■ DIARY OF CORDOVA BOY WHO
LOST HIS LIFE IN GOOD CAUSE
The following interesting data is re
published from a diary kept by our
former young townsman, Private John
Jones, who gave up his life for the
cause of his country in the great world
war. Mr. Jones was among the first
to voluntarily enlist from Cordova, and
he had the distinction of having gone
“over the top" five times. He was a
member of the Eighteenth company.
Fifth regular United States marines,,
American expeditionary force in
France
r Left dear old Mare Island, May 4th.
went aboard a troop train at Vallejo
Junction, first class accomodations
with sleepers; arrived at Guantico.
Va., May 11th in A. M. Rested up a
couple of days and then went out on
range.
May 2nd. Drilled all day and it
was some warm.
May 23rd. Sea bags packed and
stayed up most of the night, at 3:00
a. m. next morning shoved off for
New York City. At 3:00 p. m. the
ferry took us down the harbor to
Brooklyn where we boarded the S. S.
Henderson, a fine new ship with fine
quarters, ■ and my fir3t experience in
sleeping in a hammock.
May 26th. Met Miss Schneider and
family at Brooklyn pier and was
treated great, received lots of good
eats and smokes; said “Au Revoir”.
May 27th. Pulled out of sight of
dear old U. S. A. in a. m. and was
out of sight of land at noon. Seas
smooth, eleven other transports ac
companied us besides our convoy and
it made a fine sight.
May 30th. A little rough sea, a few
of the boys sick but feeling fine my
self.
June 2nd. Voyage is fine, every
one having a good time. Moving
pictures and lots of talent in music
every afternoon and evening.
June 6th. Balance of convoy met
us before coming into war zone.
June 7th. Everything is lovely and
sailing along in formation and the
destroyers on their job. In the even
ing half of the fleet sails for a
Southern port, we are landing further
North. Arrived in port at 11 a. m.,
where we marched up to Napoleon s
old barracks (Pertezon) for a rest.,
Evthrywhere you looked was evidence
that the U. S. were playing a big
hand in this war. American locomo
tives, rolling stock, trucks, airplanes
and supplies of all kinds marked “U.
S”.
June 9th. Much colder than the
United States, and only have one big
blanket in pack, the balance being in
our sea bags.
June Uth. Eeft the barracks for
Ohattilon to get our final instructions
and training by old hands before
hitting the trenches. Eight of us in
a compartment, rather close quarters
but we enjoyed the trip. Seen all
kinds of American soldiers in train
ing here. Miles of U. S. warehouses.
Passed through pretty country. Seems
to be a great deal more American
oldiers than French.
June 13. Arrived at Chattilon and
marched up to camp. Was assigned
with thirteen other boys to a billet
on the main street in second story.
Belgian refugee’s below us. Got out
my French book and Roach and I
started out to visit, we had a great
time and got along fairlj well at least
we had all the wine we wanted. The
people here use it instead of water for
drinKing purposes.
• June 14. Drew our gas masks and
trench outfits. Went through gas
chamber and had drills and lectures
on gas. Six seconds time given to
get into gas masks.
June 17th. Today was pay day, so
some of the boys are out trying to
drink the town dry. Foolish idea be
cause there is a good grape crop this
year and there will be lots more
wine soon.
Deft Chattilon June 18th for the
front and arrived at Meaux on June
21st. Our trip in the stock cars was
great. The cars are supposed to hold
forty men or eight horses. They hold
them all right, but not much comfort.
Went by trucks from Meaux to Mery,
40 miles. Had some good chow at
Mery and that eve salvaged most of
my clothing taking just what I could
pack easily and 220 rounds of ammu
nition. If I get half of this ammuni
tion into the erman army before
getting picked myself I will have done
my little bit.
June 23rd. Heard the first shells i
bursting on all sides of me and the
only trouble 1 found was that Ford |
was not making the helmets large j
enough. I was like a mud turtle try-1
ing to get my whole body under my
tin hat, didn’t take me long to find a ■
dugout.
June 24th. This is my first day in
I
the front line trenches but it is not
as bad as I expected. 1 don’t pay any
attention to the shells as they go
whistling over my head. There is no
use ducking when you hear them
whistle as you never hear the one
that gets you. I have my little dug
out all to myself which is shell proof
until one hits it. I have neighbors on
each side of me so we can have a
quiet little chat without Fritz seeing
us.
June 25th. Advanced our lines
about 500 yards, have to dig out and
find that a pick and shovel is as
good a friend as my rifle.
A soldier should have a camouflag
ed mule to pack our equipment.
June 26th. Everything is rather
quiet on the German side this even
ing. Our artillery is sending over a
few souvenirs to the Kaiser. “War
is Hell”.
June 27th. Advanced our lines a
few hundred yards again this morn
ing and again I made record time
in getting my dugout deep enough
before daylight. (Right flank takes
Bellew Wood.)
June 28th. Six of us out in No
Man’s Land on patrol. Germans also
had a patrol out but we did not
bother it.
June 26th. I spotted a German pa
trol out in No Man's Land. Captain
ordered a patrol of us to get them
and bring them in. They evidently
smelled a mouse as they took for
their own lines so we had to come
back without our bacon About 3:00
a. m. we were relieved by another
company and are now back in reserve
resting up and feeding up on sweet
stuff, chocolates and jams, although
in the first line we were issued one
package of cigarettes and one pack
age of chocolate every evening which
is some treat.
June 30th. We’ve had a quiet day.
It don’t sound natural and I could not
sleep—no music of the “whizz bangs.”
Packing up this evening to be reliev
ed and hope to see the bright lights
soon. Moved half a mile back of the
lines and camped in Bellew Wood.
July 1st. Rested up all day. Red
Cross sent us cakes, cigarettes, candy
and other sweet stuff and we had
some feed. This evening ten of us
leave to put up some barb wire en
tanglements in front of the first line
trenches.
July 2nd. Put up 500 yards of wire
entanglement, finished at daylight,
slept until this afternoon. Liberty
motors above us tuning up their new
machines. Four German machines
came over the lines and they downed
two of them and they appeared to be
afraid to come back. Haven’t seen a
German plane since. Their sausages
have also disappeared.
July 3rd. Sitting outside dugout
this morning when bang dropped a
shell six feet in front of me but fail
ed to explode. Had she gone off I
would have died happy with a full
stomach. Orders passed to pack up
this evening and will leave here at
midnight.
July 4th. Everything rather quiet
as we are camped about four miles
from the lines and will leave here by
trucks after dark. Had a terrible big
breakfast and am going to sleep it off
this a. m.
July 5th. 1:00 a. m. Walked to the
river Marne, where I was issued all
new outfit, and then went down and
went in swimming, changed under
wear and had a shave for the first
time since going into the trenches.
July 6th. Got word we had to go
back and help the doirgh boys hold the
lines. We had a long hike following
the Marne river, very pretty country.
Camped in the woods above the
Marne and slept most of the day.
July 7th. Took position in the se
cond line trenches. It they get by
the dough boys they will have to do
some fighting to get us. Heavy artil
lery fighting all morning.
July 8th. Everything has been
quiet except to our right where there
was heavy artillery firing. Went
out after dark on a potato digging
party and got a couple of sacks full.
July 9th. Very quiet again today
and have packed up; moving to our
right somewhere this evening. Got
to read some American papers today
and although they were over a month
old they were interesting.
July 10. Rained hard so took Lib
bets-Villiers.Sur-Marne. No one here
except a few artillery men and a few
stray Frnch soldiers who- stood gas
watch over the trenches.
July 11th. Everything quiet. V.
M. C. A. opened for an hour.
July 12th. Artillery very heavy all
night.
July 13tli. Dug trenches. Also
heard 102nd artillery band in thej
evening, played all the popular music. 1
July 14th. French holiday and we
are going to have a big celebration.
Broncho busting, ball game, and all
the usual Fourth of July celebration.
18th Company wins all honors.
Balloon brought down and observ
ers come down safely in parachutes
twice on July 15th.
July 16th. Left Villiers for Sois
sons in trucks. Arrived in woods in
afternoon. Left in the evening for
the front and arrived at 6:00 a. m.
Barrage on both sides. Went over
the top at 6:30 a. m. and gained five
kilometers. Took thousands of pris
oners. Germans put up very little re
sistance. At 7:00 p. m. went over
the top again but more resistance.
Captain Wass went down, went to his
rescue and took him to the rear.
Afterwards going back to help the
18th where we advanced about five
kilometers. Stayed until noon. Air
planes were busy, brought down a bal
loon and seven airplanes. Took
much artillery, machine guns and
ammunition. Our artillery played
havoc with two ammunition stations
behind the German lines. At mid
night they were a great sight, gas
attack and heavy barrage, which
drove the Boche back. French re
lieved us and went back 12 kilomet
ers where we started from.
July 21st. Resting up after the
drive which was a success, our ob
jective being over-reached and the
French, who were to our right, claim
ed that we advanced too fast for
them.
July 22nd and 23rd. Moved back
to forest where the destruction by
the enemy was fierce.
July 24th. Being relieved so am
leaving for the rear after traveling
25 kilometers to Boesay.
July 25th. We move again to the
rear in the morning. Have been is
sued outfits again, not feeling well to
day.
July 26th. Moved from Boissy to
Bouillance.
July. 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th
Rested and drilled preparing to leave.
I --
(Note referring to Pvt. Win. Jones)
Killed July 25th on Paris Express
between Nautes and Saumur. Buried
at Angers, France in cemetary near
Saumur. Accidntally hit by post or
bridge.
Notice received Oct. 17jh. Skull
fractured in accident 5 or 10 miles
West of Angers.
Scarborough PicTures that please at
prices that are right. Over Cordova
drug store. Phone 140—3 rings.
Best coffee in town served at thf
City Bakery. ig.^
Fresh Ever-Ready Flashlight Bat
teries. all sizes. Blum-O’Neill Co. 3-tf
NEW
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now under way at I
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■HORSESHOE
Steele vs. Hartwig at
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Clayson vs. Derry at
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Sunday's games
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PHONE 2—2—3
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