our little stay there was quiet. Everyday we had to the visit of Boche planes and that's it.

On May 4 at 2 a.m. we leave. It's raining. We went in Eulmont, 4 kilometers behind, where we were very well during A few days. We have always been quiet except for the visit of a few planes. Until May 9 in the morning we walked 15 kilometers and the exercise or theory evening. On May 10 the 35th and 36th Companies went shooting at Essey-les-Nancy, 8 kilometers from Eulmont. It was a real distraction for us.

Arriving we are told that the 33rd and 34th Companies have left. On May 11, departure from Eulmont, we will join the 33rd and 34th at Bouxières-aux-Chênes. There are still a few inhabitants but the village is more than half demolished. The church no longer exists. On May 12 in the morning, the cantonment was set up and in the evening at 6 o'clock we leave. We went to work ahead of the farm of Quercigny, this until May 15th. Every day we came back at Bouxières where we only arrived in the morning at daybreak. Sunday May 16 I went to visit the small village of Ecuelle where there is no longer only a few houses where a few civilians still live. There is everything a system of very well organized trenches. To the left and in front of the village, a small plateau from where we can see our lines very well as well as the positions boches. Very nice look.

In order not to change until Wednesday every night we go to work. On Thursday, May 20 we have rest. On the 21st we went to work on the farm de Candale, cut wood with the Genie. The 22 rest. Sunday May 23, day of Pentecost, I was able to attend mass and vespers, and in the evening at work. From that day we had 2 days of work and one of rest. On May 31, I am on duty at the police station.

June 1 and 2 at night no work. In the trenches in place we We placed rails, a very painful thing.

The 3 rest. On the 4th of the bombs fell near the cantonment but did not cause any damage. On June 5 we had exercise and until the 8 every night we went to work. Wednesday, June 9 departure from Bouxières at 4 o'clock. We returned to resume our cantonments at Eumont. On the 10th we passed reviews of all kinds. The 11th and 12th in the morning walk, in the evening rest. Sunday 13 rest. On the 14th we went shooting at Essey-les-Nancy. We passed through the village of Agincourt. The 15th and 16th exercise. The 17 showers in Essey-les-Nancy. The 18th and 19th exercise. Sunday 20 rest, too we went for a walk in the woods.

The 21-22-23 service in the countryside around the Grand-Rang farm, which in such peace was exploited by a Boche who was taken in 1914 doing spying.

The 24 showers in Essey. That day it rained. The 25 and 26 in the morning walk but the rain continues. Sunday 27, at 9 o'clock review and after we are free. On the 28th in the morning firing at Essey. June 29 and 30 exercise.

July 1 showers. The 2 on guard. The 3 walks 20 kilometers around Nancy. Sunday July 4 in the evening departure at 6 am. We went to work nearby from the front lines where we used to. We left by car and returned on foot. July 5 rest. July 6 and 7 both nights same work as the 4th. On the 8th I am daytime, we have rest.

The 9 service in the countryside at the Grand Rang farm. The 10th departure for the trenches where we went join the 18th company of the 323rd Infantry. The same evening I went to the listening post near Bioncourt on the edge of the Seille, a small river which forms the border boundary. On July 11 I am off.

July 12 at 4 a.m. a piece of 80 placed in the same night at the edge of the forest of Champenoux shot about twenty shells on the Bioncourt mill in the hope of demolishing it because the Boches there was a small post. The room was spotted. Immediately a shell fell right on the tree housing the gun, killing one gunner and wounding two. I was 10 meters away.

July 13 I'm quiet. In the evening I went for a walk to the little posts. On my return it is raining and it it's dark too, it's with difficulty that I get out of the woods. The 14th of July very good weather. We have more wine than usual and a cigar. It is little but we are happy. In the evening we went to work on the edge of the Seille. On July 15 we got up and went back to Eulmont. It's raining in torrents, so we arrive completely broken. In the evening it takes everything likewise work. On the 16th we have exercise but to get revenge I get carried sick. On the 17th we go to the showers and we make hurdles.

The predictions of the Colonel Harisson (Harrison) for the month of July 1915 by month and per forehead:

July

Western	No change. Initiative of maneuvers to the French.
Italian	Widened the front, which absorbs a large number of enemies.
Russian	Great German offensive in the Warsaw region. Withdrawal of the Russians in Poland.
Oriental	Very slow progress of the allies in the Dardanelles. In Armenia, Mesopotamia, Italian cooperation.

August

Western	Without change. Accentuation of the expenditure of ammunition. Reinforcement of the English lines.
Italian	Investment of Trieste and Istria (Pola).
Russian	Halt of the German offensive. Lack of men. Local Serbian attacks. Organization of the Balkan Union. Trigger Romania.
Oriental	Triggering of Bulgaria.

September

Western	General offensive led by the Germans. North region. Appalling waste of ammunition.
Italian, Russian	Junction of the Italian, Serbian and Romanian fronts. General offensive against Austria. Advance of the Russians (both wings).
Oriental	Collapse of Turkey. Fall of Constantinople. Opening of the Dardanelles.

October

Western	Stop the German offensive. The Germans themselves begin to rectify their foreheads. Accelerated by the French offensive operation. Their stop at the end of the Ostend, Maubeuge, Luxembourg, Metz, Strasbourg online.
Italian, Russian	Recovery of Galicia by the Russians. Invasion of Hungary on three sides. Departure of the Austrian government. Decline Germans in Courland and East Prussia.
Oriental	End of operations against Turkey. A large part of the expeditionary force, became available back in Europe.

November

Western	New German retreat. The linear edge is broken into three segments.
Italian, Russian	Decline Germans in Poland discovers Silesia. Investment in Germany.

December

Western

Arrival of the French Rhine. Request for an armistice by the Germans.

We will not add to these impressive lines of other comments like this: In October last Colonel Harrison announced the release of Italy for the second half of May 1915.

This prediction was like any other that has been made. Far from being true it was almost all false except for the entrance in war with Italy. Nobody believed in it but nobody at that time, that is to say on July 14, 1915, no one would have believed the war to be so long.

Sunday July 18 departure from Eulmont to go to Bouxières-aux-Chênes. On 19-20-21-22 at night we went to work near L'Anfroicourt (Lanfroicourt). On the 22nd we went to the funeral of a man from the 34th Company who had been shot in the head at Bioncourt on July 20th (It was Bernard Romain). The 23 rest. The 24 work. Sunday 25 rest. We attend mass and vespers. On the 26th departure to the trenches, same location as the previous time. Everything went well, we were relieved on July 31. On the 29th our company commander, Second Lieutenant Brutail, came to see us. On the 30th the French bombarded Bioncourt with incendiary shells. Sunday August 1 rest. That day I met Daguisé d'Antigny (Vendée), who at that time was in the 24th Artillery (reserve). The 2 exchange of effects. The 3 on duty at the police station. The 4-5-6 every night at work. On the 7th we left Bouxière to go to Laître-sous-Amance. Sunday 8 rest, we went to mass. The 9 in the morning exercise. The evening at 4 o'clock alert but we do not leave. It's just an exercise. On the 10th departure for the trenches. This time I went to Brun itself (Brin-sur-Seille). I spent four very quiet days there. I only had to take care of guarding and cleaning the post. Brun is a small French village located on the edge of the border. In 1914 it was occupied by the Boches who, by abandoning it, set it on fire. Also of the village there is nothing left but rubble. At this time the village was transformed into a small fortress. On 11-12 and 13 we are online. All went well. This time we were with the 234th. On the 14th we got up. August 15 rest. I went to mass. In the evening I stay in the cantonment. I had a chat with the neighbors who made me laugh by telling me a little adventure that had happened in the country even a year earlier. On the morning of the 16th, wood chores in the forest of Champenoux. The evening exchange of effects. On the 17th I am daytime. On the 18th and 19th we went to make daylight trenches in the forest of Champenoux. Very interesting work at the same time as a distraction, especially since the weather was good.

On August 20, I went to Essey-les-Nancy to a closed training platoon to the division. We were lodged in the barracks, so we were pretty well, and outside of our exercise hours we could go for walks in Essay. So we had some good times there. To this platoon were present sergeants, corporals and student corporals, commanded by a Captain and a Lt. There we were doing a little bit of everything that is included in the current war regarding infantry. So I found this very interesting and instructive. We did our exercises only in two places: The Plateau de Malzéville next to the airfield and in Pulnoy wood. Also until August 31 life was very sweet for us next to many previous days.

From September 1st to 6th life continues to be cheerful despite several dangerous exercises that we had done, especially in throwing grenades. Everything had gone well. On the morning of the 7th we are at the Malzéville plateau. Several officers from the General Staff, which is at Essey, are with us to see the throwing of crapouilleux and grenades. Unfortunately two grenades burst in the trench, killing two sergeants of the 212th and wounding several other officers and men from different regiments. Captain Puten, commanding the platoon at the time, was seriously injured. He was missed because he was a family man for us.

Wednesday, September 8, while our airmen were sleeping, the Boches were in Nancy, flying over the city, where they dropped about twenty bombs which caused few casualties but significant damage. That we were able to appreciate by going the same evening to the Vandoeuvre shooting range to shoot machine guns. Thursday 9 in the evening we went to accompany to the cemetery the two sergeants of the 212th who died on the 7th. While going there we could see the city which is very pretty. The cemetery has many very rich vaults. There lies a number of soldiers. They are counted per thousand. Most of them died in 1914 at the battle of the Grand Couronne of Nancy and the plateau of Amance.

On the 10th the peloton disbanded. We join our regiments. Me and several comrades are going to join our company which has been alone in Haraucourt since September 5th. We went through Pulnoy, Coffin (today Cerville), Buissoncourt. Saturday 11 rest. Sunday 12 rest. I went to mass which was sung in a small chapel which by chance had escaped the bombardment, because Haraucourt was three-quarters demolished and burned in 1914. The church which was very pretty is nothing more than a pile of stones. So although there are a few inhabitants, it is a sad little country. On the 13th we went to work near the village of Courbesseaux which also has many demolished houses. The church whose roof was demolished received in 1914 a 75 shell in full on the door. Until 18 every day we went to work in the same place. At this time my brother Alphonse is in the Dardanelles and Henri in the Aisne. On the 17th at Courbesseaux itself I saw Léon Riffeau in the 212th Infantry. We were able to have a drink together and talk about the country. Sunday 19 instead of letting us rest, we are made to make hurdles. On the 20th we return to the usual work and until the 23rd the same thing. On the 24th I was on duty at the police station with Sergeant Durand who was killed in October 1915. On the 25th we went to work. Sunday 26 rest. The 27th and 28th at work. On the 26th, for the first time since our departure from Libourne, we received 50 reinforcements to the battalion. On the 29th it rains. We leave Haraucourt at 1 o'clock to go to Ecuelle. The 30 rest. October 1 exercise. Month I am day. In the evening the 3rd section left at 6 o'clock to work all night. On the 2nd, the 1st and 2nd sections left at 3 o'clock in the morning to go to work in front of the Quercigny farm and returned in the evening at 6 o'clock. Sunday 3 rest. Although the Ecuelle church no longer has a roof, every Sunday a mass was sung there.

Monday 4 departure from Ecuelle at 4 a.m. to go to at Laître-sous-Amance where the 33, 34 and 35th companies have long been. There we arrive, we are told that we are leaving the 9th battalion to go where we don't know.

Journal of March and Operations (JMO) of the 60th RI: January 28, 1915 - July 25, 1916 - October 5, 1915: see p.60

There effects are distributed to us in quantity. We left in all haste for the barracks of Essey where reserve food was distributed to us for several days. As we were about to leave, the General thanked us for our brief stay under his command and wished us good luck. We set off for the station from which we left at 10 o'clock the same evening. Passed through Vitry-le-François, Châlons. At 8 o'clock in the morning we disembarked at Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple. We had as detachment leader Sub-Lieutenant Brutail who returned to him at the 57th Battalion. From there we went to join the 60th Infantry in the woods of Bouy. He had just made the attack of September 25 in Champagne and had suffered great losses (more than 1700 men out of about 3400). We were immediately assigned to the companies. I happen to be in the 5th (2nd battalion) where I found good comrades. The same evening we set off. Wednesday 7 we arrive in a wood a few kilometers from Somme-Tourbe. We sleep in tents. The walk was long and tiring. Thursday 7 exercise. 8 too. On the 9th we were informed of our departure for the front. It's very hot. We passed through Suippes, in front of which we camped in the open air.

Sunday 10 (October) departure at 5 am. We pass where the attack took place September 25. Funny sight because in the plain still lie the dead who have been there for 15 days. In the evening, under shells and bullets, we go to work. Also we find it very bitter. Monday 11 even work as the day before and in the same place. That day the wood where we were quartered was bombarded. A shell fell right on the men at the post of police. There were several wounded and 7 killed, including two corporals who came from the 57th and were with me in the 5th Company.

Tuesday 12 we go back a bit. We took the positions where the regiment was for the attack. Since we were there the cannonade was always continuous. Every day during the day we see plane battles in which several of ours were shot down. The 13th laundry chore.

I have noticed that in this country there is very little water and 9 times out of 10 the water is dirty. We nicknamed these places lousy Champagne and it's aptly named because we were eaten there by vermin. The land there is quite poor. You can see a lot of fir plantations there, but they grow very little. The 14 exercise all day on the edge of the Ain. Friday 15 in the morning the regiment went to Jonchery where the evening was reviewed there by the General De Villarant (De Villaret), commander at that time of the 7th Army Corps. The 16 showers. The 17 rest. That day I learn that my brother Henri is in Limoges. He had been injured on September 28. On the 18th we went to work. The 19 rest. On the 20th we go to Jonchery. Review by the General and parade. Thursday 21 we moved forward.

On the 22nd at 5 am we went up to the 3rd line. There we set to work to make us shelters, because we are in the middle of a plain where there is nothing to protect us. That day a letter from home informed me of the death of Bellair's son Breton. And Ferdinand Conte. Yvonne Rabot's husband. On the 23rd and 24th we are working on our combat locations at the 3rd line. The 25 transport of equipment in the front line. The 26th laundry chore in Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand. On the 27th day and night transport of equipment in the 2nd line. The 28 rest. On the 29th we work all day. On the 30th at 5 o'clock in the morning, we went to relieve the 1st Battalion which was in the 2nd line. Sunday 31 rest.

Monday 1st (November) rest. The 2 work all night. On the morning of the 3rd we take the first lines. On the 4th we dig our shelters. On the 5th, despite the bombardment, we worked on the front line. The 6 night work. Sunday 7 to 7 am we take the place of the 3rd section to take guard. At soup time, bombardment by the Boches where two men were killed: Riand (Laurent Ryon) and Limoges. The 8 calm day. Also on the 9th, as well as the 10th, but that day it was raining. On the morning of the 11th we were relieved by the 1st battalion.

From there we went to rest near the Ains. The 12 weapon review by the chief gunsmith. It's raining and it's snowing. During the night, to make matters worse, the shelter we were in collapsed. There was no accident. We lit a fire and played cards until it was light. Believe this was all no fun.

On the 13th and 14th it rains and it snows, it is cold and life is not happy. On the 15th I am daytime. At night we went to work and yet snow is constantly falling. On the 16th the weather was fine but there was a heavy frost. The 17 rest all day. At night we went to work in the 2nd line to make a fort. The 18 rest. On the 19th departure at 4 am. We went to the 2nd line next to the 75 batteries. It's very cold but we have good shelter and we can make fire, and since we don't receive any shells, life is quite quiet, apart from the times when you have to go on chores or work. The 20 woke up at 2 o'clock in the morning. We went to work, back 6 o'clock. Sunday 21 all day in chore in the 1st line. The 22 rest. On the 23rd the weather was very nice, we collected wood. On the 24th we learn that we have to be relieved at night and this time it is for a long rest, so everyone is happy.

At 1 a.m. on the 25th, the battalion left the 2nd line trenches. There is already a severe frost but as we have a lot of kilometers to cover, we are happy. It is barely daylight that we are in Suippes. From there we went to stay in Saint-Etienne-au-Temple and although tired, on arriving there was a taking of arms and decorations distributed by General of Division Crêpé (Crépey). That evening I went to dinner with Sergeant Rondeau of Jazennes who was with the 8th company. November 26 departure at 5 am. Passed through Châlons. We went to stay in Cernon, where we stayed for several days. Cernon is a small country where three quarters and a half of the houses are built of wood and earth. It has about three hundred inhabitants of whom we had nothing to complain of. Our short stay there was not very cheerful because it was very cold. Also at night, given the great cold, we could not sleep. On the 27th installation of the cantonment and washing chore. Sunday 28 I went to mass. In the evening we had a review of the cantonment by Colonel Gers who had commanded the Brigade at that time since September 25. The 29th regimental exercise: departure 8 a.m., return 9 p.m. In the evening there is water falling. The 30 showers.

The 1st (December) review of weapons by the head gunsmith. The 2 taking up arms for the regiment and giving decorations. Exercise night. On the 3rd it rains. Cantonment theory. On the 4th I am on duty. Sunday 5 I am day. The 6 morning exercise, the evening service in the field. Tuesday 7 start at 7 a.m.: Division maneuvers. The regiment went to take up position at Ecury-sur-Coole, on the edge of the railway line. At 9 o'clock we eat the soup. At 10:30 a.m. the maneuver begins and ends at 3:30 a.m. We had to travel for miles and we went through woods for 5 hours. When it was all over, we were on the outskirts of Mairy. The day was beautiful but we returned in the evening at 7 o'clock with the rain. The 8 rest but on the front of Champagne, the gun rages. Evening alert. We expect to go and make an attack because the Boches had advanced to the very place from which we came. Finally everything is going well and we stayed in the cantonment, but ready to leave at any moment. On the morning of the 9th departure from Cernon. Passed through Coupetz, Fontaine-sur-Coole. We were confined to Coole itself. We did 12 kilometers in the rain. Friday 10 departure 6 am. 26 kilometer walk: passing through Maisons, Vitry-le-François, Vauclerc. There we were where the Battle of the Marne began in 1914. The road was limited, so we see many French graves. It's raining, and fortunately we have nothing to eat. Despite this, we sing to train the lame. We arrive at Favriesse (Favresse) around 4 o'clock in the evening, where we have been quartered. Favriesse before the war was a nice little country where there were big farms. Despite this, it was more industrial than anything else because in its surroundings you can see many factories. It was burned and demolished in 1914. At the time when I was there, most of the inhabitants who lived there lived in wooden houses. Many French graves have been seen there. Saturday 11 it is raining. Departure 7 am. We went through Haussignémont where the countryside is very pretty, well cultivated and seems fertile. Scrup (Scrupt). Saint Vrain. Vouillers. After 15 kilometers of walking, we arrive at Villiers (Villiers-en-Lieu), a place where the whole regiment has been quartered. It's a beautiful country where we had fun in the evening at the cafe.

Sunday 12 (December) walk 28 kilometers despite the heavy snowfall. We went through Saint-Dizier which we crossed in quick time, to the sound of music. In the same country, I lost the sole of one of my shoes. I would have given the military profession for two pennies, I assure you.

After: Ancerville, La Houpette. There we were on the main road from Paris to Strasbourg. From there via Rupt-aux-Nonains, and Bazincourt where we stayed for a few days. Bazincourt is in the Meuse. It's a small country with nothing beautiful about it. It is placed in a hollow where flows a small river, the Saulx. It has about 5 to 600 inhabitants, most of whom are emigrants today, but who, during our stay, treated us like true friends. On the 13th the fine weather returned. The cantonment is set up. The 14th, the evening, reviewed by the Commander. The 15 morning showers, evening exercise. On the 16th morning exercise, evening service in the field. The 17th battalion exercise, installation of main guard. The 18th in the theory morning, the cleaning evening. Sunday 19 rest. I went to mass. The 21st morning exercise, the evening service in the field. On the 22nd it snows. The evening, theory for non-commissioned officers and corporals. Showers. On the 23rd it rains.

On the 24th I was on duty at the police station. In the night, occasionally from midnight mass, we have bucketfuls of mulled wine. On the 25th, Christmas Day, we went to mass and vespers.

Sunday 26 review of food and reserves. The 27 morning exercise, the evening service in the field. The 28th field service for the battalion. Also on the 29th. The 30 vaccination. The 31 alert for the whole regiment, boarding exercise.

Constant Vincent at 60th IR, 2nd row, 2nd from the left - panel behind the trench: Villa du Tarot - Clélia BILLIARD coloring