Waiting

Sunday, March 10

Left Haute-Yuts in the evening and arrived the next day, March 11, at the Elsange camp. Defensive work. Nothing to report.

Sunday, March 17, 1940

Received my second R&R pass at Elsange. Left the camp by bus for the Uckange station, where we arrived at night. Left the Uckange station on the morning of the 18^th and arrived at the Lourches station March 19 at 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 19, 1940

End of R&R leave. Left the Lourches station at 2:00 p.m. and arrived at the Elsange camp in the evening of March 30.

Monday, April 1

Left the Elsange camp and arrived in Kerling the same day. Our work is to maintain the roads. We cleaned up icy patches because the thaw has begun. It’s as good a way as any to keep the men busy so we don’t feel useless.

Sunday, April 7, 1940

Left Kerling and arrived in Montnach the same day. Nothing to report.

Friday, April 12, 1940

Left Montnach in the evening and arrived at Elsange on Saturday the 13^th.

Sunday, April 14

Alert was given to take up positions in the woods around Elsange. It lasted until Thursday the 18^th. We’re living a bohemian life. Nothing happened, though. The alert was almost like an exercise or training.

Thursday, April 18

Returned to the Elsange camp

Monday, April 22

Left the Elsange camp and arrived in Montnach the same day.

Tuesday, April 23, 1940

Left Montnach and arrived the same day in Kirch (Forward Post E).

Saturday, April 27

Left Kirch (Post E) in the evening and arrived in Audrenne on Sunday, April 28 in the morning. Nothing to report.

Tuesday, May 7

Left Audrenne in the evening and arrived in Montnach on Wednesday the 8^th.

Wednesday, May 8, 1940

Left Montnach for Post A (Forward Post). A real NO MAN’S LAND.

Real War

Friday, May 10, 1940

The real war has started. German troops crossed the Belgian border at dawn today. Since I’m responsible for the supply lines for the 4^th section, I thought something serious was happening because watching the sky towards Longwy I could see big flashes and the incessant sound of bombardment.

Around 10, a captain from 2^nd Division Headquarters visited us and gave us instructions for our protection because we’re now really at war. Constant state of alert for us.

Collapse of the Maginot LIne

Monday, May 20, 1940

We left Post A, located on the heights of the “Devil’s Ravine.” This post was across from the Malbrouck Chateau at Manderen. It was a few kilometers away, and very visible to the naked eye, where the closest German headquarters was located. We passed the Maginot Line near Kaltwiller and arrived on Tuesday May 21 during the day in the woods near Stuckange.

Wednesday, May 22, 1940

In the morning, we left, or really fell back, from Stuckange and arrived in the afternoon at Rurange.

Thursday, May 23

In the evening, we left Rurange and arrived in Sanry les Vigy in the morning of Friday the 24^th. Harrowing night march.

Saturday, May 25

Left Sanry les Vigy for a hard night march and arrived at Vro en Vallières on May 26.

Sunday, May 26

Immediately left by truck for Avize, in the evening.

Tuesday, May 28

Arrived in Avize in the morning. We unloaded and left the same day, arriving at Pocancy in the evening.

Thursday, May 30

Left Pocancy in the evening by truck and arrived at Bergnicourt in the morning of the 31^st. Rested between Bergnicourt and Châtelet (in the woods). It’s hard for us to know where we are. Since the fall of the Maginot Line, we’ve passed through several departments without even seeing a flag. Only tarps.

"Oscar was killed this morning"

Friday, May 31, 1940

Left the Bergnicourt woods in the morning on foot and arrived the same day at the forward posts near the Aisne canal between Nanteuil and Rethel. One evening at the beginning of June, Captain Cornet, who was visiting our section, took me aside, and with tears in his eyes, told me, “Oscar was killed this morning in his HEADQUARTERS, along with ten other men.” We were moved by this sad news. We really liked the commander and all the men called him by his first name because he was so nice. A good man, very well respected. June is not off to a good start.

Battle of the Ardennes, June 9, 1940

Wednesday, June 5, 1940

Left the Asine canal in the evening and arrived Thursday June 6 in the morning in the woods near Momont.

Sunday, June 9, 1940

At dawn, around 3 a.m., the battle of Aisne-Ardennes began. We were bombarded by the artillery of a Panzer Division. Lots of smoke bombs. The order was given to leave to woods to take up positions on the Avençon road. The location was scouted in advance, but the thick fog of the smoke bombs made it hard for us to get there. We got there anyway and set up near a crossroads, on each side of that strategic point. We made contact at around 6 a.m. and resisted with determination.