Witness to War: Tuesday Nov 13, 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:

Tuesday Nov 13, 1917: Well we managed to come out at last Coming to Capricorn Keep Saturday night and had a bath in Ypres Sunday which was sure needed bad enough Met Bert Brooker[1] here and was sure glad to see him Came to a Camp south of Poperinge on Sunday by train then by motor bus on Monday to Merville and by lorry to Bethune and it is some joke town.

[1] Brooker, Albert. Born 21 June 1887, Brighton, England. Enlisted 4 July 1916, Grand Mere, PQ.

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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.