Our boys got one call last night and that was indigestion.

In his April 17, 1918, journal entry, Grant writes judgmentally of his comrades' excessive drinking, calling it "cuffing the bottle." He probably came by this attitude naturally. His dad, W.D. Willard, was a lifelong teetotaler, having grown up with an alcoholic father.

Tuesday, April 16, 1918:

Vignot, France, 2010

Yesterday, Apr. 15, we moved to Vignot to be attached to the 26th Division. A funny thing happened when we got [here] expecting some kind of a reception in the way of an officer to tell us where to go and what to do. Headquarters didn’t even know who we were nor did they know we were coming. How’s that for efficiency? Now in the French Army, never did such a thing happen. Our trip from Dijon to Rupt, for instance, we were a day early on arriving at Rupt having made the trip down in one instead of two days. But everything was ready for us.

War memorial in Vignot

At Vignot our Lieut. offered his services to the 26th whenever they would have us. With Colonel Starks’ permission we were allowed to stay and do what work we could find until further orders. Ten cars were sent on to Ménil-la-Tour and the remaining cars stayed in Vignot. I was one of the ten lucky ones and I am now writing in the loft of a fragrant barn where we spent the night on hay. Four cars: Happy, Astlett, McGuire and McEnnis went up to the posts last night about 10 o’clock with Sarg. Kendrick. Swain, Dunlap, McCrackin, Gaynor, Risley (mechanic), Signer and I stayed here “on call.” I was unlucky coming up. Broke a truss-rod or I would have gone up in place of Hap. The boys around here seemed glad to see us--especially the ambulance boys--who filled us full of wild tales about what a hard time they were having and how many cars they had lost, etc. Imagine it! Here we are 7 km from the line in a town which has never been bombarded and only occasionally hearing a gun and then these boys springing tales about “dead-man’s corner,” and “hell’s-half acre.” Our boys got one call last night and that was indigestion.

Wednesday, April 17:

Things are as quiet as usual. We could hear what the Americans call a heavy barrage last night. The boys up at the posts report no excitement and nothing to do. Signor, McCrackin and I are here alone now in our loft. The rest of the cars are up on posts. Sarg. Kendrick was just down and told me my truss rod would be up tomorrow and that I will relieve McEnnis as soon as I am fixed up. Signor and McCrackin will probably go up tomorrow. None of the boys have carried any wounded except Speed who just brought down a Frenchman who had a piece of éclat in his shoulder from a 77 which broke just outside of the Mandres[-aux-Quatre-Tours] dressing station. There are a good many 77s breaking around this post. Our boys are the only ones in the town who are sleeping above ground and the people think they are crazy. They have a very good room there with a stove and table and they aren’t “going down” until they have to. Hap scared the pants off an Am. sergeant this A.M. by driving through the smoke of a 77 which landed in the middle of the road about 100 yds. in front of them. They can’t make us out up here. They think we are crazy, I guess, and perhaps they are right. But they haven’t been through the period of idleness which we have.

Five more of our cars have left Vignot for another front. Fraser, Snader, Kerr, Luys and Stender. “M. Richard” and Tod Gillet I imagine are very glum these days. Maybe it will teach them a lesson. I wonder if they are still “cuffing the bottle.” Johnnie was up with the Lieut. yesterday and is not very well satisfied with his lot at staff car driver. He had rather be up in it.

Have had no news from western front and no mail for two weeks from the States.