Abbe D'lgny Several kilometers to our right was located an old abbey. Here the army has established a delouser. When our turn came to undergo the purging process we marched over and lined single file, took off our cootie infested clothes and gave them to a soldier, who put them into a large steam sterilizer while we took ^a shower bath. After the bath, we moved back to ^the sterilizer where we were given our clothing steaming hot. Many of us had a hard time getting our wet and shrunken uniforms on. They were badly in need of pressing, but who cared. We were temporarily rid of the pestiferous cootie.

My Commission On the evening of Sept. 3rd I was notified to report to Division Headquarters to be sworn in as 2nd Lieutenant. I had almost forgotten _{months ago} that I had qualified for a commission ⟨back⟩ in Georgia. I went to Regimental Hqs. for transportation to Div. Hqs. I was told to report there[Page]next morning and, together with others in the same position as I was, we were to be taken for a ride to ^the rear. When we assembled next morning. I saw many ^{a number of} my old comrades of the Officers Training Camp, but many did not show up. I asked about Strawbridge, Coburn, Carrick, Young, and others not present. They were never to recieve their commission, having been killed before this "happy" day. We were loaded on a big army truck and taken over rough roads southward away from the noise. After arriving ^{we arrived} at Div. Hqs. little time was lost before we were sworn in. We signed our papers. I noticed my commission was dated June 1, 1918, and now it was the 4th of September. It had taken a long time to catch up with us. We were not entitled to wear a little gold bar on the shoulder; otherwise it made little difference at the front. Officers and men are very close and little distinction is made while steel and lead are in the air and life and death are hand in hand. The same truck borught us back to our regiment. My company commander, Lt. Braddock, offered to sell me a blanket roll which ^had belonged to Lt. Jackson. Jackson had recently been killed. The roll contained a suit , shoes blankets and a Sam Browne belt. I bought it for 100 francs whether the things would fit or not. oblivious to whether would things would fit or not. Before the newly commissioned Lieutenants separated to go to their companies, a celebration[Page]was planned for the evening. A truck was secured and we rode to Epernay about 20 kilometers away. When we arrived there, we found the town in darkness. This was not strange since the city was within easy reach of bombers. After some searching, we located a restaurant and ordered the best food they had for our banquet. We had steak but the portions were small. Food was scarce, but these French gave us all they had, after we gave them plenty of francs. Needless to say we also tasted the champagne for which Epernay is famous. ^{The banquet was far from jovial. Past and future were not conducive to joy.}

⟨Across the Vesle⟩. The return trip ⟨on the bouncing truck⟩ was most tiresome. We arrived back with our companies just as orders were given to move up to the attack across the Vesle River at once. I was attached to Co. L but on detached service with the Supply Co. The doughboys moved up and I followed ^{the {3nd} Battalion}with four ammunition limbers. Following the infantry was easy during the day of Sept. 5th. We went up toward the lines in slow stages, but at dusk the men were led single file across the fields from Courville across the plateau into the Vesle Valley. I chose the road across the hill by way of Boune[?] Maison Farm. When we got to top it was dark, and i had lost all contact with my battalion. We move off the road along a thicket to wait for developments. The men unhitched and went to sleep. I went scouting around to see if I could