Veterans Day; The Diary of Peter Kenny

Today is Veterans Day, and I'm late with this post.  But, I am squeezing it, and the official holiday observance is tomorrow.

This is the day to honor all veterans, of course.  But it has its root in Armistice Day of World War I, so I tend to think of my maternal grandfather on this day.

Peter Kenny was a Irish immigrant who became of a citizen of the United States in 1915.

In 1917, Uncle Sam drafted him into service.

It's funny that sometimes family stories are like onions - layers come out after many tellings and discussions.

I knew he died of cancer in the 1940s.  What I didn't know - until recently talking with my mother - is that in the end, he was at the V.A. hospital - and the wounded soldiers coming back from the WW II theaters were admiring him for what he had done.

No higher tribute I can think of.

When he was in France, he kept a "diary."  It is really a rough itinerary - a jotting of places he went, nothing deep or revealing.  It was just a pencilled pocket notebook, fading fast - I transcribed it years ago.

I get the feeling he wrote out some of the names phonetically.  And, some names might be hamlet names you wouldn't find on a map.  But someday I want to trace his route on a map - and maybe someday beyond that get to France and follow the journey.

It also includes names - I assume of comrades.  Whether he kept in touch with any of them after the war, I don't know.

If you want to read it, follow the "Read more >>" link...

The Diary of Peter J. Kenny

1918 – 1919

++++++++++++

Phillip W. Monagh

81 Mayfield St

Dorchester, Mass

J.F. Engberg

1625 ??? St

Bklyn, N.Y.

++++++++++++

Dates 1918

April 22^nd  Left Camp Upton, 7 A.M. for S.S. Maurtania

Transferred to S.S. Karmals

April 24^th 1918 -------------

Apr 25^th Left N.Y. 9 A.M.

May 7^th  Sighted land coast of Ireland later coast of Scotland

May 8^th  Landed in Liverpool, passed through Birmingham and Oxford detrained at Camp Winchester

+++++++++++++

1918

May 11^th  Paraded in London

May 12^th  Winchester to Southampton

May 13^th  Left Southamp, crossed the English Channel to La Harve France.

May 17^th  La Harve to Ell.

May 18^th  Ell. Worgnarue

1918

June 1^st  Worgnarue to Gamaches.

++++++++++++++

1918

July 24^th  Lagny Sector frontline Limey

July 31^st  Relieved returng to Mannonville

Aug 6^th  Mannonville to Pafiny (sur Muse) near Toul.

Aug 16^th  Pafiny to ville An val.

Aug 16^th  Ville-an-val to Support trenches

Aug 25^th  Support to front line a Chateau Dombasle

++++++++++++++++

1918

Aug 28^th  Ambush patrol

Sept 2^nd  Relieved back to Landremont

Sept 12^th  Support trenches St. Michiel sector

Sept 19^th  Relieved by the French back to Marbache

Sep 25^th  Marbache to Froiders Argonne Forest

Oct 4^th  Froiders to Gamgh Brure

+++++++++++++++

1918

Oct 4^th – 8^th  Reserve for the first army

Oct 8^th  Chapentry for the first army corps

Oct 9^th  to the dead mans Hill

Oct 10^th  Chatel Cherery to Fleville

Oct 11^th  Over the top first time

Oct 31^st  Relieved by the 77 and 80^th Divisions back to reserve

+++++++++++++++

1918

Nov 3^rd  Relieved from reserve by the 6^th Divisions and left lines

Nov 5^th  Laneufor

Nov 7^th  Left La Peufor for Pagmy a la Blanche Cote.

Nov 11^th  Armistice day

Nov 19^th  Arrived in Chassigny.

1919

Feb 28^th  Left Chassigny

Mar 3^rd  Arrived in Podensack to arbantas

+++++++++++++++

Mr. Ray Thornton

West Harwich Box 76 Mass

+++++++++++++++

Henry W. Edwad, Jr

145 South Main Ave

Scranton Pa.

+++++++++++++++

George G Hammey

2714 S. Jefferson ??

St Louis MO

Aram Bodogian

2343 Marmira Ave

Chicago Ill

+++++++++++++++

John Yurek

714 E. Lundy St

Streator Ill

John Chismorick

Box 457

Mimork Ill

Emil Boehm

Pot Savaca Texas

Route Box 22

Herold Jome

Quincy Miss (Mass?)

++++++++++++++

Fred Gassman

Washington Illinois

Manriet Nar???

614 Underwood St

Fall River Mass

++++++++++++++

Chassigny Sunday – Feb 16^th

Making flap jacks B. 77

Albert F Gasser

2021a E. O?ear Ave

St Louis Mo

Feb Frid 20^th – Left Chassigny

+++++++++++++

Raymond Rice

1322 N. Railroad Ave

Decatur Illinois

Peter Kenny

Co L 325 Infantry

A. E. F.

Frank Souza

68 Tremont St

North Dighton Mass