5th Septembre 1939

The cold air of the soft morning sun brought me up to me feet. It feels human to be up at 5 in the morning, anything otherwise is the work of lazy men. This has been my regular routine since we got here near the border with the boche, cool autumn air in the morning exercise, then breakfast, then the regular schedule. However, I fear my own capabilites in this conflict, not in how I will do in combat but after the combat, the lull that comes back once again. How did my father and uncle deal with such problems back in La guerre de 14-18? Did they too expect the lulls or did they continue to have the same passion, and ferrocity that combat has? Will I be the same as now or before? If only I could have asked them.

Now I work, as one of the Squadron's few "professionals", if being put to service in 1937 makes me "professional",doing paperwork for the most part, which is not all bad, I at least do not have to carry around the 25mm and mortars like the rest of the enlisted. But because of our officers exuberance towards his own machinations, by thinking these are the same men that went into Verdun and even Borodino! "These men will carry the standard of the French might, and the Boche will learn again what they learned in 1918!", I hope this rings true, without the outstanding death of borodino or verdun in mind. I will continue to focus down on writing these as much as I can, because I hear soon the "jump off" will be soon into Germany proper. May God Almighty keep me protected through these fights, and I hope the fear of death wash over me when combat comes, and the rush of combat subside when the lull comes back.

Signed, Pierre Martin, Corporal of the 5th Support Squadron, 1st Mounted Dragoon Battalion, First DLM, Cavalry Corp, First Army Group.