-
Drafted
Drafted in the army on July 15, 1917 -
Gas mask
At bessancourt, up at 6:30. Very early. Went to a gas house to test gas masks. May leave anytime. German on full retreat on the marne. -
No mail
Fired at 3:30 and again in the afternoon. Moved at 7:30. The Germans are being steadily driven back and were out of our range before we pulled in last night. I have two letter in my pocket. No mail in the last 2 weeks. No mail coming in or going out. So were out of luck. I’m getting thinner. Manny women captured. -
killed and dead
We had shells land around. They started on our right and raised cain with our kitchen and then all over among the woods and picket lines, about 50 horses killed right and many had to be shot afterwards. One shot hit a pup tent across from us with three fellows in it, a shell hit it and mangled two and the third beat it away. If we moved we would be out of luck. The planes crashed near us tonight. 4 injured and 2 dead. -
England drive
Heard about the England drive, 800 guns were taken and 24000 prisoners. We took prisoners, many easier ways of getting rid of them and we are fighting at close range now. The armex boys are better at open fighting and can use trench knives. It feels like this war is going nowhere. About eight of our men were gas casualties. We fired about 20 rounds. -
damage
Aeroplanes bombed some places near us last night. At 11:30 we had to man up and fire. Hope we move. A couple of our men got hit in the shoulder but not bad. Gas smell is all over. Many men are weak and sick. We don’t know what damage is done yet. Been firing for about a hour and a half, after we were done there was a big fire that rose ahead of us so we must have done a nice job. -
planes
planes are on the job. planes came over last night a searchlight got on him and shells chased him and went out of range. other planes went after him. they bombed half of the woods. -
Corp Kister
Corp kister killed and several were wounded. A sniper got 3 men in the legs and one in the arm last night.he threw up flares and then watched for men moving in the valley and he riddles our barrack we are sleeping in and got two of the men thru the door. Got plenty of ammunition now and lots more coming but still rather near to help the infantry. -
paris
Heard general pushing his request the 32nd to parade in paris. Hope we get it to have time off while we’re here. Saw 3 amex nurses today. 1st amex women we have seen sinces we left coetquidan and we have seen few french women since we left alsace and they were mostly old people who had been prisoners and just got back when this country was retaken. -
Borders
British and French and Amex all pushing the Boche back and they are nearly to their own borders. no more about peace. the people back home should be wild over the news in the papers and it sure would be nice if they paid attention to it every once in awhile. -
Home
papers say all army art goes home. everyone arguin about who goes home. many write reps on our boys and div. quite bit of quarters around. i might get some. -
Children
Theodore and his wife Lyle had their first son named Allan Birr Beach. around the same time a new high school was built. Ted was offered the job and he accepted the job of head of the arts department. -
Allan Beach joins the navy
Allan, ted only son left to join the navy. It only lasted a year until he was enrolled into the university of Wisconsin Racine campus, he married his college sweetheart and joined the navy once again to only be discharged after a few months of serving. -
World War 2
WWII came along and ended the great depression. Ted found work at a Nash motor car. He was a layout inspector on the parts for the wright whirlwind reciprocating aircraft engines were being built for the army air force bombers. With many of his former students in the war, he corresponded with them, writing hundreds of letter. He taught special machine shop classes on saturdays for students that wanted to get jobs in the factories in Racine that were all geared up making items for the war. -
Death
On the morning of October 27, 1981 theodore beach died. He woke up early to cook breakfast for his wife, but when he bent down to kiss her on the forehead to wake her, he died. ted was cremated days later and buried in a niche at graceland cemetery in west racine.
