[Ads-l] "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918

Sun May 4 17:26:02 UTC 2025

I had thought of "jump off," but didn't want to bias the suggestions.

But I think "jour" is more likely, and from the emails to the list, somewhat better evidenced. It makes sense that the AEF would have initially adopted French terms (J = jour / H = heure), and then later translated them into English. But the conclusion is speculative.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Peter Reitan" <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2025 11:47am
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918

Typo. Le jour J - le jour de l'attaque.

________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2025 7:59:25 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918

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Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster: Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918
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In HathiTrust archive, a 1918 French military publication uses "le hour j -=
 le jour de l'attaque".

D'un poste de commandement. (P.C. du 21e C.A.) Bataille de l'Ailette (23 oc=
tobre-2 novembre 1917)

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From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Peter =
Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2025 7:41:15 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918

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Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster: Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918
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They are in France, operating and planning alongside French troops, so perh=
=3D
aps jour?

________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of dave at w=
=3D
ilton.net <dave at WILTON.NET>
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2025 5:55:53 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918

---------------------- Information from the mail header -------------------=
=3D
----
Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster: "dave at wilton.net" <dave at WILTON.NET>
Subject: "H-Hour" and "J-Day", 21 Feb 1918
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=3D
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=3D3D0AThe OED has 17 September 1918 for "H-Hour," but I've found this from=
 2=3D
1 =3D3D
February:=3D3D0A =3D3D0AHeadquarters, 16th Infantry. =3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D9CP=
lan for Ra=3D
id on Rich=3D3D
ecourt Salient.=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D9D 21 February 1918. World War Records Fi=
rst Di=3D
vision=3D3D
 A.E.F. Regular, vol. 10. First Division Museum. [ https://firstdivisionmus=
=3D
=3D3D
eum.nmtvault.com/jsp/PsImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=3D3D3Dcdf20c52-01e6-47b0-ba0b=
-6=3D
57=3D3D
4c9e5437f%2Fiwfd0000%2F20180808%2F00000002 ]( https://firstdivisionmuseum.n=
=3D
=3D3D
mtvault.com/jsp/PsImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=3D3D3Dcdf20c52-01e6-47b0-ba0b-6574=
c9=3D
e5=3D3D
437f%2Fiwfd0000%2F20180808%2F00000002 )[ ]( https://firstdivisionmuseum.nm=
=3D
=3D3D
tvault.com/jsp/PsImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=3D3D3Dcdf20c52-01e6-47b0-ba0b-6574c=
9e=3D
54=3D3D
37f%2Fiwfd0000%2F20180808%2F00000002 )=3D3D0A =3D3D0A"Artillery: From J min=
us 5=3D
 day=3D3D
 to J day=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D94Cutting gaps in the enemy=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D9=
9s wire at p=3D
oints other =3D3D
than that of the real objective, namely, Salient LAHAYVILLE and Salient 252=
=3D
=3D3D
0.=3D3D0A=3D3D0A"[=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3DA6]=3D3D0A =3D3D0A"Box Barrage=3D3DE2=
=3D3D80=3D3D94A box b=3D
arrage of 45 minutes=3D3D
 duration will be held at H hour as shown on the sketch. At H plus 25 the b=
=3D
=3D3D
ox barrage will close down to the enemy=3D3DE2=3D3D80=3D3D99s first four li=
nes wh=3D
ich wi=3D3D
ll be heavily shelled till close of operation."=3D3D0A =3D3D0AI have no ide=
a wh=3D
at t=3D3D
he "J" stands for. Any info or guesses are welcome.=3D3D0A =3D3D0AI was una=
ble =3D
to a=3D3D
ntedate the OED's 7 September use of "D-Day." I think that the term may hav=
=3D
=3D3D
e been introduced for this operation. (I found one relating to the same ope=
=3D
=3D3D
ration in a field order of a subordinate unit dated 10 September.)

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