Ten Entries from Soldier Diary

10 August, 1914

Dear diary,

I haven’t been really committed to write until now but since I am going for a war I thought it would be a good idea to keep a record of myself while being there, you know, in case something happens. I will start by describing myself, my name is Christopher Smith and I am a man born in Britain, middle age, wife and children, but what really describes me is the nervousness that surrounds me. But the higher ups can’t be wrong , this will just end I a few months, I will be sitting in my house with my family eating warm food, this will end soon, that’s what I believe.

 18 August, 1914

10:00 am I am arriving to France, I heard that the Belgians had stopped the Germans, thanks to them I think we could make it just in time. Surely the Belgians also left tired the Germans so they must not put such a fight with us, we can be few but we do our job right also we have the upper hand on the having a surprise attack. I am finally realizing why my superiors said this little war will end soon with us winning of course, probably I won’t need this anymore but I will keep it just in case.

 

29 November, 1914

Even though we stopped the Germans we suffered very heavy casualties, yes we protected the ports which were our only source of supplies and reinforcements from Britain but at what cost. First they tell us we have to head north at full speed, only that we need to get there on the least time possible. Luckily we made it just in time, we arrived at Ypres just when Germans were trying one last curve round northwards the Allies. It ended about seven days ago,  from that day there's being an annoying silence, sometimes it scares me I think I have already got used to this type of life, something is definitely not right with me.

5 January, 1915

Since writting a letter is no use to describe how I leave then I will tell how things are up here by this diary and, luckyly, someone in the future will read it and know how were things here. I got to have at least one person to keep it in case, you know I died. I think it will be a little difficult to find that someone specially with all the pressure and the tension everyone is on, all they think is when this silence is gonna stop, what are the Germans planning? where there moles giving them our secrets? Nobody trusted nobody, you survive alone if not bad for you. 

15 April, 1915

I have noticed that there are quite a lot new inventions since the start of the war, the flame thrower, the gas, heavy artillery guns. And none of them could put an end to this sickening war. I just don't know if the ones who invent this thing have tested them on a real battle to see if they were what they promised. First, the flamethrower is practically useless, a single shot in your tank and you explode,dead; The gas, please this was ok at he begining but nearly everyone have now their gas masks. At last but not least, the heavy artillery just won't hurt a it the Germans, their dugouts are just too much deeper than ours, also as there is not so much precision it only serves as an alert to the enemy of the possibility of an attack.

9 May, 1915

Now that I have enough time to talk about it I would like to talk about what the reader of this diary might find useful, I mean how where the trenches organized. First of all there wheren't just one line of trench on a straight line all the way, no, it was made in a zigzag form so that shooters didn't shot straight across the trench. There were reserve trenches  that acted as a resting place or to perform the duty of the first line of defence in case it was taken, aldo there were communication trenches who united the trenches mentioned before, this was used to trasport food, mail or supplies.

10 June, 1916

I just can't believe it I got youa picture, after all the hard work and a few favors I got it. At least there is the feeling of accomplishment that sometime, somewhere, someone will appreciate this, he or she will read my story and tell it to his or her sons, I just want to not be abandoned like another person. Just a few months  ago there whas this guy who was writting a diary just like me, his diary was cremated, they said that it could fall into enemy hands, and if you are reading this just keep it safe, safe from what the others think of you or your interests.

 28 Septemer, 1917

Now going back to my life this is just not as promised, not even that but worse, I am sick of  food with horrible taste and always the same, undrinkable water , rats eveywhere diseases everywhere, we even have to check our feet  to see if they are fine. We can't even smoke a cigar without being marked by a sniper. That plus the constant strain of living under shellfire has driven some of us crazy, any sudden noise would paralize our entire bodies, I have been working on stopping one way or another, ysterday I heard someone got shot because of cowardice. Anothe new thing appeared are melancoholic poems of soldiers, at first yuo would see reciting their poems so happily all day, now is rare if they even speak, well it is normal, everyone is at their limit, how many days will I last?

26  July, 1918

Finally something we can rely on. With the invention of the tank this war can end, this independly if we win or lose it is almost over, having lost a leg is nothing compared to the feeling of going home, and after all the trouble having someone keep the diary and give it to my family, tis is probabli the last entry I am going to write so I will not spare space on doing so. I hate everyone, not just Germany but also Britain and France, for letting their people suffer so much while they sit on their desks with a cup of warm cofee deciding what to do next.

12 November,1918

This is Conan James and I am one of the friends of Christopher , the moment you would be reading this will I would have already gone very far away, just from fear, a fear different from the one i had at the war but seeing the face of a bereaved wife and her children,the only thing I got to say about my friend is that he was a good man, never givin up on his conviction, strong, actually saved my life twice, the second one caused his death, thats why as soon as I get a job i will send some to you. One thing is for sure this war have tough us what is the price one pays for the so called patriotism that is just the whims of people in charge.