The following is a retyped, exact duplication of a war diary written by George Joseph Van Hout. I have fixed misspellings but kept phrasing, so as to stay as close to the original writing as possible.
THE WAR DIARY OF THE 89TH DIVISION
Written by George Van Hout
Left Milbank, So. Dak. On Sept.17 1917 went to Camp Funston, Kansas for training. Came home on furlough one time. Arrived back in Milbank the last week of Dec. 1917. Returned to Camp Funston on the 2nd of Jan. 1918.
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| George Joseph Van Hout |
May 24th Left Camp Funston, Kansas, via U.P. Ry, for Camp Mills, New York, passing thru Chicago, Niagara Falls and New York City. Spent one hour at Niagara Falls while enroute to Camp Mills, May 26th.
May 27th Arrived at Camp Mills, N.Y.
June 3rd Left Camp Mills for Hoboken to board steamer at 2:30 A.M. Boarded ferry at about 3:30 A.M., passing the Statue of Liberty on our way down the sound. Arrived at dock 8:30 A.M. and boarded the S.S. Kyber about 10:30 A.M.
June 4th Pulled anchor and set sail for Liverpool, England at 2:30 P.M.
June 15th Arrived at Liverpool, after having a very pleasant voyage as far as the weather and sea were concerned. As for the food, the less said the better. Nearly had an accident in the harbor at Liverpool when the S.S. Carpathia drifted into our boat, tearing all the life boats off one side of both ships.
June 16th Docked and unloaded all our equipment off the boat about 2 P.M. and immediately marched to the depot where an English officer gave each man an address and an autographed copy of a message from King George V. Noticed one thing peculiar about the land, all traffic goes to the left and all motor vehicles are right hand drive.
June 17th Arrived at Winchester at 6 A.M. and marched about 2 ½ miles to an English camp where we were allowed to rest up from our long trip on the boat.
June 21st Left for Southampton to sail for Havre, France. Left dock about midnight.
June 22nd Arrived at Harve at 6 A.M. having a very uneventful trip, the channel being very calm and no subs bothered us. Stayed overnight in some French Barracks.
June 23rd Left for St. Blin, France about 3:30 P.M., packed 36 to a car. These cars are about on half as large as a small box car in the States.
June 24th Arrived at barracks in St. Blin at 10:30 P.M.. We had regular drill and garrison duties from arrival to departure.
Aug. 5th Left St. Blin for Toul with machine guns mounted for protection against enemy aircraft at 1:30 P.M. arriving at Toul at 10 P.M. We were billeted in a large French garrison.
Aug. 9th Left for Corneville at 7:30 P.m., arriving about 10 P.M. Here we were billeted in barns and sheds.
Aug. 21st Left for Andilly about 7:30 A.M. arriving at midnight, two squads going directly to Bernicourt to do guard duty.
Aug. 23rd Company “B” that had been on duty in the trenches was relieved and came in about 4 A.M.
Sept. 11th Left for “Gas Hollow” near Flirey to put up a machine gun barrage arriving around 11:30 P.M. It was very muddy and slippery, everyone was up to their waist except those that had on rubber boots.
Sept. 12th Fired barrage at 5 A.M. ad left for Bouillonville. Part of the Battalion arriving that night and the rest stayed overnight at Essay arriving about 2 A.M. Sept. 13th.
Sept. 13th Left Bouillonville for position in support of the 3rd Battalion of the 353rd Infantry in the line at Xammes. 10:30 A.M. Here we were stopped by a French guide from running headlong into the Hindenburg Line. After getting on the right road we were latter arriving at Xammes, it was about noon. Here we were under 36 hours of the hardest shell fire the Boshe had ever put over on that front to date. Casualties to date, 3 killed, 6 wounded.
Sept. 14th Relieved at 7 P.M. and left for Bouillonville arriving there about 9 P.M., where we had our first hot meal since leaving Andilly Sept. 11th.
Sept. 19th Left for the “Cut” at 9:30 A.M. arriving around 10 A.M. and were ordered to hold ourselves in readiness to move out at a moment’s notice.
Sept. 25th Were ordered into dugouts and to be ready to pull out at any time. Spent the night, which was very long and chilly there awaiting orders to move out.
Oct. 3rd Left the “Cut” about 6 P.M. for position in the line between Xammes and Jaulnay to relieve the 10th Infantry, arriving there about 11:30 P.M. Our artillery active for a period of about 45 minutes and increasing to the intensity of a barrage. This being about the time we went into position which helped us considerable as the Boshe were too busy dodging our fire to bother us with their fire till later in the night when they shelled our positions very heavily, using shrapnel, high explosive and gas shells.
Oct. 4th German artillery shelled Thiaucourt using mustard gas. Here our Staff was gassed, including two Majors, one 1st Lieutenant, Sgt. Major, Statistical Sgt., one wagoner and four privates, all being sent to hospital immediately.
Oct. 5th Usual artillery activity on the part of the enemy, they are harassingly using gas shells. Two Lieutenants and fourteen men gasses.
Oct. 6th Enemy artillery active, throwing over approximately 3,000 shrapnel and gas shells.
Oct. 8th Were relieved about 7 P.M. and after having breakfast at the “Cut” we proceeded to Commercy arriving there around 12:30 P.M. Were billeted in French brick barracks.
Oct. 10th Left Commercy for Recicourt in barns the first night but from then till departure we lived in “pup” tents on the side of a hill.
Oct. 13th Left Recicourt for new camp about 2:30 P.M. Spent the night in trucks and “pup” tents pitched in the mud.
Oct. 14th Arrived and set up camp at 3 P.M. at Eclisfontaine. Broke camp and left for new camp one mile south of Epinonville about 4:30 P.M. arriving at 5:30 P.M. Bitter fighting continues, but the enemy artillery is not severe. The employment of large numbers of machine guns continue to be a marked feature of the enemy’s defense. Total numbers of prisoners to pass thru the Corps cage since noon Dec. 26th being 115 officers and 3,442 men. Enemy aeronautics very active, bombing planes flying over our back areas continually. Always flying in bunches of 10 to 15, never alone or in pairs as our planes do. From the 15th to the 20th we were under orders to move out at a moment’s notice.
Oct. 22nd Good visibility caused a marked increased in enemy aerial activity. Enemy planes patrolling our front lines, firing on our men in the trenches with machine guns. Enemy planes dropped propaganda quoting Germany’s peace proposal and President Wilson’s reply, also propaganda asking our men why they were fighting? They also asked them if they wouldn’t rather be at home with their wives and sweethearts.
Oct. 25th Extract of a letter found on a German prisoner: “Now that you have moved into the fields of France, I am very much worried about you, for I won’t see you again, I’m sure. You know, my dear son, that those who get to France never return. I cannot help thinking of you all the time. Uncle Johann has lost two sons there and Wilhelm two, also.”
Oct. 26th Translation of a German paper dated Oct. 25th, General Headquarters
“German soldiers, be vigilant: The word “Armistice” is current in trench and camp. We have not yet reached that point. To some the word represents a certainty, to others it is even a synonym to peace, of the peace so long desired. They believed that events no longer depend on them; their vigilance is relaxed their courage and endurance, as well as their spirit of defiance toward the enemy diminished.
We Have not yet reached our aim. The armistice has not yet been concluded. The war is still on, the same war as ever. Now more than ever you must be vigilant and hold fast. More than ever you are on enemy soil, and on the soil of Alsace-Lorraine, the bulwark of our country. In this grave hour Fatherland relies on you for its prosperity and for its safety.”
Battalion today carrying 500,000 rounds of ammunition about two kilometers thru the woods, (Bois de Bantheville) to where our gun positions are to be in the drive soon to come. Quite a number of boys were gassed.
Oct. 29th Armistice feeling is having its effect on the enemy are reported to be using one pounders which are very accurate and deadly. Our aviators very active in spite of bad weather, reporting several enemy large guns deserted and left setting at the side of the road.
Oct. 31st Left camp for positions in the Bois de Bantheville for purpose of firing machine gun barrage. Barrage fired at 2:29 A.M. until 5:16 A.M. Nov. 1st.
Nov. 1st Our boys went over the top at 5:30 A.M., meeting strong resistance at first from rear guards using machine guns. The infantry not offering much resistance. At noon the prisoners numbered about 1200, among them being a woman dressed as a soldier. Morale of the troops captured seemed to be low. While most of them seemed to be young men in their teens and early twenties and good condition, they seemed to feel that their cause was so hopeless that there was no further use in putting up a fight. Left for LDhuy Fme about 10 A.M. arriving there at 5 P.M.
Nov. 3rd La Dhut Fme for Remonville about 3:15 P.M. and camped for the night in a field one mile north. Pitched camp in mud at 10 P.M.
Nov. 4th Received orders at 3 A.M. to pull out for Barricourt, arriving there about 8 A.M. Left there immediately for position in lines but trucks were stopped on the road two kilometers north of Tailly by enemy shell fire at 9:30 A.M. Proceeded to Beauclair with trucks about 3:30 P.M. leaving some there and proceeded about one kilometer north on foot to put up a barrage at 4 P.M. to cover the advance of the infantry. Barrage postponed as the infantry has passed our target which shows how fast they were progressing. Moved on into the Foret de Dieult about 5 P.M. to position ¾ of a mile, southwest of Lannuville arriving at 8 P.M., a distance the land every 15 or 20 feet for the purpose of delaying the progress of our troops. Battalion headquarters placed at a cross road a very unsuitable place.
Nov. 5th Left position in Foret de Dieulet about 1 P.M. to position near the west bank of the Meuse river, our guns covering the bridges and the town of Bouilly. The company had a very hard time getting to these positions as they had to march with full packs ad all equipment for the guns thru a very dense woods by compass.
Nov. 6th Arrived at new position about 8 A.M.
Nov. 8th Sixty-five mines were discovered in buildings at Lannuville. It is supposed by the construction that these mines were to destroy cellars. Typical charges were 77mm cases filled with explosives and from 5 to 20 cases in each cellar. In some instances the fuses ran into stove grates and in others the mines were fixed to be set off by trip wires. Since Nov. 1st we have advanced 40 Kilometers (26 miles), broke down all enemy resistance, freed 800 square kilometers of France, liberated 2000 civilians, 6ooo prisoners and a large quantity of ammunition and arms.
Nov. 10th Stenay was taken by the division on our right, who crossed the river above the city. The crossing at Pouilly’ was executed by our division, the men being ferried across the river under cover of darkness and under very heavy shell fire without mishap. Large ammunition dump was captured, containing 10,000 6” shells. About at Stenay, comprising mostly of old men, women and children. Very few young women being seen.
Nov.11th Armistice declared. All hostilities to stop at 11 hours French time, the allied troops not to go beyond the point reached at that time. Enemy artillery very active up to the last minute.
Nov. 12th Battalion was relieved and billeted in Beaufort. This is the dirtiest and most unsanitary town we have ever been in. Many French civilians entered our lines that have been held since 1914 and report having been very poorly fed and treated. They also report that the Germans took young girls from their homes to the camp and made them work in the fields as well as take care of the officers’ quarters, and than many of these girls gave birth to babies. French prisoners of war state that the casualties were exceedingly high in number, especially gas. In regards to the maltreatment and violation of French women, prisoners state the following scheme was constantly employed. If a woman refused the advances of a German soldier, or officer she was immediately reported to the authorities as lacking respect to a German soldier. Thereupon a notice would be posted in a public place stating she had been disrespectful and condemning her to a fine varying from 15 to 35 marks in a case of an enlisted man and 3000 marks in the case of an officer, or an alternative of imprisonment in case of failure or inability to pay the fine. This proceeding was continued until the desired result was obtained.
Nov. 16th The 89th Division was relieved by the 2nd Division.
Nov. 17th Word received today that the 89th Division is to be included in the army of occupation with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 26th, 32nd, 42nd, and 90th Divisions, an army of about 250,000 men. This is an honor for the 89th, which is made up of men that have been in the service only a little over 6 months, to be picked with the above divisions, which are the best in the American E. F. (Expeditionary Force)
Nov. 23rd Major Hale and Lt. Farrell returned from the hospital today. The Major’s eyes are pretty bad yet. Lt. Farrell is just as full of the old Nick as ever.
Nov. 24th Left Beaufort at 7:30 A.M. arriving at Houdrigny, Belgium at 10 A.M. passing thru Stenay, Montmedy, Dampicourt and some pretty country. This is the cleanest town we have ever been in since landing.
Nov. 30th Left Houdrigny, Belgium, at 7 A.M. for St. Leger, Belgium arriving about 11:30 A.M.
Dec. 3rd Left St. Leger, Belgium, for Mersch, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. arriving there at 11: 30 A.M. Man living here lived in Nebraska for 22 years.
Dec. 5th Left Mersch, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. for Echternach, Luxembourg, arriving about 11:00 A.M.
Dec. 8th Left Echternach, Luxembourg, at 7 A.M. for Eisenschmitt, Germany, arriving about 11 A.M. Company “A” now billeted in a castle at the edge of town. It is very pretty, being built on the side of a mountain with large lawns containing numerous benches, conveniently situated in clumps of fir trees, to make life worth living, provided you have the right party present.
Dec. 12th Left Eisenschmitt at 7 A.M. for Waxweiler, arriving at 11:45 A.M. About noon 1200 French soldiers arrived, their Colonel saying they had orders to billet in there. About this time, we received an order saying that if there was any conflict in billeting on account of French troops to return to Eisenschmitt. Left Waxweiler at 1:30 for Eisenschmitt arriving about 5:30 P.M.
Dec. 14th Left Eisenschmitt at 8 A.M. for Erdorf on foot with full field equipment which meant a 17 kilometer march with a 60 pound pack on our back. Arriving at Erdorf about 2:30 P.M. The people here treat the boys fine, anything they want they ask for and if the people have it we get it. The German people seem to like the Americans all right but have no use for the French or English. A German artillery man told us that the new gas we used in the Meuse-Argonne drive was very deadly. They could get no protection from it, for it was so strong it ate the boots off their feet, crumbling to pieces as though they had been burned.
Though a bit tedious to read, it gives a little bit of insight into what it was like for Uncle George in France. After reading the last entry, I am sure glad we don't use gas anymore.
