The War Diary of Cpl H. Fletcher Davidson, USMC
THE MARCH TO THE RHINE
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Nov 17th - - 4 AM reveille. Loaded cassions and left Beaumont with Battalion train at 9 AM. Arrived in La Ferte about two hours after dark and put up for night in a big auto factory. [17K]
Nov 18th - - Left early in AM and crossed Belgium line, Villers at 11 AM. Arrived in Bellfontaine about 6 PM. Carried heavy pack. [20K]
Nov 19th -- Worked all day with [Cecil] Thompson making new (????) for rolling kitchen.
Nov 20th - - 4 AM reveille and left at 8 AM. Arrived about dark in small Belgium town 2 « K west of Arlon. 6th Regimental band in lead played in every town as we went through. All towns decorated with flags and evergreens and paper flowers in honor of our troops. Germans are evacuating about a day ahead of our advance. [25K]
Nov 21st - - Left Heinsch about 8 AM and crossed line into Luxemburg at 10:30 AM and hiked to Everlange in PM. Flopped on ground as usual. Bitter cold and snow, but slept warm. [19K].
Nov 22nd - - Left Neverlange (Everlange) early and hiked to an old electric light plant near Bissen. [12K]
Nov 23rd - - Left Bissen and hiked to Reisdorf, only two kilometers from the German border. [27K]
Nov 24th - - Stayed in Reisdorf until PM then packed up and hiked to Biglebach. [3K]
Nov 25th - - Went out at night with rations to men on patrol.
Nov 26th - - Bill and I spent the afternoon visiting with a Luxemberger who had been 17 years in States. Had 4 brothers in Detroit.
Nov 27th - - [Cecil] Thompson and I went to Battalion HDQ for tools. Rained all day. Went out with rations for patrol at night.
Nov 28th - - Sat in caf‚ and wrote letters most of the day. Thanksgiving dinner of steak, mashed spuds, gravy, tomatoes, coffee and bread.
Nov 29th - - Wrote some more letters today. Went out to Walendorf with rations.
Dec 1st - - Packed up and left Biglebach in morning. Crossed line into Germany at Walendorf (Wollendorft) ? at 9:15. Made 35 kilometers to Emmelbaum, a small burg near Neuerburg. [35K]
Dec 2nd - - Left Emmelbaum early and hiked all day and stayed in barn by an old mill on river. [22K]
Dec 3rd - - Left next morning and stayed in mill of small town a few kilometers north of Brium. [17K]
Dec 4th - - Left in morning and hiked over the hill to Weisheim. [10K]
Dec 5th - - Weisheim to Hillensheim. [18K]
Dec 6th - - Hillensheim to Dollendorf. [12k]
Dec 7th - - Dollendorf to Fuchshofen. [20K]. Went to Schull after rations.
Dec 8th - - Fuchshofen to Neuenahr. [35K] Stayed in big hotel.
Dec 9th - - Neuenahr to Brohl. [15K]. Helped Thompson make tongue for Dutch wagon.
Dec 10th-14th - - Remained in Brohl.
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