Witness to War: Saturday March 31, 1917
Private Raymond Duval, MM, was a soldier of the 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment) CEF who served overseas during the last two years of the First World War. He participated in some of the fiercest fighting seen by Canadians during the war and was decorated for bravery at Passchendaele. Determined to preserve his memories of the First World War, he maintained a daily record of his experiences. Here is what he wrote precisely 100 years ago today:
Saturday March 31, 1917: Pay day – nothing unusual to report was on sig[nal] duty from 4 to 6 Beautiful day pretty heavy breeze guess I will write a few words to wifie before going to bed