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Monday, April 2, 1917

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Palm Sunday

Get breakfast & go to bed. after I have been to Petit Servins for Mass, I receive H.C. & make private confession. sleep from noon until 4 PM having done 22 days & 25 nights up in the line during the month of march (four raids) Monday Apl 2nd Camp guard all day. Go to Bruay with Capt Gordon who has diptheria. Go to church in Petit for half hours private prayer Tuesday April 3rd. All the roads are still full of ammunition limbers carrying up shells for the guns ready for the drive, when Fritz is to be pushed off the ridge. I am camp guard. Blizzard, third in a week. rain snow & wind. Sunny France, I don’t think.

B Section take over R.A.P. arras alley Hospital corner. I relieve Jock Brown as dresser in the A & D room of M.D.S. fall into it fairly easy, I soon get on to innoculating the patients. (I went to church on Monday evening) Wed April 4. Every sign of a terrific drive to come off soon by us, Fritz is giving our boys

Where was he?
The war at this time

America declares war

On April 2, President Wilson addresses Congress: 'The world must be made safe for democracy.' On April 6, Congress declares war on Germany. The United States enters the First World War. The immediate effect is psychological: a boost to Allied morale and a blow to German hopes of victory before American strength can be mobilized. But it will be 1918 before American forces arrive in significant numbers. The spring offensives of 1917 must be fought without them.