I went for a long walk then came home and had the Col. to dinner. He told us we would not leave before Monday. We went out to the railroad to see a train load of U.S. soldiers go by. Three train loads. The girls helped with freight and we took a ride to the next town, Gisors. Had a talk to some Scotch soldiers who had been in Palestine and had been on their way a month. Went to see the dungeon that was destroyed in the Revolution. Coe came and told us to leave before two or three days.
More Information
The following section provides historical context and is not part of the original diary entry.
Likely location: Lorraine sector, France
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April 1918 saw continued German offensives and growing American involvement in combat. Margaret was in the Lorraine sector, moving frequently as the military situation shifted. American units were being deployed to active combat sectors for the first time.
Research Links for Further Study
- Watson, A. (2016). German spring offensives 1918. In 1914-1918-Online: International Encyclopedia of the First World War. Freie Universität Berlin.
- Library of Congress. (n.d.). The American Expeditionary Forces. Library of Congress Digital Collections.
- Boissoneault, L. (2017, April 12). The women who fried donuts and dodged bombs on the front lines of WWI. Smithsonian Magazine.
Diary of a World War I Donut Girl 