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Here is a World War I Diary we have sold:

WWI Ambulance Driver Lot — Includes Diary, 37 Letters, Medals, Photographs — “…The stream of slaughtered is pretty steady, and the supply of boxes for crosses is almost out…I was looking among the dead. My eyes fell upon a lad about 16 yrs. of age; A shell had carried away both limbs…I now call the machine ‘The Hearse’…”

Extensive archive of items belonging to Addison H. Smith, a World War I driver for the U.S. Ambulance Service, whose tour of duty spanned from 1917 until the end of the war. Though the collection includes numerous photographs, medals, uniform buttons and more, the cornerstone of the lot is a battlefield diary from June-December 1918 and 48 letters from 1917-1919 all written by Smith. The diary begins 12 June 1918 as Smith boards a ship to Italy: “…Friends from the dark called out our names. We filled in and were off – where?…the gunner told me that they had sunk a submarine on the way over…We have on board a number of Italians who were drafted into the Austrian army and forced to fight when the war broke out. Taken prisoner by the Russians, they escaped into Siberia, then to Japan, to Frisco and now with us to Italy…Wrote several letters…First taste of censorship. It sort of showed us the character of the gorilla. He never was a man nor could be…At last the ‘Rock’…Streets of flowers, roads of roses, ‘Viva America.’ Now the USAer is the toast of Genoa…Maj. Honeymeade of the British army spoke…He said ‘The Hun was fighting with deliberate destruction, swinnish and bestial lust.'” The diary continues with Smith being transferred to the front line in France. Starting 8 September 1918 he writes, “We hear out first guns, just South of St. Mihiel. The roads are camouflaged with high branches. Airplanes are above us. Well well at last!…At Meiully the dead and dying lay all about the church. Before the altar and in the sanctuary was the officer with dressings, in the sacristy an operating room hurriedly constructed for necessary cases. The orderlies carried the altar candlesticks wherever a louder moan was heard and yet it was all holy ground. I took my load of 4 – 2 of them died on the way. I wonder if my driving made their end any more painful…We loaded up our own machine, wading about awkwardly with our heavy moaning bodies. We crawled on and on. The passing guns scraping the sides. A frightened horse brushing the fender. Our patients hungry and thirsty implored food & drink, but we had none. We arrived after dark. One had died. One died on the table…The 79th and 37th are in the trenches. Both are faring badly. Heavy bones & the 79th is doing mighty poor work…Bulgaria has surrendered. Well the number of wounded doesn’t look much like peace…the nights are all me driving with shear good luck and no brains…We are working at Baulny and the little grave yard is growing every hour. The stream of slaughtered is pretty steady, and the supply of boxes for crosses is almost out…Hauled a man today and after a 40 kilo ride, I went to help with the litter and here one of his legs half shot off by shrapnel, had twisted itself clean off…Austria has asked for a separate peace…Two men die on me. I now call the machine ‘The Hearse’…Turkey has surrendered…Austria has accepted. Germany is alone…Dead still lie about the field. What horrible positioning the dead lie in! Crouched up, arms set in rigor mortis, held up along the body…Passing number of refugees with their poor little bundles. Everybody smites and yells ‘peace’…Armistice signed and takes effect at 11 o’clock this morning. All firing to cease at 10:55 am…The church organs were all playing the National Anthem. It never sounded so good. I’m strong for the U.S.A.” Letters continue into early 1919. Overall, a remarkable and extensive lot of items from an ambulance driver on the front lines of the Great War. Sold for $1,757.

FREE ESTIMATE. To buy, auction, sell or consign your World War I Diary that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com). Top dollar obtained for your World War I Diary.

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