Witness to War: Tuesday, Jan 14 – 1919

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:

Tuesday, Jan 14 – 1919: Got in Liege at about 8am and went to bed till noon then got up and interviewed for friends the M — [?] then went out for a wee walk and came back and wrote a letter to my Honey. Wish she was here as this is a beautiful town in evening at the Grand Hotel on the Place St. Lambert. A very good house.

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The RMR Foundation thanks Natalie Dyck for generously sharing her publication of “The Diary and Memoir of Private Raymond Duval” in order for us to be able to share his story with you 100 years on. You can learn more about Private Duval here.