Had a blowout. Bill had gone on ahead. Dan followed him for five miles to get some tools, came back, and found he could not fix John up good enough to go over those bad roads so send John back to Verdon. We started out to get Bill and return to Verdun, but on finding him, we discovered we had covered the worst part of the road and that farther on it was better, so we decided to go on to the next town and stay there for the night; Dan would return in the A.M. and get Bill and some new shoes for the tires in Verdun. We met some of the 23rd Eng. We talked with them, and one of them knew Gen. Sheldon and told me the last he saw of him he was making little ones out of big ones. We passed the Valley of Death and Dead Man’s Hill where a half million French lives were lost. The 23rd were in an isolated spot. No way of getting good things to eat, so we left them a good supply of cake, nuts, and candy. And fruit. They sure were grateful and wanted to pay us, but we were glad to give them some cheer. We went on our way and our next stop was done.
We could not find billets, so the top orderly of Co. B. and Corps Park Art. kindly offered us the use of his room. In a few minutes, we had a good light, and orderly supplied us with mess kits and chocolate. We got up at reveille and had chow with the boys. Dan went back to Verdun for John. Miss Lowe and I went sightseeing. We visited a very old church on top of a high hill, also a big dug out that the Americans had destroyed with a gas shell a direct hit, and then went in with their 45s and cleaned out three thousand Germans. Nearby is a German cemetery where over three thousand Germans are buried; it has been hit by some shells and parts of the bodies are strewn around. This place has been held by the Germans for four years and they have made some changes, built some modern homes. It was taken by the Americans eight months ago. The old church was built in 900 and destroyed in 1400 and rebuilt. It was destroyed again eight months ago.
We had a good dinner with the boys and left at 3:30 P.M. Made our way into Belgium and picked up several refugees on the way. Our first stop was at Vitron, and while waiting for the boys to get some cards our cars were surrounded by young boys eager to see the American ladies, and they very proudly showed us their shoes and clothes, telling us they were given to them by the Americans. We next went to Arlon and secured rooms in the Hotel du Nord. We had supper and retired soon after. We ran into our first snow storm just before reaching Belgium, and the whole land was covered and very beautiful.
Diary of a World War I Donut Girl 