Molly Thomas

Miss Burke

Honors World History 10

10 April 2017

WWI Soldier Diary

Life in the trenches is horrible. When I found out I would be fighting in Europe in the

World War trench warfare was not what I expected. We spend most of our days confined to these

poorly dug ditches in the ground running for miles and miles on end. Dead bodies have started to

pile up in the trenches and they smell so bad. There are these awful giant rats which have spread

all kinds of diseases. Lice is going around and its just a matter of time before I get it. I think its

always wet and cold here. We live waiting for one side to decide to attack because in between

the trenches is a place called no mans land. It belongs to neither side and is the worst place to

have to go when its time to attack because its basically an open field and you are unprotected and

have to run for your life. My first experience with this was in the first Battle of the Marne, it was

in September of 1914. We were stationed along the Marne River which is about 30 miles out of

the city of Paris, France. We were fighting against the Germans and honestly I was so scared I

vomited. I do not want to remember or write about what happened that day, although I will

forever have the image of the German helmets coming at me. But, that day the Germans plan of

a quick victory on the Western front was ended. It also kept them from gaining any territory.

This was the battle that ended mobilized warfare and now we are stuck in trenches. Almost time

for me to stop writing because my post on rest is almost over and then Ill have to go to the front

line or the support trenches, because we rotate between these posts. I cannot wait to defeat the
enemy or even get too sick just so I can get out of these awful trenches and go back home to my

family.

http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/2marne.htm