A.C.S. | Poppa's WWI Journal

January 5, 2019January 7, 2019

100 Years ago This Week: Leaving Langres

Background: WWI has been over for almost 2 months. It has been more than one year since my grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we later called ‘Poppa’, enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers. In November, 1917 he sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship. He was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. On November 7, 1918 he traveled to Langres France and enrolled in Army Engineers Candidate School (A.C.S.). Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday January 5, 1919– (No entry)

Monday January 6– (No entry)

Tuesday January 7– Having much doughboy this week. Today it is rumored that 1bn 20th men are going back to their COs who are leaving for the U.S.A.

Wednesday January 8– Today at 3 P.M. the battalion was paraded in honor of ex-pres Roosevelt whose funeral is today.

Thursday January 9– (No entry)

Friday January 10– (No entry)

Saturday January 11– Called out of first formation this A.M. Told to pack up and leave in one hour for Langres. Left L- at 4:00 P.M. Stayed in Dijon (?) until 3 A.M.

Note: Poppa made entries in his diary for almost every day since he enlisted in 1917. He was very consistent. However, during the week of January 5, 1918 he did not write anything for 4 of the seven days. It was the fewest entries of any week to this point. Is it possible that his dislike for his current situation took away his motivation to write in his journal?

Poppa had been in training at the Army’s Engineers school near Langres, France for several weeks. Almost since arriving there were rumors that the training school was closing. Some of the other soldiers in training had already left to return to their units and then, presumably, were to be sent home. This week Poppa’s turn finally arrived. On the morning of Saturday, January 11th he was told to prepare to leave in order to return to his unit in Dax, France. By 4 p.m. he was leaving and he “Stayed in Dijon (?) until 3 A.M.”

It’s sometimes difficult to decipher Poppa’s writing. Here is his a picture of his entry for January 11.

Poppa’s journal entry for January 11, 1919. Where do you think he “stayed until 3 AM”?

At first I thought he wrote that he stayed in “wagon” until 3 a.m. However, after studying the map I realized that there is a community of Dijon, France about 50 miles south of Langres. Dijon, the birthplace of dijon mustard, was used as a headquarters by the American forces during WWI and was a hub for railway transportation . I think that it’s possible he stayed in “Dijon” until 3 am when he presumably caught another train to continue on his trip.

Loading rations on a train in Dijon, France during WWI

Four days before he left the training school in Langres, on Wednesday January 8, Poppa wrote- “at 3 P.M. the battalion was paraded in honor of ex-pres Roosevelt whose funeral is today.”

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt died on January 6th, 1919. He had served as president of the United States from 1901-1909.

Next Week: I didn’t know I had so many French friends!

Sources:

AEF IN DIJON.” The American Expeditionary Force in and around Dijon, 8 Apr. 2017, aefdijon.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/first-blog-post/. Accessed 5 Jan. 2019.

“Theodore Roosevelt.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt. Accessed 5 Jan. 2019.

December 29, 2018December 28, 2018

100 Years ago this Week: Could Anything be Much Worse?

Background: It is the end of 1918 and WWI has been over for almost 2 months. It has been more than one year since my grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we later called ‘Poppa’, enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers. In November, 1917 he sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship. He was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. On November 7, 1918 he traveled to Langres France and enrolled in Engineers Candidate School . Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday December 29, 1918– Another rainy day. Spent the day reading, writing and cleaning up. A Co. making hot cakes on their stove this P.M. A year ago tonight was a big party “somewhere in Dax”

Monday December 30– This bridging is a s—— o—– g——. The 1st BN is going out today, lucky fellows. Several of the 3rd Bn go out Wed. Eleven from BN makes fully 20 we have lost since class began.

Tuesday December 31– Spent New Years eve very quietly. Went to movies at Fort and then to bed. Some of the wilder ones came in at 12 and awakened all with rifle and revolver shots.

Wednesday January 1, 1919– Went to Langres today spent day just “looking round” the city. Came back to camp this P.M.

Thursday January 2– At the D—— water potgram (?). Moved in to another barracks. Could anything be much worse.

Friday January 3– (no entry)

Saturday January 4– Finished bridging this A.M. In the P.M. a fellow was decorated with the D.S.C. at a formal service

Is the end near for Engineers Training School?

Although Poppa is training to be an officer at the Engineers Training School he is more interested in leaving France and the army and returning home. Rumors say that the school will be closing soon. He has written in the last few weeks that small groups and individual soldiers are returning to their units to be sent home. He appears hopeful when he writes of others leaving but depressed that, so far, he has not been chosen to go.

On December 30, 1918 Poppa wrote, referring to one of the classes he was taking in training, that “This bridging is a s—— o—– g——. ” Does s–o-g refer to “son of a gun” which does not seem to be very strong language for a soldier? Or does it reference something stronger?

On New Years Eve, 1918 Poppa went to the movies. He did not mention what movie he saw. The top grossing movie of 1918 was the silent film “Mickey” which cost $250,000 to produce, was released in August, and eventually grossed $8,000,000.

A poster advertising the 1918 silent film “Mickey”

January 4, 1919– The distinguished service cross is a military award established in January of 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson. The DSC is presented to an individual in the army who, at great risk to themselves, performs an act of heroism against the enemy. There were 6,185 recipients during the World War I era.

A picture of soldiers receiving the Distinguished Service Cross in December 1918.

The DSC is still awarded over one hundred years after being established so when Poppa observed a “fellow decorated” with it in December of 1918 the award had existed for less than a year.

Next Week: Leaving Langres

Sources:

“Mickey (1918 Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_(1918_film). Accessed 28 Dec. 2018.

“Distinguished Service Cross (United States).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Cross_(United_States). Accessed 28 Dec. 2018.

December 15, 2018December 24, 2018

100 Years Ago This Week: Drilling in Rain and Mud

Background: It is mid-December of 1918 and WWI has been over for more than a month. My grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we called ‘Poppa’, had enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers in 1917. He sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship and was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. However, on November 7, 1918 he traveled to Langres France and enrolled in Engineers Candidate School. Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday December 15, 1918– A beautiful day, spent all the time cleaning up, writing letters, and being entertained by the stews coming in just before taps.

Monday December 16– Rain again today. Drilling in rain and mud.

Tuesday December 17– Mining problem at Fort this a.m. Kraft gets letter from McKeen telling him that unit leaves Jan 1st. Hope we can get back soon.

Wednesday December 18– Sent a wire today to Major Brooking to find out if 1st BN 20th was going home.

Thursday December 19– Some of the old October mail that never came showed up today. Glad to get it. Mining examination today. Not very bad.

Friday December 20– Started camouflage class today. All afternoon on “Duck Pond” doing doughboy.

Saturday December 21– Rainy day, half day of camouflage, inspection and dismissed. Lots of mail. Christmas box came today.

Poppa had the misfortune to be accepted into engineers officers training just as the war was ending. His soldier buddies back in Dax are preparing to return home but Poppa has no information about when he will be able to leave. Although he finds some of the training interesting he would prefer go home as soon as possible rather than finish training and receive his commission.

When he wrote on December 15 that he was being “entertained by the stews coming in just before taps” he likely is referring to the soldiers returning at the last minute after imbibing too much in town. According to urban dictionary someone who is “stewed” is under the influence of alcohol.

In the back of Poppa’s journal there is a pass that authorizes him to leave camp on December 15th. Although he doesn’t mention it maybe he was one of the “Stews” coming in right before taps.

On December 18th he sent a wire to “Major Brooking to find out if 1st BN 20th was going home“. He is likely referring to Major Walter D. Brookings.

Like many of the other officers in the 20th engineers Walter Brookings was involved in the lumber business before joining the army. In 1899 Brooking’s family owned a logging business in San Bernardino County in the southern part of California. They used clear cut methods which left the land bare and so, in 1912 when their timber supply dried up, they moved to Oregon. They started the Brookings lumber and Townsite Company which bought 30,000 acres of timber in Oregon. They started the community of Brookings, Oregon to attract workers and built a railway.

Brookings Oregon was started by the Brookings family in 1908 and had a population of 6,300 in 2010.

According to a website maintained by Eldon Gossett the 30 something Walter Brookings was named vice president of the company. Gossett wrote that Because of Walter’s temper and poor judgment his father put him in charge of the San Fransisco California office which was quite a distance from headquarters and, therefore, out of his hair.

Walter’s uncle was Robert Brookings, a very successful business man who, after retiring, went on to build up Washington University in St. Louis and start the Brookings Institution for Government Research in Washington D.C. He was highly regarded and served as a consultant to President WIlson.

This is a picture of Robert Brookings, the influential uncle of Major Walter D. Brookings

When Walter received a notice from the U.S. government in 1917 that he would be drafted into the army he contacted his uncle Robert Brookings and asked him to use his influence to keep him out of the army. It is apparently a measure of what his uncle thought of him that he refused to intervene. The army offered Walter a commission as a captain but Walter wanted to enter the army as major. Again uncle Robert refused to intervene and Walter was inducted into the army as a captain.

Captain Walter Brookings sailed to France in November of 1917 on the same troop ship as Poppa and was placed in charge of forestry operations in the Dax district in April of 1918. He was promoted to Major on September 21, 1918. He was discharged from the army on October 8, 1918.

Later in life Walter moved to Virginia where one of his hobbies was raising Germans Shepherd dogs for the “Seeing Eye” Organization. He died in 1950 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Next Week: President Wilson Reviews the Troops on Christmas Day

Sources

“Quality. Independence. Impact.” Brookings.edu, The Brookings Institution, 7 Dec. 2018, www.brookings.edu/. Accessed 12 Dec. 2018.

“Robert S. Brookings.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_S._Brookings. Accessed 12 Dec. 2018.

December 8, 2018December 19, 2018

100 Years Ago This Week: If one can live through this school they can live through anything.

Background: It is December of 1918 and WWI has been over for almost a month. It has been more than one year since my grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we later called ‘Poppa’, enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers. In November, 1917 he sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship. He was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. However, on November 7, 1918 he travelled to Langres France and enrolled in Army Candidate School (A.C.S.). Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday December 8, 1918– Walked to Langres today. Found barracks bag awaiting us at station. Just like a lost friend at last found. Packed some things on my back. Balance will be sent tomorrow.

Monday December 9– Every few days some of the fellows are notified that their old outfits are booked . They are sent to them in time to go back with them.

Tuesday December 10– Weather has been quite warm but wet and sloppy for past two weeks. If one can live through this school they can live through anything.

Wednesday December 11– Nothing special today. Rain, mud, drill work and study. But not half as bad as it sounds.

Thursday December 12– Kraft has “lucky night” cleaning up about 2750 francs.

Friday December 13– Another unlucky day. Heard that first bn of (?) is liable to start for home soon. Now to try and get back.

Saturday December 14– Supper at the same old place in Rolampont. Rather of a wild night for the boys. Mail today.

Found Luggage!

“Sunday December 8, 1918- Walked to Langres today. Found barracks bag awaiting us at station. Just like a lost friend at last found. Packed some things on my back. Balance will be sent tomorrow.”

Poppa arrived at training school in early November but his belongings which were in his barracks bag did not. Over one month later he was finally reunited with his bag. He must have had a rather large bag because he carried only some of his possessions on his back as he walked from the station in Langres back to his camp. He wrote that he expected the rest of his things to be delivered the next day.

WWI era soldiers with their barracks bags.

Gambling Luck?

“Thursday December 12- Kraft has “lucky night” cleaning up about 2750 francs.”

Poppa did not say how Kraft ‘cleaned up’ but it was presumably a gambling activity that netted him 2750 francs. According to historicalstatistics.org 2750 French francs would be worth about $488 in 1918 dollars. Seems like big stakes considering that Poppa often mentions that money was tight.

Kraft was apparently another soldier in training school with Poppa. In his journal Poppa listed the address for E.B. Kraft as “Aberdeen, Washington”. Aberdeen has a long history of logging and currently claims to be the “Lumber capital of the World”. Like Poppa, many of the soldiers he served with were associated in some way with the lumber business as civilians.

This is a page from Poppa’s journal on which he wrote some addresses. His gambler friend E. B. Kraft is the last one on this page.

Is this the grave marker for the soldier who was in training with Poppa? Apparently the grave is in Massachusetts but the information on the stone seems correct. It says he was from the state of Washington and that he was in the 20th Engineers during WWI. According to the stone Kraft had the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Does that mean he did receive the commission for which he was training in France with Poppa?

Grave marker for Edward B. Kraft located in Northfield Massachusetts

Going out for dinner

“Saturday December 14- Supper at the same old place in Rolampont. “

Poppa previously mentioned that he often went to the YMCA “hut” for meals. Is that what he meant by the “same old place in Rolampont” or is there a restaurant the he frequented?

This pass was found in the back of Poppa’s 1918 journal. Is this the permission he needed to go out to dinner in Rolampont on December 14th?

Terms of the Armistice

The war has been over for about a month. As part of the armistice the German Government was told that the American military would occupy Germany. On December 13th as Poppa is feeling unlucky but hoping to be sent home soon some sections of the U.S. Army crossed the Rhine River and entered Germany to begin the occupation.

Next Week: Drilling in Rain and Mud

November 24, 2018November 23, 2018

100 Years ago this Week: Thanksgiving Dinner in Rolampont.

Background: It is November of 1918 and two weeks after the end of WWI. It has been more than one year since my grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we later called ‘Poppa’, enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers. In November, 1917 he sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship. He was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. However, on November 7, 1918 he travelled to Langres France and enrolled in Army Candidate School (A.C.S.). Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday November 24, 1918– Hung around camp today. Thought ?? might come over but has not as yet. Spent today writing letter and studying.

Monday November 25- No mail for a month. Must be lots “somewhere in France” for this soldier.

Tuesday November 26– The Y.M.C.A. has started a canteen here, the line is miles in length every night. Buy lots of cakes, keeps me from near starvation. One year in France today. Won’t be another, now.

Wednesday November 27– Mud and rain every day. Today especially bad, wet all day but work goes on just the same.

Thursday November 28– Thanksgiving dinner in Rolampont. Bought pork chops, bread, jams ole and French fried(?). Certainly got filled up with this very unique dinner.

Friday November 29– Wet feet all the time, this is an endurance test more than anything else, little to eat with poor living conditions, wet feet and much work. Can you beat that.

Saturday November 30– Two examinations and inspection today. Afternoon off. More rumors again. Hope some of them are true and this closes soon.

On Tuesday November 26th Poppa wrote that he had been in France for one full year. He had arrived on the troop ship Madawaska and until recently was living and working as a member of the 20th Engineers in Dax France. Since November 7th he had been at the A.C.S. or Candidates School, presumably working toward a commission as a Second Lieutenant.

The army worked frantically beginning in 1917 to set up this and other training schools in France. Only months after opening, with the end of the war, Poppa wrote that there are many rumors that the school will be closing soon.

Poppa has not written about the specific location of the camp where he is living and training. On November 17th he wrote that he went to Langres to look for his barracks bag. On November 28th he wrote that he went into Rolampont for Thanksgiving dinner. Records mention both of these towns as well as several others nearby as settings for the army’s training centers. The 2 communities are about 7 miles apart. Perhaps Poppa is living somewhere between the 2.

On Monday November 26th Poppa used the phrase “somewhere in France” and put it in quotes. Due to censorship soldiers were not supposed to identify their locations when writing home. Soldiers commonly used the phrase “somewhere in France” when writing home to friends and family.

According to a book called “The American Spirit” the Candidates School was in the Turenne Barracks which are located in or near Langres.

Turenne Barracks

On November 27th Poppa wrote that “The Y.M.C.A. has started a canteen here, the line is miles in length every night”. Hopefully he is exaggerating when he wrote that the YMCA hut “keeps me from near starvation”.

Throughout World War I, the YMCA provided morale and welfare services for the military. By war’s end, the YMCA, had set up 1,500 canteens in the United States and France; and 4,000 YMCA huts for recreation and religious services.

The YMCA ‘Hut’ in Langres France

Here is a video of U.S. soldiers training in Rolampont during 1917-18.

Next Week: Still Walking in Mud…With Wet Feet

Sources:

Historical report of the Chief Engineers 1917-1919. Washinton Govern,ment Printing Office. 1919

History -1900 to 1950s. “The Y: YMCA of the USA, 12 June 2018, www.ymca.net/history/1900-1950

“The American Spirit.” Google Books, books.google.com/books

Scribner’s Magazine.” Google Books, books.google.com

November 17, 2018November 17, 2018

100 Years ago This week: Many rumors about this school closing

Background: It is November of 1918 and one week after the end of WWI. It has been more than one year since my grandfather, John Rodney Jamieson, who we later called ‘Poppa’, enlisted in the United States Army’s 20th Engineers. In November, 1917 he sailed to France aboard a troop transport ship. He was assigned to the headquarters unit of Company A based at a camp set up inside a bull ring in Dax, France. However, on November 7, 1918 he travelled to Langres France and enrolled in Army Candidate School (A.C.S.). Here are the journal entries he wrote one hundred years ago this week.

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From the Journal of John Rodney Jamieson

Sunday November 17, 1918– Spent forenoon taking bath and writing letters. In afternoon went to Langres to infantry school trying to locate (?). Was unable to find mine but enjoyed the day anyway.

Monday November 18– Much work but it is interesting but very hard. Have to be on the job every minute.

Tuesday November 19– Many rumors about this school closing and everyone anxious to see it close. The work goes on just the same all day.

Wednesday November 20– Our instructor taken sick so today we have been having different ones. Several fellows sick with bad colds. Some just sick of this place.

Thursday November 21– Good morning M. Candidate with your chances just as slim as mine —etc. Very appropriate song and expresses the thoughts of everyone.

Friday November 22– Had live grenade practice today . One poor fellow had misfortune to pick a defective one which went off in his hands. Blew off both hands and injured him otherwise. (?) …very, very good.

Saturday November 23– ??

(?) .Had good supper in Rolampont tonight. ? buying stuff…(?)

Poppa spent nearly a year with the 20th Engineers in Dax France. His work there involved drawing blue prints and planning wood structures needed by the soldiers. He complained several times in his journal that he was tired of that type of work and applied to go to A.C.S. Apparently, this is ‘Army Candidate School’ where he could earn an officer’s commission upon completing some classes such as bridging, camouflage, flash and sound ranging, mining, pioneering, topography and searchlight.

However, he has been at the school in Langres, France only 10 days and already appears to be regretting his decision to enroll. In his journal he complains about the lack of food and the living conditions which are worse than what he experienced in Dax. The war has been over for a week, and there are rumors that some soliders are returning home. Wet weather and the loss of his luggage on the way to camp has added to his misery.

Mr. Zip Zip Zip

On November 21st Poppa writes “Good morning Mr. Candidate with you chances just as slim as mine… etc” . He implies that this is a song lyric.

One popular song in 1918 was Mr Zip Zip Zip which included the lyrics:

Good morning, Mister Zip-Zip-Zip,
With your hair cut just as short as mine,

It appears that Poppa adapted the lyrics from this popular song of the time to apply to his own situation when he wrote:

Good morning Mr. Candidate,

with you chances just as slim as mine…

Live Grenade Practice

On November 22nd Poppa wrote that he had live grenade practice and told about a poor fellow who had a defective grenade go off in his hands and was seriously injured. Poppa does not write that he experienced this incident or if it happened previously.

In another soldier’s journal Phillip H. English wrote of a grenade training accident that happened at Langres in January of 1918, prior to Poppa’s arrival. It’s possible that Poppa is referring to this prior accident in his own journal.

Here is a Youtube video about the types of hand grenades used in WWI:

Next Week: Thanksgiving dinner in Rolampont.

Sources:

World War I Diary of Philip H. English (*D 570.3 26th E64 Vol. 1)

“Good Morning Mr. Zip-Zip-Zip!” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Morning_Mr._Zip-Zip-Zip! Accessed 16 Nov. 2018.