Gas (October 1917)
Diary of a Stosstrupp Leader (Part 26)
This post continues the translation of the diary of a German soldier who fought in the First World War. Readers can find links to other posts in this series in the following guide.
1 October 1917
At one in the morning we departed (Radcyn) At five minutes after two we arrived at the battalion command post.
We spent the night in the trenches. Lieutenant Drape commands 4/97 (4th Company, 1st Battalion, 97th Infantry)
The sector was very long. My platoon occupied the right flank, Schröder’s platoon the middle of the sector, and Schmidt’s platoon the left flank.
2 October 1917
Vizewachtmeister (Gunnery Sergeant) Göbel died from a shot to his head. He was a fine soldier, one whom I greatly valued.
3 October 1917
Bad weather. Pitch-black nights.
During the especially dark nights, the sentry in the listening post that lay furthest to the front of the chalk trench caused me much worry. I imagined that he would be overwhelmed by the Russians, making it easy for the Russians to break into our position.
Because of that, I changed my watch schedule so that I could stay with him in the most dangerous parts of the night. He was a good comrade!
The company commander walked all over our sector, but did not remain in the trenches and the listening posts like we, the platoon commanders, did.
7 October 1917
We were vaccinated against cholera.
8 October 1917
The night was dark and wet.
9 October 1918
I received orders to attend a gas warfare course in Berlin from 10 October 1917 through 20 October 1917.
12 October
I left the front line trenches.
14 October 1917 (Sunday)
I arrived in Berlin
15 October 1917
The course began. It was held (in a building) on) the Invalidenstrasse.
It lasted until Wednesday, with classes before noon, and practical exercises (in the afternoon).
In the evening I saw (two plays) ‘House of Three Maidens’ and ‘The Jolly Countess’.
21 October 1917
At six fourteen in the morning I left Berlin, heading east.
23 October 1917
I returned to the trenches, where I performed my usual duties until 2 November 1917
2 November 1917
Nothing special happened.
3 November 1917
Our artillery fired at the Russians, who responded with rifle and machine gun fire, which was especially intense when the sun began to set.
4 November 1917
A company from II/97 (2nd Battalion, 97th Infantry) relieved 4/97, which moved to Position III B on Hill 260.
I became the gas and orderly officer (Ordonnanzoffizier) on the staff of I/97 (1st Battalion, 97th Infantry)
To be continued …
Sources
The text comes from Alwin Lydding Meine Kriegstagbuch (My War Diary), an unpublished manuscript that I found at the Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive) (Folder N 382/1).
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