January 31, 1918 - More Air Raid Suspense and Theatre

January 31, 1918 - More Air Raid Suspense and Theatre

Don Martin diary entry Thursday, January 31, 1918:

Another day and night of air raid suspense. Was heightened by stories of big raid on Paris. Spent most of afternoon in office. Was writing story of personal experience in raid when Skipper Williams of Times called up and asked me to go to Princess Theatre to see “Carminetta”, a musical comedy. [It was playing at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Don Martin mixed it up with the famous "Princess Theatre Shows" in New York City, a 1915-1918 series of successful musicals by Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, which he no doubt saw in New York.] Was artistic show but somewhat coarse. Alice Delysia, the Star, is very clever. Is a French woman. [C. B.] Cochran, manager [and English impresario], took Williams and myself to her dressing room where we chatted with her. Sir Charles something was there too.

Alice Delysia 1918

Went to hotel and finished air raid story. Took it to Fleet St. office for mailing. Air raids expected but none came. Now stated that 200 were killed and 500 hurt in Monday’s affair. Children were buried alive in the John Bail building where mothers had taken them for shelter.

Unpleasant weather. Fog afternoon + night.

The New York Herald published on January 31 a war cartoon that was a spoof on the expected German offensive on the Western Front when winter ended.

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About the Author

James Larrimore, creator of this blog, had a career in the nuclear field, starting in 1985 in international safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and as consultant. His continuing interest in nuclear nonproliferation and international safeguards is the basis for the posting in this blog starting in May 2025. In the earlier period 2017-2018, this blog was used to document the writings of James's grandfather, Don Martin, WWI war correspondent. James spent hundreds of hours searching out and transcribing every trace he could find of his grandfather Don Martin’s life and work. He also went to many of the places mentioned in Martin’s diary, dispatches and letters to his young daughter and family. This blog makes the fruits of his labors – including Don Martin’s remarkably vivid accounts of his experiences traveling to France and with the American Expeditionary Force on the front there – available for anyone interested to read. Enjoy!

Aknowledgements

This compilation of the work of Don Martin has been made possible by the availability of scanned copies of the 1917-1918 New York Herald newspapers on the website www.fultonhistory.com. Thomas M. Tryniski of Fulton, New York 13069, is heartily thanked for his tremendous, continuing work in developing that website with all the New York newspapers. Don Martin’s 1917 and 1918 diaries, along with letters from and to him while he was in Europe, became available to the author in the papers of Dorothy Martin Larrimore upon her death. A number of photos in the blog are taken from Wikipedia. Thanks also go to great-grandchildren of Don Martin, Corinne Larrimore Shaddock and Mark Larrimore, and to great-great-grandchild Thomas Shaddock, for wonderful assistance in the layout of this blog. Completion of this effort has been greatly assisted by careful proofreading and the continuing patience of my wife, Irene Larrimore.