Friday, August 24, 1917:
Went on duty this A.M. at 7:15. Came right out here to La Source to relieve Fritz Wheeler and Geo. Taylor who had been here all night and yesterday. We walked up on the hill and got a look at the German front. It is very gruesome up there with dead bodies lying around. We took some pictures though the light is rather poor and came back with souvenirs.
An American Ambulance man, Townsend, came out to relieve their other man. About 3 P.M. we were sitting in the doorway of the abri watching Boche shells trying to find a nearby battery of 105’s when suddenly a tremendous explosion blew us backward into the abri with sand and dirt all over us. We had heard no whine indicating a nearby explosion so were naturally much surprised. Every one was unhurt and look so funny that I couldn’t help laughing long and loud. It made the Frenchmen pretty mad. Townsend and I then went up to see where the shell had hit and to ascertain whether or not the road was passable. About 250 yards up the road we discovered the cause of our disturbance. A Boche shell had hit a pile of powder “Deweys” right beside the 
road which had in turn ignited a similar pile directly across the road. The result was two 15 ft. deep holes where the road used to be and no possible way of getting around the place. We were marooned at La Source until they could get the holes filled which would be until after the Boche had quit shelling the valley.
The Frenchmen don’t enjoy working under shell fire very well and I don’t know that I blame them. Two men had been burned alive in a near by abri as a result of the explosion and a big 105 camion was turned completely over. No wonder we felt it down in our abri. Later when some blessés came in to La Source we had to telephone for another car from Citerne to come out as far as the hole and then carry the blessés up that far. By 5 P.M. the Boche ceased firing and by 6:30 the road was sufficiently fixed for the Ford to get through. Johnny and I spent the night at La Source. Shells and shrapnel were coming in almost all night and I didn’t sleep very well. To add to discomfort the Frenchman sleeping on the stretcher above mine had a consumptive cough and kept spitting down the wall within 4 inches of my nose. Oh, war is hell!
road which had in turn ignited a similar pile directly across the road. The result was two 15 ft. deep holes where the road used to be and no possible way of getting around the place. We were marooned at La Source until they could get the holes filled which would be until after the Boche had quit shelling the valley.The Frenchmen don’t enjoy working under shell fire very well and I don’t know that I blame them. Two men had been burned alive in a near by abri as a result of the explosion and a big 105 camion was turned completely over. No wonder we felt it down in our abri. Later when some blessés came in to La Source we had to telephone for another car from Citerne to come out as far as the hole and then carry the blessés up that far. By 5 P.M. the Boche ceased firing and by 6:30 the road was sufficiently fixed for the Ford to get through. Johnny and I spent the night at La Source. Shells and shrapnel were coming in almost all night and I didn’t sleep very well. To add to discomfort the Frenchman sleeping on the stretcher above mine had a consumptive cough and kept spitting down the wall within 4 inches of my nose. Oh, war is hell!
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