1 20 2 https://digitalprojects.uah.edu/files/original/205/14500/wwi_diary_001.pdf 5488e712e9842652664b15bd07a6d368 PDF Text Text ������������������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Archie Shannon World War I Diary Title A name given to the resource Archie Shannon World War I Diary Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource World War I diary of Archie Duncan Shannon. Description An account of the resource Archie Shannon was a farmer who served in Company G of the 1st Pioneer Infantry in World War I. Shannon was born in Limestone County, Alabama on November 19, 1891, and at the time of his draft registration on June 5, 1917, he lived in Ardmore, Tennessee. Shannon reported for military duty on September 18, 1917 and entered training at Camp Pike, Arkansas. This diary covers Shannon's experiences in the U.S. Army from July 1, 1918 to July 7, 1919. He describes his journey to France and details everyday life as a soldier, especially the discomforts of life on the front in both the Marne and Verdun sectors. Shannon discusses bathing and sleeping arrangements, gas masks, air raids, and the terrible sights of war-torn France while repairing roads and burying dead soldiers. Shannon includes descriptions of his involvement in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, noting the continuous shelling, gas attacks, and miserable weather conditions. He also describes his company's reaction to the Armistice, writing, "Many happy hearts in our company everyone seems to take life anew." Shannon spent the rest of his World War I service in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, and he returned to the United States on July 7, 1919. A list of soldier names and hometowns is recorded in the back of the diary. Shannon died on May 20, 1969 and is buried in Gatlin Cemetery in Ardmore, Alabama. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Shannon, Archie Duncan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archie Shannon World War I Diary University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives, Huntsville, Alabama Language A language of the resource en Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research. Though the University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1918 1919 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1910-1919 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Argonne (Forest) Marne (France) Rhine River Valley Subject The topic of the resource Shannon, Archie Duncan Argonne, Battle of the, France, 1918 Soldiers--United States World War, 1914-1918--Campaigns--France World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, American World War, 1914-1918--Trench warfare Type The nature or genre of the resource Diaries Text Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. This item is digital only. It was generously loaned by the owner to UAH Archives, Special Collection, and Digital Initiatives for digitization. Has Format A related resource that is substantially the same as the pre-existing described resource, but in another format. <a href="http://libarchstor2.uah.edu/digitalcollections/items/show/14501">Transcript of the World War I diary of Archie Duncan Shannon</a> https://digitalprojects.uah.edu/files/original/205/14501/shannon_transcription.pdf 51ada78d7cc9186a82c5b9e4894592f6 PDF Text Text [front cover] [cover is blank] [inside front cover] [cover is blank] [page 1] [printed 1916 calendar in German] [page 2] [printed 1917 calendar in German] [page 3] [page is blank] [page 4] [page is blank] [page 5] [page is blank] [page 6] DIARY 1918 [the year is circled and underlined] July 1st Left Spartansburg S.C. at 3.30 p.m on sleeping trains. July 2d Arrive at Wash. D.C. 2.00 p.m had coffee at the Red Cross passed through North �Carolina and Virginia Left Washington at 3.00 p.m arrived at Baltimore at 3.50 p.m. reached Delaware at 4.25 p.m arrived at Philadelphia at 8.45 July 3rd [page 7] [page is blank] [page 8] Arrived at New York about 12.30 midnight came through the tunnel to Camp Mills at 4.30 am. remained at Camp Mills for 5 days July 8th Left Camp Mills at 7.30 a.m. Monday took train to Long Island ferry the boat took us to Hoboken we boarded the transport Mt. Vernon �formerly the Kronprinz Cecilia which was the fastest transport of 5 which left with us July 9th [page 9] [page is blank] [page 10] Ship left pier at 12.45 noon Tuesday and anchored outside of harbor and waited for the other transports we left for Europe at 7.25 p. m. July 11th Have been sailing 2 days we had one stormy day. about 7,000 men on board July 13th came across a number of ships returning quiet a few �men are sea sick July 15th A submarine was [page 11] [page is blank] [page 12] sighted within a half mile but disappeared at once at the same time the transport which was …the [?] Amerika on our opposite side rammed an oil tanker which was sunk. July 16th At 7.00 p.m. one of the transports fired at boxes in the water thinking there were mines hidden. July 17th �Two of our convoy of destroyers left [page 13] [page is blank] [page 14] us being with us only 2 days later 8 torpedoe boats convoyed [?] us the balance of the trip July 18th Arrived in the har bor of Brest, France at 3.00 p.m which was quiet a sight We left the ship at 8.00 p.m on ferry boats to shore from there we had to walk 4 miles to a field and pitch shelter tents it rained all night so it was not very pleasant July 20th [page 15] �[page is blank] [page 16] Worked all night unloading ships at the dock. July 23d Had a bath the first since we left had to walk a few miles to get it. July 24th Broke camp at 8.00 a.m. and walked to the train which was 4 miles we left Brest at 11 a.m in cattle cars which hold 40 men apiece July 25th Went through Paris and stopped [page 17] [page is blank] �[page 18] at the station about an hour Brest is a day and a half from here. July. 26th we arrived at a French town called Nantuel Saacy after walking a quarter of a mile and pitched tents July 27th We took a bath in the Marne River which we all heard about home we can see the flashes and hear the guns all day [page 19] [page is blank] [page 20] July 28th �We received our gas masks to day July 29th Had gas mask training to day. July 30th A german airplane bombed our camps and got away no one was hurt. July 31st We turned in our barracks bags to day. We are now 15 kilos from the front known as the Marne sector. [page 21] [page is blank] [page 22] Aug. 1st �Have been sleeping in shelter tents since July 19th that is on the ground now situated in Nantuel Saacy. Aug. 2d Part of aour company has moved within 5 miles of the front. Aug. 3rd Broke camp at 8.15 a.m. slept over night on floor of barn in the town of Azy passed through Chateau Thiery Aug. 4th [page 23] [page is blank] [page 24] Started again at 7.00 a.m hiked until 1 p.m and �had dinner which was very little continued at 2.00 p.m. and walked until 6.00 p.m. passing through towns which were completely blown off the ground from the shelling saw hundreds of german dead we camped in our tents on a battlefield the germans left a few days ago. Aug. 5th Broke camp again and continued hik ing until 6 m. p. m [page 25] [page is blank] [page 26] passed through some wreacked villages slept in our tents again but were kept awake �by the cannons all night long have been hiking 3 days. Aug. 6th We were detailed to bury the dead soldier germans and Americans the germans have been here a few days ago we are now situated in Ciergies Aug. 7th Still hunting for dead soldiers some [page 27] [page is blank] [page 28] awful scenes here of the battle we are also repairing road to-day. Aug. 8th �We moved to-day out of tents into shell torn houses we had to sleep on the stone floor 16 men to a room this place is in danger of being bombed any moment we are quiet close to the front. Aug. 9th We had an airraid to-day saw the airplanes batt[page 29] [page is blank] [page 30] ling in the sky some sight. Aug. 10th There was a gas alarm at 10 p.m. had to wear our �gas masks some time. Aug. 12th Terrible air raid on our town by 6 german bombing planes bombs burst all around us gas bombs thrown at the same time could not sleep all night the raid was at 11:30 p.m. [page 31] [page is blank] [page 32] Aug. 15th Still repairing roads near the front. Aug. 16th We had another air raid at night and gas attack �still located in Ciergies. Aug. 24th Our company has also been on guard at an ammunition dump 4 hour shifts the germans have been trying to bomb this place several times. [page 33] [page is blank] [page 34] Sept. 5th Broke camp again hiked 8 miles camped in the woods overnight. Sept. 6th Left at 2.00 p.m and hiked until 9.00 p.m. 18 miles and slept in the �open field in the rain we were on the lines under continuous shell fire. We were forced to move into dugouts the balance [?] of the night shells were bursting all around us we were also gassed [page 35] [page is blank] [page 36] Sept. 7th We worked up on the lines and were shelled all the time at night we were bombed by airplanes, gas and shells all night we slept in dugouts a bomb struck within 50 feet of us and scattered schrapnel all over our dug outs the town is �called Frsines on the Vesle River. Sept. 8th Arrived at 8.00 a.m back 18 miles to a town called [page 37] [page is blank] [page 38] Ronchers Sept. 11th Moved again at 12 p.m. hiked 12 kilos to train and road a day and a half in freight trains left train and hiked 5 kilos and camped in the woods which was very mudy we are now in the Verdun sector. Sept. 13th �Left camp at 9.30 p.m. and hiked 5 kilos towards front town we left called Souilly en[page 39] [page is blank] [page 40] camped at French barracks which we reached at 11 p.m at night. Sept. 16-17 Our company has been on guard at a rail head near Souhesme La Grande near Verdun. Sept. 22d Orders to move at midnight hiked 5 miles closer to front in pouring rain and pitched �tents in the hills which was a river of mud near town of Rampont [page 41] [page is blank] [page 42] Sept. 24th Left Rampont at 7.30 p.m. walked 6 miles and camped in the woods it has been rain ing for 2 days terribly muddy. Sept. 25th Broke camp again and hiked 5 kilos and camped in the woods 2 days the evening of the second day the 72 hour barrage start ed the guns were behind us and in front of us we �[page 43] [page is blank] [page 44] are now in the largest drive ever attempted in the Champeign and Argonne. Sept. 27th Broke camp at 4.30 a.m. and hiked 12 miles to the front the drive has just begun we are now on the line and under continuous shell fire we passed hundreds of guns firing on the road up the wounded were now coming in and also hundreds of german prisoners [page 45] [page is blank] [page 46] �Sept. 28-29.-30 Now on the lines under fire all the time now near Malancourt Oct. 1-2-3-4 Still in the drive have been here 10 days under continuous shell fire and gas. Oct. 6-7-8 Still on the line had many narrow escapes being shot by shell fire now in Bethencourt. Oct. 15-16-17 [page 47] [page is blank] [page 48] Reparing roads to day which are �in terrible condition it has been raining for 7 days. Oct. 19 to 30 Still plugging along have taken 7,000 prisoners up-to-date we are now located in Sept Sarges. Nov. 1 to 8 Armistice signed many happy hearts in our company every one seems to take life anew now near Sedan [page 49] [page is blank] [page 50] Nov. 17th We as picked troops were ordered to march into �Germany as the first army of occupation to day we covered 18 miles and entered the first French town the germans evactuated after the armistice was signed which was decorated with french and Americans flags We are about to hike 150 miles to the Rhine now located in Marville [?] [page 51] [page is blank] [page 52] Nov. 8-10 Passed through Dun [?], Brandeville we slep in ger man barracks in part of the Argonne forests. Nov. 21st �President of France Poncaire and General Foch’s aid visit the city of Marville [?] to pay his respects to the french people liberated a few days ago we had quiet a time still in Marville. Nov. 23rd [page 53] [page is blank] [page 54] Started on the second period of our hike to the Rhine 8.45 a.m. passed through Longuyon this part of France is beautifully sit uated around 13 kilos and entered Belgium at 2.00 p.m. we also are a short distance from Luxumbourg. We �are now in Athus, Belgium. Nov. 25th We are now guard ing ammunition dumps in Athus, Belgium. Have been treated fine here [page 55] [page is blank] [page 56] Nov. 26th Still on guard I visited Luxumbourg to-day which is a neutral country and is near the french and Belgian frontiers. Nov. 28th Being thanksgiving we were invited to attend a ball given to the American �Soldiers we met some very pretty Belgian girls at the ball. Nov. 29th Left Athus, Belgium [page 57] [page is blank] [page 58] at 8.00 a.m. hiked 15 kilos through Luxumbourg on our way to the Rhine, located in Dippach, Lux. Nov. 30th Continued on our hike left Dippach at 8.30 passed through Mamer at 12.30 hiked 25 kilos passed through the city of Luxumbourg we are now located in the city of …torf [?], �Lux. [page 59] [page is blank] [page 60] Dec. 1st Continued on our hike to the Rhine left …torf [?] at 800 a.m. covered 30 kilos we are now about 15 kilos from the german frontier have been on the hike continually 5 days now located in Consdurf, Lux. Dec. 2d. Left Consdorf at 8.00 a.m. hiked 25 kilos passed the german frontier at 11 a.m. now in Holsthum, Germany [page 61] [page is blank] �[page 62] Dec. 3rd Left Holsthum at 7.00 a.m. hiked 35 kilos this being the 6th day we have been on the go now located in Preist Germany. Dec. 4th We were given a rest to-day. Have been treated splendidly by the germans We still have about 50 kilos to travel our destination being Coblenz on the Rhine. Dec. 5th Left Preist at 7.30 [page 63] [page is blank] [page 64] �a.m. hiked 12 kilos now located in Spang. Dec. 6th Left Spang at 7.30 a.m. hiked 15 kilos now located in Bleckenhausen. Dec. 7th Left Bleckehnhausen at 7.00 a.m. hiked 18 kilos now located in Putzboun, Germany we have still 40 kilos to cover to the Rhine. Dec. 8th Left Putzboun 7.00 a.m. hiked 25 [page 65] [page is blank] [page 66] kilos now situated �in Bettledorf. Dec. 10th Left Bettledorf at 11.30 a.m. hiked 20 kilos now in Daun Dec. 11th Left Daun at 8.00 a.m. hiked 20 kilos now located in Alflan. Dec. 12th Left Alflan at 8.00 a.m. hiked 13 kilos now located in Kaiserserch. Dec. 13th Left Kaiserserch at 7.00 a.m. hiked [page 67] [page is blank] [page 68] �21 kilos in the rain now located in Ochtendung we are now about 17 kilos from the Rhine. Dec. 14th Left Ochtendung at 9.00 a.m hiked 25 kilos passed over the Moselle River at 1 p.m. crossed the Rhine at 2 p.m now located in Vallendar we are now 5 kilos on the east side of the Rhine we have hiked 18 days Dec. 16th We are now [page 69] [page is blank] [page 70] doing patrol duty in the city of �Vallendar on the Rhine. Dec. 19th Left Vallendar at 10 a.m. hiked 8 kilos now located in Simmern we are now about 10 kilos on the opposite side of the Rhine Mar 21st Left Simmern at 9.00 a.m hiked 10 kilos to Kaltin Engers. May 21 Left Kaltin Engers [page 71] hiked 8 kilos to Vallandar. May 23 Left Vallandar at �6 a.m. hiked 8 kilos to Enger left Engers at 930 passed through Alsace Lorraine May 25th Left train at Noyen hiked 14 kilos to St. Christophe June 9th Left St. Christophe 12 hiked 14 kilo to Noyen stayed there 24 hours [page 72] June 10th Left Noyen 6.30 p.m. rode all night stopped at Clisson. June 18 Left Clisson 10 a.m. �arrived at St. Nazar 4 p.m. June 26th Left St. Nazaire at 7.30 p.m. hiked 3 miles to ship Left France at 12 midnight On board transport Ancor. [?] [page 73] July 7th Arrived at Newport News. hiked 2 mile to Camp Stuart [page 74] [page is blank] [page 75] [page is blank] [page 76] [page is blank] [page 77] [page is blank] [page 78] [page is blank] [page 79] �[page is blank] [page 80] [page is blank] [page 81] [page is blank] [page 82] [page is blank] [page 83] [page is blank] [page 84] [page is blank] [page 85] [page is blank] [page 86] [divided area in top left of page] Robert Carnes [?]. [one word illegible] Hazard KY [end of divided area] [illegible strikethrough] [one word illegible] Hobart Jackson Jacksfort Tenn [a line is drawn here] [one word illegible] C Comfrt [?] [a line is drawn here] …tract [?] R B. U.S.a. �[page 87] [page is blank] [page 88] Hug… [?] Smith 1068 Mcclain [?] Memphis. Tn. [a line is drawn here] Earl. sams. morning sun - iowa [a line is drawn here] Simon Flinn. Pickett KY. [a line is drawn here] Luther Rouse [?]. [illegible strikethrough] Tompkinsville KY. [a line is drawn here] Wilks, Jahtes [?] akersville [?] KY [a line is drawn here] Logan wallin g… [?]. Sardis KY [a line is drawn here] Able Parks [?] 332 Barnette st Atlanta. Ga [a line is drawn here] Julians Silverman 124. 112. St. N.Y. City [a line is drawn here] Walter Sanders. Atall [?]. Fl [?] [page 89] Taylor Napier Chavis. KY [a line is drawn here] Ellis Morris. Bod… [?] KY �[a line is drawn here] Lewis Clark Glenside [one word illegible] Scotch Plain. NJ [a line is drawn here] Lewis Adam. R B… [?] Kuttawa. KY [a line is drawn here] K. M. Slatt. Crossvile. Ala. [a line is drawn here] Granvill [?]. Loffman [?] Ellisburg. KY [a line is drawn here] Sam Boyd. Front Royal va [a line is drawn here] Forest Floyd [?] Mc… [?] KY – [page 90] Ellie [?]. Keys – akersville KY [a line is drawn here] Elijah Gibbons Cabot… [?] KY [a line is drawn here] august halsher. Falouth KY R. 2. Rou. 22 [a line is drawn here] Rallin [?] P. Black. Rallingburg [?] KY [a line is drawn here] [one words illegible] s. thomson union Town. KY �[a line is drawn here] D. F. Guier. Farmington KY [a line is drawn here] Lee [?] Boterman [?]. Glendale KY. [a line is drawn here] Earl. Pasher [?] Salem KY [a line is drawn here] Everett Talbett [?] – Kilgore KY [a line is drawn here] Charles Box Eddysville KY [a line is drawn here] Frank Greenhalgh mascotte. Flo. [a line is drawn here] Carl Hartwill Cristwell [?] NY [a line is drawn here] Robert E. Lee Elizabethtown KY [page 91] [page is entirely printed] [german holidays 1916 and 1917] [page 92] [page is entirely printed] [postage taxes in German] [inside back cover] [cover is blank] [back cover] [cover is blank] � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Archie Shannon World War I Diary Title A name given to the resource Archie Shannon World War I Diary Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Transcript of the World War I diary of Archie Duncan Shannon. Description An account of the resource Archie Shannon was a farmer who served in Company G of the 1st Pioneer Infantry in World War I. Shannon was born in Limestone County, Alabama on November 19, 1891, and at the time of his draft registration on June 5, 1917, he lived in Ardmore, Tennessee. Shannon reported for military duty on September 18, 1917 and entered training at Camp Pike, Arkansas. This diary covers Shannon's experiences in the U.S. Army from July 1, 1918 to July 7, 1919. He describes his journey to France and details everyday life as a soldier, especially the discomforts of life on the front in both the Marne and Verdun sectors. Shannon discusses bathing and sleeping arrangements, gas masks, air raids, and the terrible sights of war-torn France while repairing roads and burying dead soldiers. Shannon includes descriptions of his involvement in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, noting the continuous shelling, gas attacks, and miserable weather conditions. He also describes his company's reaction to the Armistice, writing, "Many happy hearts in our company everyone seems to take life anew." Shannon spent the rest of his World War I service in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, and he returned to the United States on July 7, 1919. A list of soldier names and hometowns is recorded in the back of the diary. Shannon died on May 20, 1969 and is buried in Gatlin Cemetery in Ardmore, Alabama. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Shannon, Archie Duncan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1918 1919 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1910-1919 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Argonne (Forest) Marne (France) Rhine River Valley Subject The topic of the resource Shannon, Archie Duncan Argonne, Battle of the, France, 1918 Soldiers--United States World War, 1914-1918--Campaigns--France World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, American World War, 1914-1918--Trench warfare Type The nature or genre of the resource Diaries Transcripts Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archie Shannon World War I Diary University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives, Huntsville, Alabama Has Format A related resource that is substantially the same as the pre-existing described resource, but in another format. <a href="http://libarchstor2.uah.edu/digitalcollections/items/show/14500">World War I diary of Archie Duncan Shannon</a> Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. This item is digital only. It was generously loaned by the owner to UAH Archives, Special Collection, and Digital Initiatives for digitization. Language A language of the resource en Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research. Though the University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections.