Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Benjamin J. Krone Diary, 1918 July - 1919 March, in the Joseph M. Bruccoli Great War Collection, Accession #10875-t, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

The diary was given to the University of Virginia Library on October 28, 1993, by Matthew J. Bruccoli, Columbia, South Carolina.

Biographical/Historical Information

Benjamin J. Krone (1893-?), an American soldier from Moline, Illinois, enlisted on [June ?] 28, 1918, and was furloughed on March 10, 1919. Krone began his training at Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois, was the company clerk for Company "C" 343rd Infantry Division, and later became part of Company "L" 83rd Division.

Scope and Content Information

This addition to the Joseph M. Bruccoli Great War Collection consists of a diary of 154 pages kept by Benjamin J. Krone, from the time of his enlistment on [June ?] 28, 1918, until his furlough ending on March 10, 1919. The diary was called "My Military Record" and included several pages of useful information about the front, such as semaphore signaling and French words and phrases.

Topics mentioned in the diary include: the speech of Secretary of War Baker, a visit to the Knights of Columbus Auditorium, and fireworks display (p. 2); Krone's training at Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois (pp. 3-12); a fatal accident with an exploding gun at camp and another injury involving a bottle of ammonia (p. 4); leaving for Toronto, Canada, as part of an exhibition team "of the best drilled men of the division" (p. 13); description of Canada tour (pp. 15-22); his visit with Britishers injured and gassed in the war (p.20-22); a visit to Niagara Falls (pp. 23-24); travel through New York state to New York City and Camp Mills, sight-seeing in New York City, especially commenting on Chinatown (pp. 24-42); and leaving New York City on The Olympic , September 14, 1918, with a description of the ship and its routine (pp.43-51).

Krone landed in Southampton, England on September 21, 1918 (p. 53). Other topics noted by Krone include: seeing two boats full of wounded and gassed men from the front (p. 54); a note that 72 men were transferred to the hospital just three days after the trip overseas, and the death of their mess sargeant on September 27 (pp. 58-59); his dislike of the English (p. 60); the crossing of the English Channel (p. 61); arrival at Cherbourg, France on October 1, 1918 (p. 63); travel in France (p. 63-64); the transfer of 172 men out of his company into the 83rd Division destined for the front (pp. 65-66); leaving for Le Mans, France, November 9, 1918, to the U.S. forwarding camp to the front (pp. 71-72); rumors of a peace convoy from Germany (p. 73); and the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918 (p. 77).

Krone became part of Company "L" and was attached to the 83rd Division (p. 80). Additional subjects in the diary include: leaving Le Mans for Montfort on November 12, 1918, where the men had no rations or place to stay until they found a barn and went to the local town to buy their own provisions (pp. 83-88); trouble with lice and bed bugs in a barracks used by German prisoners before Krone's arrival (pp. 91-93); his pass to Le Mans during Thanksgiving (pp. 96-102); various conversations with French women (pp. 102-113); assignment to permanent personnel work (p. 115); Christmas in France (pp. 116-117); his pleasure to be part of the honor guard for General Pershing (p. 121); and a description of his furlough March 3-10, 1919, including a visit to Lourdes (pp. 123-154).