VOLUME 23 SPRING/SUMMER 2017 ISSUE 1

The First World War“The Great War” ... “The War to End Wars!”

By Colonel RiChaRd M. Ripley, U.S. aRMy RetiRed

It was called the World War, me Great War, the War to End All Wars. It was the first war in which many of the world’s nations became engaged. Thus the name: the First World War or World War l. The war began on July 28, 1914. Before the fighting ceased on November 11, 1918, almost 8,000,000 soldiers had lost their lives in the greatest struggle the world had seen, and at terrible cost to the nations involved. Winners and losers alike suffered so terribly that it was hard to believe the nations of the world would ever take up arms again.

But the war did not settle the problems that caused it. Little more than 20 years after the armistice that was supposed to end World War I, the world was again at war. We use the name, World War II, for this second conflict, but many historians regard it as part of the war that began in 1914.

What were the causes of World War I? Why did the United States, after a policy of strict neutrality, enter the war? What did the United States contribute coward winning the war? Today, 89 years after World War I ended, few of us can answer these questions. Most of us know little of our country’s conduct of the war. Few of the men who fought in that war are still here. Only about 70 of North Carolina’s 86,457 World War I soldiers are alive today. Even the name of Armistice Day has been changed to Veterans Day a holiday which has little significance to the original holiday to celebrate the end of World War I on November 11, 1918.

Causes of the World War. No nation wanted a world war in 1914. But the threat of war hung over Europe since the end of the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War.

The major European powers, Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Austria, were striving to enhance their wealth and power. Great Britain, France, and Germany were engaged in a colonial power race in seizing the most desirable parts of Africa and Asia. Russia and Austria wanted control of the Balkans. Nationalism has much to do as a cause of war.

All the great powers believed the threat of force was the way to enhance achieving their nationalistic goals. Threatened nations in turn, to protect themselves, were likely to stan

building up their military strength and seek allies for support. Germany was firmly allied with Austria. This alliance threatened both France and Russia, and these two countries drew closer together. Germany feared war on two fronts and increased its military strength. France had to do the same. And so it went over most of Europe.

By 1914, two groups of nations faced each other threateningly. On the one side were Germany and Austria. On the other were Great Britain, France, and Russia.

Everyone feared war and hoped to avoid it, but all countries wanted to be ready to fight, if necessary. Ironically, the fear of war became a leading cause of World War I. No country could tell whether or not another was bluffing. If any country so much as mobilized its troops, the neighboring countries could not afford to wait for developments. Any threatening act by any great power could make war a fact quickly.

In Flanders FieldsJohn McCrae( 1872-1918)

In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in tile skyTile larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid tire guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from falling hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.

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The direct cause of the war arose in Austria. For some time Austria s policy had been to expand toward the cast in order, finally, to get a port on the Aegean Sea. This policy, known as the Drang nach Osten or Push toward the East, already had made some progress. But Serbia and Montenegro were squarely across the path of the Drang nach Osten, and Russia had promised to help protect their borders.

By the summer of 1914, the European powers and their attendant alliances were an armed camp, a tinder box awaiting a spark. On June 28, 1914, the Austrian crown prince, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Hohenburg, were shot at Sarajevo, the capitol of the Austrian province of Bosnia. The assassin was Gavrilo Prinzip, a Serb. This incident provided what some of the most ambitious Austrian statesmen wanted a reason for attacking Serbia. Austria could easily defeat the Serbs, and thus another major step eastward.

Austria claimed the Serbian government was responsible for the crime. Germany supported Austria in this claim. On July 23, 1914, Austria sent a stiff ultimatum to Serbia, and acceptance was demanded on the nine point ultimatum within 48 hours. Serbia was willing to accept eight of the nine items, but refused one, i.e. to allow Austria to enter Serbia to assist Serbia in suppressing an anti-Austria nationalist movement, and to take part in the judicial proceedings against persons implicated in the Sarajevo crime.

This was too much for a sovereign state to accept, and Serbia refused to accept, just as Austria expected. Austria announced the Serbs had failed to meet the demands of the ultimatum. On July 28, 1914, Austria declared war on Serbia.

The scenario for world war quickJy began to unwind. Russia stated its interests linked with those of Serbia and declared it would

mass its troops for war the day Austrian troops crossed into Serbia. Russia s attitude affected France and Great Britain, members of the Triple’ Entente. Austria chose to believe Russia was bluffing and would not dare to attack. Russia was not bluffing. It mobilized its Army. This was a direct threat to Austria. In support of its ally, Austria, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914 .

Germany was well prepared to execute its war plans. The German General Staff plans were to strike and defeat France within two months, then turn sharply and defeat Russia in the east. With these two powers defeated, Germany then would deal with Great Britain, which was not expected to offer much resistance. In the south, resistance by the Balkan states was expected to be light and would be quickly overcome, and a clear road was

to be opened into Asia via Turkey, Germany’s ally.

Europe at beginning of World War I in 1914

Western Front during World War I

As soon as it was clear that Germany was about to attack. France moved 200,000 men toward its eastern frontier below the Belgian and Luxembourg borders. Dispatches reported thousands of German soldiers moving west, so vast a force as to be unbelievable. The German chiefs asked Belgium for freedom to pass through the kingdom, as the easiest route into France. Belgium refused, and the German armies attacked into Belgium.

The attack on Belgium brought Great Britain into the war. Britain had separate treaties with France and Germany, pledging to help either country if the other invaded Belgium. The German attack began August 4, 1914, and Great Britain declared war on Germany before the day ended.

Belgium had only 200,000 men to block Germany’s flood of troops, but for two weeks it checked that flood. During those two weeks, Germany losl its chance of ending the war quickly. France gained time to swing troops across the invader’s path, and Great Britain had time to put its small regular army of 175,000 men into northern France.

Germany continued its drive through Belgium and into France. By September 6, 1914, the German Army had advanced to the Marne River, east of Paris. Finally, the Allied armies, at the Battle of the Marne, stopped the German advance. The German army began to retreat on September 8, stopping on the Aisne River, still holding about one-tenth of its richest territory.

The main British force was moved from the Aisne to the now left of the Allied line. 1n the heroic defense at Ypres, Belgium, the British regular anny was almost wiped out. Great Britain, for the next two years, rebuilt its army to almost 2,000,000 men. Not until 1917 did Britain regain its fighting power.

The Battle Fronts. In the early days of the war, three great battle lines were established. A new kind of war developed in which swift movements and pitched battles played almost no part. Month after month entrenched armies held their positions, hoping to wear out the enemy. The line which held the closest attention of the world (and this paper) was the Western Front. This line extended for 450 miles from the English Channel to Switzerland. After three years of war, no point in this heavily defended line was bent as far as 20 miles by either side. But over a million men died trying to change the lines.

Second in interest but longest in length, the Eastern Front. It stretched from Riga on the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea a distance of l,100 miles. The Germans and Austrians fought Russia until Spring 1918, when a revolution overturned the Czar s government. The Russian Army was in no condition to continue the war. In September 1918, a second revolution was conducted under the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky. Their new government had no desire and no capacity to continue a war with Germany and arranged an armistice and closed out the Eastern Front.

In the south of Europe, a third battle line extending from Switzerland along the Italian frontier almost to Treste was about 300 miles long. Before the war ended, another line was established through the southern Balkan regions. This line was about 300 miles long. Only main points were fortified, but this took an army of haJf a million men.

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Schmatic of World War I Trench System

PAGE FOUR RECALL

War on the Western Front. The Western Front settled down late in 1914 and remained almost unchanged for two years. As stalemate developed along the Aisne River, each side tried to envelope the northern flank of the other in successive battles that by October had extended the opposing lines to the Belgian coast. The year ended with Germany in control of most of Belgium and the rich mining and industrial provinces of northern France, while the Allies, to their good fortune, managed to hold most of the Channel parts, vital to the British to supply their forces on the continent. Also it denied critical bases needed by the Germans for operations against the British Navy.

Hurting from unexpected brutal losses, Allied and German armies alike went to ground. The landscape from Switzerland to the sea was scarred with opposing systems of zigzag, timber-revetted trenches, fronted by tangles of barbed wire hundreds of yards deep and featured here and there by covered dugouts providing shelter for troops and horses and by observation posts in log bunkers or concrete turrets.

At one point there were 200 miles of trenches on a line of 12 miles. Out beyond the trenches and the barbed wire was a muddy desert called no man’s land where artillery fire had eliminated habitation and vegetation alike, where men in night-time listening posts strained to hear what the enemy was about, and where rival patrols clashed.

The actual fighting took the form of artillery warfare and a few movements back and forth by both sides. It would eventually become apparent to both sides that the newly developed machine gun and improved indirect fire artillery had enhanced not the offense but the defense. The shovel became the sine qua non of the battlefield, lessening the applicability of such principles of war as maneuver, economy of force, surprise, and making critical the principle of mass. Masses of men nearly 2,000,000 Germans, 3,000,000 Allied troops; masses of artillery barrages lasted days and even weeks before an offensive; and masses of casualties. The British and French in 1915 lost 1,500,000 men killed, wounded, and missing. Yet through it all the opposing lines stood much as they had at the start. For more than two years they would vary less than 10 miles in either direction.

To meet the high cost of the war, the opposing powers turned more than ever to the concept of me nation in arms. Even Britain turned to conscription and sent massive new armies to the continent. To support these vast armies with munitions, equipment, and supplies, the nations put themselves on full war effort, harnessed their mines, factories, and railroads to war production, levied high income taxes, froze wages and prices, rationed food and other commodities.

On the battlefield, commanders persisted in a vain hope that somehow the stalemate might be ended and break through and exploitation achieved. The Germans were first to come close to a breakthrough in April 1915 near Ypres in the British sector. A greenish mist of chlorine gas from thousands of canisters moved against a French colonial division on the British sector of the front. The colonials broke, but me Gennans were not prepared to exploit the advantage. The first use of poison gas thus was a strategic blunder wasting total surprise for nothing more than local gains.

The British likewise blundered the next year when they introduced a new weapon prematurely. This was the tank.

Ungainly and ponderous. it owed its name to British attempts to deceive the Germans that the vehicle was a water storage device. It was first committed to battle in September, 1916 when 34 tanks helped British infantry advance a painful mile and a half. But the British had nothing available to exploit the penetration. There would be other attacks in the later months involving as many as 500 tanks, but the critical element of surprise was already lost.

For all the lack of decision, both poison gas and the tank soon were established weapons. Another weapon, meanwhile, found full acceptance on both sides: the airplane, forerunner of modern tactical and strategic bombers. Used at first primarily for reconnaissance and air-to-air combat, and finally as an offensive weapon to attack ground troops, and before the war ended in strategic missions against railroads, factories, and cities.

A fourth new weapon was the submarine, which the Germans were able to employ with a ruthless skill that would bring them close to victory but in tbe end provoked the instrument of their defeat. Early in 1915, only 27 U-boats were ready for action, achieving results of sinking 150,000 tons of Allied shipping a month. In May 1915, a German submarine sank the British Liner, Lusitania, with the loss o f 1,198 lives, including 128 Americans.

The loss of lives raised a storm of protest in the United States but did nothing to change the policy of neutrality toward the war in Europe. President Woodrow Wilson continued to protest the sinking of neutral ships to no avail. During the last three months of 1916, the German submarine strength increased to 200 U-boats, followed by a shocking increase in Allied and neutral ships sunk.

As 1917 opened a new year of war, German leaders decided losses were so great at the battles around Verdun and the Somme that they would go on the defensive on the Western Front. They put their hopes that a quick victory lay with the submarines. By operating an unrestricted campaign against all shipping, the Germans believed the British and French could be defeated in six months. While they recognized a risk of bringing the United States into the war, they believed the Allies could be defeated before the Americans could raise, train, and deploy an army.

On January 31, 1917, Germany informed the U.S. Government and other neutrals of their immediate intent to begin sinking all ships, Allied and neutral alike, without warning. In the next few weeks, more American ships were sunk. Finally, on April 2, President Wilson went before Congress and requested a declaration of war, and on April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany.

The United States enters the war. The United States entered the war ill prepared to fight. Fortunately, the Navy was able to take immediate steps to aid in countering me German submarine offensive and help break the crisis at sea.

The U.S. Army was in no position to make its weight felt immediately. A year before the U.S. entered the war, the National Defense Act of 1916 was passed into law. The law established the basis of the Army organization. An initial proposal to expand the Regular Army to 200,000 men, increase Federal support for the National Guard, and create a new 400,000 man volunteer force called the Continental Army, a trained reserve under Federal control as opposed to the state- controlled Guard. Strong Congressional supporters for the Guard, however. called for increased Federal responsibility for the Guard and agreed that the Guard would respond to the call of the President. There the matter would have almost bogged down had not Pancho Villa decided to

shoot up Columbus, New Mexico. Facing pressing requirements for the National Guard on the Mexican border, Congress compromised incorporating the concept of a citizen army as the foundation of the military establishmenl, but not in the form of a Continental Army. Instead the Congress made the National Guard the nucleus of the citizen force.

The National Defense Act of 1916 provided for an increase over five years of Regular Army strength from 100,000 to 175,000 men and a wartime strength of 300,000. National Guard strength was to be increased four fold to 400,000 men.

In March 1917, the U.S. Army consisted of about 200,000 men. Not a single unit of divisional size existed. Hobbled by restrictions imposed by law, less than 20 General Staff officers were on duty in Washington, D.C. During the war, the Army’s numbers increased to 4,000,000, over half of them draftees. One and a half million American soldiers ultimately saw combat in France, and another half million supported them. This was a slow process. Drafting, training, equipping, and moving large numbers of troops was a giant task. It took eight months for the Army to join the fighting.

To bolster Allied morale, the Army General Staff quickly decided the send a division to France as soon as possible as evidence that the United States intended to fight. Forming a division required gathering as a nucleus four infantry regiments from the Mexican border, building them up to strength with men from other regiments, and with recruits and calling Reserve officers to fill out the staffs. By mid-June, the 1st Infantry Division had begun to embark amid much confusion at dockside. Many of the men lacked weapons, but this would be resolved by the Allies, who provided mainly rifles, artillery, and airplanes. The pertinent fact was: a division was on the way. On the 4th of July, a battalion of the 16th Infantry marched through Paris. By May 1918, only the first 500,000 troops had arrived in France, and they were engaged in training or occupying quiet sectors. That all changed, though, once they got engaged. In the last five months of the war, 49,000 doughboys were killed, over 200,000 were wounded. An additional 63,000 died in the influenza epidemic that lashed the military camps.

The United States prepares for war. To command the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, the man chosen was the man with command experience in Mexico, John J. Black Jack Pershing, junior to five other major generals. He left immediately for France to survey to situation and prepare an estimate of the forces needed. As Pershing was leaving, Congress passed the Selective Service Act, which provided for a draft system administered by local civilian boards.

The Selective Service Act established the broad outlines of the Army’s structure. There were to be three components: (1) the Regular Army, raised immediately to the full war strength of 286,000 authorized in the National Defense Act of 1916; (2) the National Guard also to be expanded immediately to the authorized strength of 450,000; and (3) a National Army (the National Defense Act called it a Volunteer Army), to be created in two increments of 500,000 each.

Much of the identity of these three components eventually would be lost as recruits and draftees alike were absorbed in all units, so that in mid-1918 the War Department would change the designation of all land forces to one United States Army. The

original component to which regiments, brigades, and divisions belonged nevertheless continued to be apparent from the numerical designations. For example, the Regular A1my divisions were numbered from 1 to 25, while numbers 26 through 75 were reserved for National Guard Divisions, and higher numbers for divisions of the National Army.

The size of the army which the United States was to raise depended a great deal on General Pershing’s recommendations from his observations in Europe. Initially he called for a million men in France by end of 1918. This was the smallest number that would provide for an independent fighting force of 20 divisions plus necessary supporting troops.

The War Department in turn raised this in a plan to furnish by the end of 1918, 30 divisions with a support force for a total of 1,372,000 men, but so disastrous were the battle developments in Europe that Pershing was impelled to ask for 3,000,000 men with 66 divisions to be in France by May 1919.

The size of the U.S. division 28,000 men was almost double that of the Allied and German divisions. The size was the result of one of Pershing’s recommendations. As Pershing saw it, this would provide for a division large enough to provide great striking and staying power. As designed by the War Department, the division was to be organized in two infantry brigades of two regiments each, a field artillery brigade with one heavy and two light regiments, a regiment of combat engineers, three machine gun battalions, plus signal, medical, and other supporting troops.

As the war proceeded, the Army reached a peak strength of over 3,600,000 men. This included 62 divisions, 43 of which were sent overseas. On this basis, when the war ended, the Army was close to the projected goal of 52 divisions in France by the end of 1918.

How fast the Army could expand at the start depended upon the availability of housing, arms, equipment, and supplies. New Regular Army units were organized using existing housing facilities, while new National Guard organizations were called in two increments and housed in tent camps, mainly in warmer southern states. A special Cantonment Division of the Army Quartermaster undertook the massive task of construction of the vast new cantonments for the National Army.

In the matter of arms, munitions, and equipment, the demands were so urgent and so large that the authors of the National Defense Act of 1916 anticipated that industry had to be mobilized. For this task, the Council of National Defense was created by the Act and provided for central planning and control for all military and civilian needs.

While industry retooled, arms were in short supply, requiring initial training to be conducted with obsolete and even wooden guns, and in the end the Army had to depend heavily on Allied manufacture. The only weapon not a particular problem was the rifle. Increased production at the arsenals was able to equip divisions going overseas. All Army units reaching France during the first year had to be equipped with Allied machine guns and automatic rifles, but new and excellent Browning machine guns and automatic rifles began to be produced in volume by U.S. manufacturers by mid-1918. Of some 2,250 artillery pieces used by the Army in France, only 100 were U.S. manufacture. The new U.S.Tank Corps used French tanks. The Air Section, expanded rapidly to 11,425 flying officers of whom 5,000 reached France, also had to depend on planes provided by the Allies.

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PAGE SIX RECALL

The U.S. Army overseas. Included in the orders General Pershing received from the Secretary of War before he left for France was a policy to cooperate with the forces of other countries ... but in so doing the underlying idea must be kept in view that the forces of the United States are a separate and distinct component of the combined forces, the identity of which must be preserved. This was a requirement that influenced many of Pershing’s early decisions regarding the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). it was to be a recurring source of contention between Pershing and Allied Commanders whose forces had incurred massive losses and were nearing the end of their manpower resources.

Initially, Pershing chose the region southeast of Paris to concentrate and train the divisions arriving from the United States. Before the end of 1917, the 1st Division plus three other divisions (2d, 26th, and 42d) had arrived and begun several months of intensive training. This was critical as the training of these divisions prior to moving overseas was seriously inadequate. Many of the men were recruits, replacements for men pulled out to help train newly formed units. Only in January 1918 was the 1st Division committed into battle, six months after it had arrived in France. The six-month training cycle would be repeated for all other divisions.

Follow-on troop arrivals rapidly increased to a rate of nearly 50,000 per month, and by the end of 1917 had reached a monthly total of 197,000. Ultimately. 2,084,000 reached France, and of these 1,390,000 saw active service in the front line. Two out of every three American soldiers who reached France took part in battle.

Of the 42 divisions that reached France, 29 took part in active combat service, while the others were used as replacements or were just arriving during the last month of the war. The battle record of the United States Army in World War I is largely the

history of these 29 combat divisions,. Seven were Regular Army divisions, 11 were organized from the National Guard, and 11 were made up from National Army troops.

American combat divisions were in battle for 200 days from April 25, 1918, until the signing of the armistice on November ll, 1918. During these 200 days, they were engaged in 13 major operations, of which 11 were joint operations with the French and British and two were distinctly American.

At the time of their greatest activity in mid-October, all 29 divisions were in action. They held 100 miles of front, or 23 percent of the entire Allied battle line. From the middle of August, they held a front longer than the British. American strength tipped the balance of manpower in favor of the Allies, so, by June to the end of the war, the Allied forces were superior in number 10 those of the enemy.

The German offensives and War’s End. The war in 1918 opened with the Germans in possession of the offensive. In a series of five major drives, the Germans sought to break the Allied line and end the war. These five drives took place in live successive months, beginning in March and ending in July.

For success, the Germans counted on numerical superiority and the use of new tactics developed by Lt. Gen. Oscar von Hutier. The tactics involved a short (several hours) but intensive artillery preparation, heavy on gas and smoke, followed by a rolling barrage creeping ahead of the infantry at a predetermined rate. Organized in small battle groups built around a light machine gun, the infantry infiltrated to cut off strong points rather than assault them, leaving that task for follow-on troops. The enemy’s forward position ruptured, the infantry advanced swiftly to overrun the enemy artillery and break into the clear. In the end the German army failed to fulfill its hopes.

The turning point of the war had come in July 1918. The great German offensives had been stopped. The initiative now passed to

the Allies, and a series of Allied offensives began. destined to roll back the German armies beyond the French frontier. In the continuous Allied offensive, the American Expedicionary Forces took part in six major operations. In four of the six operations, the American troops engaged were acting in support of Allied divisions and under command of the generals of the Allies. Even as Pershing formed the First Army (in August) with the I and III Corps, he left the II Corps and its two divisions (27th and 30th) with the British and allowed several other divisions to serve under French command.

During the four Allied offenses, the Americans were engaged in major battles including the French counteroffensive at the Aisne-Marne and at Chateau-Thierry. The 30th Division as part of the II Corps, under British command, succeeded in breaking the Hindenburg Line.

The last two offensive operations, Western Front from 20 March - 11 November 1918

the battles of St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne, were American operations. About 550,000 Americans were engaged at St. Mihiel. The battle lasted four days (Sept. 12-15) with 7,000 casualties. The attack was made against a German salient located south of Verdun.

The attack began at 5 a.m. after four hours of artillery preparation of great severity. It met with immediate success. St. Mihiel set a record for concentration of artillery fire by a four-hour artillery preparalion, consuming more than 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition. During the St. Mihiel offensive, 16,000 prisoners and 443 guns were captured. A dangerous enemy salient was reduced, and American commanders and troops demonstrated their ability to plan and execute a big American operation. The Meus-Argonne offensive was the greatest battle yet fought by the U.S. Army. The attack to place, north of Verdun, on a 20-mile front. 1,250,000 American troops participated in the battle (Oct.-Nov.). Casualties were high 120,000 of all types but the results were impressive.

“The object of the Meuse-Argonne offensive,” according to

Gen Pershing, “was to draw the best German divisions to our front and to consume them.” This statement expresses better than any other description not only the purpose but the outcome of the battle. Every available American division was thrown against the enemy. Every available German division was thrown to meet them. At the end of 47 days of continuous battle, the American divisions had destroyed the German divisions. The goal of the American attack was the Sedan-Mezieres railroad, the main supply line for the German forces on most of the western front. By November 8, 1918, American forces had reached the outskirts of Sedan and cut the railroad. This quickly led to the collapse of the German army.

Under pressure of continuing Allied attack, the Germans finally surrendered. The fighting ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918. Men died right up to the last, but, finally, after more than four grim years, it was over. Of the men of all nations in uniform, more than 8,500,000 died. American casualties alone totaled 320,710.

…

SPRING 2017 PAGE SEVEN

Among the numerous books and studies dealing with the War for Southern Independence, every once in a while there appears a biography of lasting historical merit, a volume that can be called definitive. W. Davis Waters’ detailed study of inventor of the torpedo, the brilliant Confederate general and scientist Gabriel]. Rains (1803-1881), is such a book. He and Joseph I. Brown, his technical consultant and author of the highly analytical chapter VII, have produced a volume that not only is encyclopedic in covering their subject, but is also highly readable by those not so well-versed in naval and scientific marine tenninology.

Gabriel James Rains was born in New Bern, North Carolina, one of eight children of Gabriel Manigault and Hester Rains. A younger brother, George W., would also serve as a lieutenant colonel in Confederate ranks, while Gabriel would reach the rank of brigadier general. Both men would survive the war; but it was the older Rains who would become one of the 19th century’s most innovative military inventors and masters of the rapidly changing technology of warfare. His role is slowly being recognized, and Waters’ study should do much to solidify that reputation. Nevertheless, one cannot help think that the old maxim about victors writing the history of a conflict holds true here, too. Had Rains been working for the Yanks, we might be seeing his name on various naval ships, bases, and elsewhere.

Rains is most noteworthy for three Significant inventions. He invented three mines: the land mine (“subterra shell”), the keg torpedo, and the submarine mortar battery. Yet, getting his inventions approved for use was not always an easy task. During the war years he faced, at times, opposition from other Confederate leaders. Nevertheless, he usually had support from President Jefferson Davis, and that, certainly, made all the difference.

After the Battle of Seven Pines Rains served as Superintendent of Conscription and also Commander of the Torpedo Bureau. He spent much of his time perfecting new and very effective weapons to use against the invading Yankee hordes. His agents mined the harbors of Mobile, Charleston, Savannah, and Wilmington. Through his efforts and then-novel inventions numerous Federal ships were sent to the bottom, and the life of the Confederacy was prolonged. At the onset of the final siege of Richmond, President Davis requested that Rains mine the main roads leading to the Confederate capital. Again, his efforts gave time to the beleaguered Confederates . .. and one has to wonder if the efforts he expended in 1864-1865, had they been effected much earlier and with greater application, might have even changed the course of the war.

Waters and Brown have provided numerous illustrations, photographic representations, charts, and diagrams to give any reader ample information on the subject matter. The seven appendices include reports and essays by Rains, letters from Rains on torpedos and torpedo/mine technology, and a complete list of Federal vessels sunk by Rains’ inventions and other torpedomen (35) or seriously damaged by them (14)- not a bad war record!

Lastly, despite the detailed and well-presented technical aspects of his career, Waters gives flesh to Rains as a man, a man who cared about his country and his native state, who was dedicated and always went beyond the call of duty. Brilliant, determined, and courageous, Rains now has a fine study of his life and inventions. Waters and Brown have given us a superb biography of one of the 19th century’s finest scientists, and one of the Confederacy’s unsung heroes; Gabriel J. Rains.

…

GABRIEL RAINS AND THE CONFEDERATE TORPEDO BUREAUW. daviS WateRS (aUthoR) and JoSeph i. BRoWn (teChniCal ConSUltant), dURhaM, nC: MonogRaph pUBliSheRS, dURhaM, nC; pB. 2014;

162 pp., appendiCeS, noteS, illUStRationS, gloSSaRy oftennS, aCknoWledgMentS; BiBliogRaphy, index; $17.95

RevieW By dR. Boyd d. Cathey

PAGE EIGHT RECALL

On April 6, 1917 when the United States declared war on Germany, the nation was remarkably 111 prepared to wage war. Despite th.is, one i amazed in hindsight what a remarkable effort was made in the mobilization of the army, to train it, fight the war, and finally return home and demobilize, all in a relatively short period of time- less than two years from federalization of the National Guard on July 25, 1917, to demobilization in May, 1919.

General Order Number 95, War Department, July 18, 1917, ordered the formation of a National Guard Division designated the ‘’Thirtieth Division.” It components were to be drawn from Guard units of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Personnel from the three states provided about half of the division strength. The balance of troops were drawn from mid-western states including Iowa, Indiana. Minnesota, North and South Dakota. The same General Order designated Camp Sevier near Greenville, SC, as the training ground for the new division.

General Order 101, War Department, August 3, 1917, directed the 16 National Guard divisions to be organized in accordance with Table of Organization, 1917. This formed the “Square Division” of 28,000 men. It is interesting to note that included in the 30th Division’s National Guard regiments from the three states, were units whose history dated back to the early period of our nation’s history, including the Revolutionary and Civil War times. Many of the units had been in Federal service on the Mexican Border during 1916 - 1917. Some of these had just returned to their home states, only to be detailed for service for the World War. Notable examples of this were the 1st, 2d, and 3d North Carolina Infantry Regiments.

July and August, 1917, were busy months for the units which were slated to form the 30th Division. With Camp Sevier as the focal point, units from the hamlets, villages, towns, and cities in the three states were moved and assembled to form the division.

Assembly of the division’s units was not an easy task. The 30th Division was fortunate indeed to have Maj. Gen. J.F. Morrison as its commander, for his genius as an organizer and his ability to train troops efficiently were well known in the Army.

By September 12, 1917, division troop strength totaled 12,000 men. General Morrison then carried out the division reorganization under authority of War Department General Order 101. General Orders No. 4, 30th Division, September 12, 1917, ordered the division reorganization. The form was popularly known as the ‘’Pershing Division” organization.

Briefly, the 30th Division organization was as follows:• a. Division Headquarters.• b Headquarters Troop (Cavalry}• c. 113th Machine Gun Battalion

• d. 59th Infantry Brigade, including: Brigade Headquarters,• 117th Infantry, 118th Infantry, and 114th Machine Gun• Battalion.• e. 60th Infantry Brigade, including: Brigade Headquarters,• 119th Infantry, 120th Infantry, and 115th Machine Gun• Battalion.• f. 55th Field Artillery Brigade, including: Brigade• Headquarters, 113th, 114th, and 115th Field Artillery, and

105th Trench Mortar Battery.• g. 105th Engineer Regiment• h. 105th Signal Battalion• i. 55th Depot Brigade with six training battalions

The following organization of the Division Trains wasordered:

• j. 105th Trains Headquarters and Military Police• k. 105th Ammunition Train• I. 105th Supply Train• m. 105th Engineer Train• n. 105th Sanitary Train

Note: The 55th Depot Brigade, under command of Brigadier General L.D. Tyson, was responsible for division individual basic and advance training. On completion of the training in October, 1917, the 55th Deport Brigade was dissolved and its personnel reassigned to units throughout the division. This Brigade did well with a very difficult and demanding training mission.

Training and construction at Camp Sevier was done concurrently. The men were housed in tents. Camp Sevier, like many of the Army camps, was established in the South under the premise that the “warmer” climate would permit use of tents for troop housing. Unfortunately, the “sunny south” wasn’t during the winter of 1917-1918. The winter was extremely cold with heavy snow and sleet. Winter clothing was not available until mid-winter. The troops suffered a great deal that winter. Initially, clothing and equipment of all types were in short supply. Some men had to train in the civilian clothes. The artillery, for lack of cannon, used logs mounted on wheels to conduct training. Ultimately, these problems were resolved as supplies and materials became available.

With reorganization complete on paper, it was necessary to form the Division into a fighting force. This required an intense training program starting with individual and small unit training. As mentioned earlier, the initial training phase was handled by the 55th Deport Brigade.

The training the Division received was different than what had been conducted in the Army pre-war training system. Then emphasis was placed on maneuver toward the enemy flank and rear. This relied on surprise and rapid movement. The trench warfare conducted in World War I, however, all but eliminated

The 30th Infantry Divisionin the Great War

By RiChaRd M. Ripley, Colonel, U.S. aRMy RetiRed

this concept to that of static fronts and mass frontal attacks. The training problem the army faced was adapting our traditional method of open warfare to the new conditions on the battlefield without succumbing to the deadingly defensive attitude brought on by inactive trench warfare. Out Leaders recognized that the American soldier was not only temperamentally unsuited for trench war, but also that our resources of manpower and materials would allow the army to put into play in modified form the extended battle line of American tradition, which would quickly and effectively end the war.

With this in mind, the training of the 30th Division was begun. Trench tactics were taught, but the emphasis of the training program was on offensive lines smashing and a modification of open rank warfare in which the American excels.

As the division worked hard in training, it became clear that a means of unit identification and recognition was important towards building troop esprit and morale. Various unit patches and nicknames were considered. Many names were suggested for the 30th Division, but it was natural for the men drawn from the Carolinas and Tennessee would identify themselves with the old, rugged, hard-headed humanitarian, Andrew Jackson, nicknamed “Old Hickory.” The naming of the Division, now even months old, became official by General Order No. 7, Headquarters 30th Division, dated March 26, 1918, Camp Sevier, SC. Accordingly, the 30th Division was known thereafter as the “Old Hickory Division.”

The insignia and shoulder patch adopted by the Division was a blue elliptically shaped letter “O” on its side, surrounding a blue letter “H” with blue Roman numeral “XXX” inside the cross bar of the “H”, the “H” superimposed on a maroon field. The patch was again used for the World War II division except, for whatever reason, the elliptical oval “O” was worn vertically rather than flat.

January to April, 1918, was a period of intensive training within the division. Orders were given on April 18 to teach platoon tactics. Also instructions were issued to the regiments

for advanced battalion exercises. This training was destined never to be completed. A War Department telegram dated April 28, 1918, ordered the division for movement overseas. The division units were moved in trains from Camp Sevier to embarkation camps in the New York area, and troops boarded their transports during May-June, 1918. Some 25 transports carried the division to England and then to France. On arrival at Calais, France, the division was assigned to the II Corps, U.S. Army, which was assigned to British Command. Ultimately, II Corps included the 30th Division less the 55th Artillery Brigade and the 27th Division.

The British provided for division housing and training areas. The British 39th Division was affiliated with the 30th Division and assisted in training the division Supplies and equipment for the II Corp divisions were provided under the British supply system. lt was agreed the British would completely supply and equip the divisions while they were under British control. The troops were allowed to keep their U.S. Army uniforms. The men of the 30th Division quickly adapted themselves to their new situation, although there was considerable grumbling for a time when the Springfield rifle was exchanged for the British Enfield rifle. Also, the British food ration was modified to what the troops were accustomed to eating. For example, coffee was substituted for tea and, more meat and potatoes were added.

Training of the 30th Division was conducted in two phases called “A” and ‘’B” phases. The division moved from Calais to Eperlecques Training Area and with the 39th British Division conducted “A” phase training during June, 1918,

SPRING 2017 PAGE NINE

Machine Gun Crew with Lewis machine gun,115th Machine Gun Battalion

Message received by Capt. Thomas B. Byrd, CO, CompanyG, 120th Infantry. Messages were carried by runners dispatched from higher headquarters. The runner led a verydangerous life, often exposed, frequently killed or wounded,while carrying these small pieces of paper.

PAGE TEN RECALL

mainly individual rifle, bayonet, and physical training. “B” phase training began with a three day march starting on July 2, 1918. The division was moved to the Poperinghe area, some eight miles west of Ypres, Belgium, closer to the battle area. “B” phase training included assignment of selected NCO’s and officers attached to British units in the line for two days; next all infantry platoons would spend four days attached as platoons to British Infantry companies (this took 14 day to complete). In the final period of “B” phase training, each division battalion was to do a tour of duty for eight days, relieving a British battalion in the front line. No more than one battalion of each regiment was allowed in the line at the same time. On August 10, 1918, “ B” phase training for the division was completed. On the nights of August 17 and 18, 1918, the 30th Division relived the British 33d Division per Field Order No. 9, dated August 15, 1918, Headquarters 30th Division. The front occupied, called “The Canal Sector- Ypres-Lys Offensive,” was located just south of Ypres, Belgium.

On 31 August - 1 September, 1918, the 30th Division experienced its first hand-to-hand action and in the rain captured the Lankhof Farm and Voormezeele. Following this, on 5 September, the Division was moved to reserve for rest and training.

On 22 September, the Division was moved back into the Line in the Gouy-Nouray Sector and faced the strongest part of the Hindenburg Line opposite the town of Bellicourt. The Division’s mission was to attack on 29 September, seize Bellicourt, the tunnel and Canal de St. Quentin, and break through the Hindenburg Line.

On 29 September, the 30th Division with the U.S. 27th Division on the left and the 46th British Division on the right, assaulted the Hindenburg Line. This was preceded by a preliminary artillery bombardment (some 1,500 guns) which began on 17 September. The Hindenburg Line at this point was considered impregnable. Built of strong masonry, the tunnel was six kilometers long, 20 feet wide, wilh a below ground depth of 20 feet. It was large enough to hold a division in complete safety. In addition to the tunnel, there was a system of three trenches linked by other trenches. Wide belts of barbed wire protected the trenches. Forward belts of wire were in the form of deep triangles, 50 to 150 yards in depth. The entire

Entrance to tunnel at Bellicourt

Promptly as scheduled, the field artillery barrage began, the shells falling on the barrage starting Line. Fire remained fixed for four minutes and then lifted, advancing 100 yards every four minutes. Men moved forward through the smoke and fog with little visibility, which actually proved to be a blessing. lt hindered order and cohesion during the attack, but it was of tremendous assistance in blinding the enemy’s machine gun and artillery fire, which ordinarily would have given the defenders the greater advantage. It is doubtful that the Division would have withstood the accurate artillery fire the Germans were prepared to give on a clear day.

The 30th Division was successful in accomplishing a supposedly impossible mission. The Hindenburg Line was broken at its strongest point. This battle was the crown jewel of the 30th’s World War I battles. On a front of 3,750 yards, a 3,000 yard advance had been made; and the advance effected the capture of 47 officers and 1,432 enlisted men, together with large quantities of field guns and other weapons and equipment.

SPRING 2017 PAGE ELEVEN

area contained trenches that linked this system to the tunnel. Concrete pill boxes were emplaced to furnish interlocking machine gun fire throughout the area. Such was the character of the defenses opposed to the attack.

Special care was taken to equip the individual soldier. Each man carried 220 rounds of rifle ammunition and two hand grenades. Hot food was furnished right up to the eve of battle.

One hour before the attack began, the 105th Engineers moved out into no-man’s land and laid out the jumping-off tape. This enabled the attacking troops to be at the proper assault positions at “zero hour.” Mist, fog, and low-hanging clouds made visibility extremely poor as “zero hours,” 5:50 a.m. 29 September 1918, approached. The 30th Division with the 60th Brigade attacked on a front of 3,000 yards together with British tanks, with the 119th Infantry on the left, the 120th Infantry on the right, the 117th Infantry in support of the 120th lnfantry, and the 118th lnfantry in Division Reserve.

The 30th Division at Bellicourt

PAGE TWELVE RECALL

The break of the Hindenburg Line spelled the end of the German Army.

The 30th Division continued fighting through 23 October 1918. Space does not permit a description of the battles following Bellicourt and the Hindenburg Line. The battles of Nauroy Premont, Brancourt, Busigny, and Escoufort were conducted during the period 29 September - 19 October, finishing in the vicinity of St. Souplet, a distance of over 20 miles. During the three week drive to capture these towns, the total division casualties were 162 officers and 6,240 enlisted

men (killed: 44 officers and 1,021 enlisted men; wounded: 113 officers and 4,999 enlisted men; missing: 2 officers and l96 enlisted men; prisoners: 3 officers and 24 enlisted men).

When the 30th Division came out of the line on 19 October, no one had any idea that the Division’s fighting days bad ended. The Division was moved to an area outside Amiens for rest and refitting in preparation to enter the lines again. While there, the war ended on 11 November. Field Order No. 19 (later corrected to No. 23), II Corps, dated 16 November 1918, was issued transferring the II Corps from the Third

Brirish Army to the American Expeditionary Forces. The 30th Division moved to the Le Mans area for preparation to return to the United States. Here the 55th Field Artillery Brigade rejoined the Division. The 55th Field Artillery Brigade and the 105th Ammunition Train were engaged in the Battles of St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne. They were in continuous combat in these battles.

The Division sailed from St. Nazaire, France, beginning 17 March 1919, to the Port of Charleston, SC, the last ship reaching the Port of Charleston on 18 April.

On arrival back home, the 30th Division was engulfed in the glad welcome of families and friends. Daring the rest of March, Division units marched in the major cities of the Carolinas and Tennessee. Finally, during the month of April, Division units were demobilized-Headquarters the last-on 7 May 1919.

The war was over, the 30th Division had done its job and established a proud record. The Division returned to National Guard status back in its home stations in the Carolinas and Tennessee.

…

Successive advances of the 30th Division - 24 September 1918 to 19 October 1918.

Officers view operations maps, 60th Infantry Brigade Command Post

The Ambulance Company operated with the Infantry Regiments, setting up a “dressing station” at the front. The Company’s liner bearers picked up the wounded on the battlefield and carried them to the “Dressing Station” where the wounded were given immediate first aid and care. The Company ambulances transported the wounded to the

Company Headquarter’s ‘’Triage” location. At the Triage (French for sorting place) the wounded were sorted out into the different kinds of wounds and sent to the appropriate hospitals in the rear. There were three kinds of cases i.e., those who were gassed, shell shocked, and surgical cases. The patients were given necessary treatment to sustain them until they could reach the proper hospital.

Brockmann served at the Triage location and saw almost 2,000 wounded in the short time his unit was there. Brockmann states that great credit is due the bravery of the litter bearers and ambulance drivers who worked under direct fire to recover the wounded on the battlefield.

Jackson Marshall in his story “Peace without Victory” described 11 November 1918, the last day of World War 1- the war ended at 11 :00 a.m. The 8l st Division and the other divisions engages in the Meuse-Argo1rne, launched an attack at 0600 the morning of November 11. lt was foggy and men advanced under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. It was ironic that men fought and died during the final five hours of the war. Brockmann goes on to say, ‘’The war ended the 11th, but we took in wounded until the

afternoon of the 12th. The last man I saw die died with lockjaw just as they put him in the ambulance. He had

been wounded too long before given treatment.”Brockmann’s Company, as part of the 81st Division,

moved out of the front lines and prepared for the return home. The history of the 8lst Division states the Division moved back from the battlefield on 12 November. They rested for five days, then began a 175 kilometer hike from the front to a training area in Central France at Chatillon Sur-Seine. The march covered 15 days –18 November to 3 December– and was a severe test of physical endurance and morale of the soldiers. They remained in this area with the end of May 1919, finally moving to the port of St. Nazaire for embarkation.

The Division sailed from St. Nazaire on 3 June 1919 and landed at Newport News, VA, on 16 June. They went to Camp Lee, VA, where the Company was mustered out of service 26 June 1919 with a little over two years of service. Brockmann later said, I saw it was hard; but it was an experience that I would not take a big sum of money for; yet I do not want to go through it again.”

Brockmann went on to operate a book store in Charleston, SC, but later came back to Greensboro and became associated with Mitchell-Dixon Office Supply Company.

…

PFC Felix E. Brockmann,a World War I Soldier

By RiChaRd M. Ripley, Colone.i, U.S. aRMy RetiRed

Felix E. Brockmann, a World War l veteran, presently resides at the Miami VA Hospital, Miami, Florida. He

is 101 years old and one of the few living North Carolina World War I veterans. “Si” Harrington, Military Collections, N.C. Archives and History, states that only about 70 of North Carolina’s 86,457 World War I soldiers are alive today. Mr. Hal Brockmann of Raleigh, NC, Felix’s nephew, states that Felix is in reasonably good health and is mentally active.

Felix Brockmann’s military record indicates he was born 17 December 1895, in Greensboro, NC, where at age 21 he enlisted in the Army on 25 June 1917. He was one of 150 volunteers joining an ambulance company which the American Red Cross, Greensboro Chapter, decided to organize for the war effort. Volunteers from Greensboro and Winston-Salem were to be included. The men were sworn into the Army on 25-27 June 1917 and were ordered to report 25 July 1917. The unit was officially designated Ambulance Company No. 31.

The company was moved by train to Fort Oglethorpe, GA, and then, on 10 September, to Camp Jackson, SC, where the unit was redesignated Ambulance Company No. 321, 306th Sanitary Train. 81st “Wildcat” Division. The 8lst “Wildcat” Division was to include many North Carolina soldiers.

The 81st Division’s 306th Sanitary Train included four Field Hospitals and four Ambulance Companies (one company was mule drawn and the other three motor drawn). Intensive training was the order of the day throughout the Division, including Brockmann’s company. On 23 May 1918, Ambulance Company No. 321 started on a seven day, 125 miles bike to Camp Sevier, SC, where the 8lst Division moved into the area just vacated by the 30th Division, which was bound for France. Training continued until 19 July 1918 when the division was ordered to new York for overseas movement.

The Ambulance Company departed on 8 August 1918, sailed first to England and then to France, arriving at Cherbourg

on 24 August.The 32lst Ambulance Company was moved to the St. Die

Sector in the Vosges Mountains where the 81st Division relieved the 92d Division. Brockmann’s Company supported the 321 Infantry in the St. Die area for a month. The 8lst Division then moved 100 miles to a new sector located east of Verdun where it relieved the 35th Division on 6 November 1918 and entered the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The 32lst Ambulance Company rendered support to the 321st and 322d Infantry Regiments, French and American artillery, and Engineer units. The attack started on 9 November and the Ambulance Company was kept busy evacuating wounded.

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21-year-old Felix Brockmann enlisted with 150 others from Greensboro and

Winston-Salem in Ambulance Company No. 31. now he’s its single living member.

PAGE FOURTEEN RECALL

Belzoni Ainsworth CorbettCompany C, 119lh Infantry

APO 749 A.E.F.

Sailed May 11th [1918) from New York on British ship Asconia. Sailed March 18th, 1917 (1919) from St. Maroise, France on tile USS Madewaska old German ship.Entrained May 6th. Embarked 11 o’clock. Sailed 4:00 P.M. 11th May (1918). Arrived Halifax Nova [Scotia] May 16th. Steamed out on 17th. Submarine encountered night of the 26th. Good bit of excitement on account of depth bombs. Landed at Liverpool, England May 27th. Entrained for Dover, England. Arrive Dover A.M. Boarded transport for France P.M., 1 hour ride. Had collision with freighter in Channel. Several wounded and 4 sucked overboard. Good bit of damage to transport. Debarked Calais, France May 28th. Rest camp until last day of May.June 1st Sunday first experience of the shaking of the bigHowitzers35milesaway.Onemonthoftraininginthefinishingtouches for the front (including a demonstration of a barrage). July 2nd began hike for Belgium with heavy packs. Men stood the strain exceedingly well. . . .July 14th went into the yellow line at Popiseigne. Went into the support line night of the 18th. Relieved night of 22nd-went back to Waton for rest. August 2nd went in the yellow line at Popiseign for 10 days. Relieved on Aug. 12th for 5 days rest at Waton. Went in support Line August 17th rather lively time on Worlaiz party I killed 3 wounded relieved on 22nd Aug. Went back to yellow line. Went in Front line night of 25th to take over– Company followed next night. My platoon on outpost from 27th to Aug. 31. One platoon went over top at 1:00 A. M. All shot up 3 killed l2 wounded. Companies C & Dover the top al 6:00 P. M. I killed 2 or 3 wounded. Very good luck. Bosch fallingbackbutstillfiring.3rd Battalion having some very lively scrapping on the right, gaining objective and taking prisoners . . .. Sent to resume trench Sept. 2nd A.M. Very heavy enemy counter barrage was beaten off by our artillery and machine guns. In charge of working party night of Sept. 2nd. Could not go through shelling– 1 man wounded. Another counter barrage at dusk of Sept. 3rd quieted by our artillery. Were relieved by Tommies at 9:00 P.M. . . .Back in France about 40 Kilos from Arras. Can hear the big guns a bit. More drilling taking place especially practicing

fighting rear guard action and attackingmachine gun nests.Went for a tank demonstration while here.... Detrucked at sunrise Sept. 24th about 15 kilos from the Hindenburg Line. Thefirstthingtogreetuswasthenoiseofabarragegoingon.Marched for an hour or so, pitched camp in a copse of woods with plenty of graves of German soldiers killed only 3 weeks before as they were retreating to Hindenburg Line.BeginningoftheHindenburgfights–....Morningof29ththe“Big Show” on- leaving for Front Line at 3:30 A.M. Arrived line and put on tape. Our barrage (machine guns and artillery) opened up at “Zero Hour”- 6:10-such an awful noise could not hear anything anyone said. Two minutes and the barrage lifted we began the advance.Noise, smoke and occasionally a shell of ours would fall short. Two or three hundred yards began to see a dead “Jerry” that was caught by our barrage. By the time we had gone 1000 yards was getting awful smoky. Plenty of prisoners were being taken from dugouts-had one of my squads put out of commission by a “Dosch” machine gun-some were killed while we captured the others. Was knocked completely down by the concussion of one of our shells falling short near me. . .The trench mortars were coming in numbers, machine gun bullets by the thousands, tanks knocked out, men yelling –killed and wounded all around you. Held our ground until 2:30 P.M. when Australians came up to take charge and push them out of their strong points. Went over with them-a brave bunch of men. . . . Went in reserve Oct. l in charge of carrying party for dead– awful job– dreadful experience– Released for a rest on Oct. 4th moved back all tired and worn out to Lincourt Woods. Spent the night there.... Early rise Oct. 10th tunnel is blocked. Going over the top again. Left for the line to loop the 59th barrage - 5:00 A.M. Good lively hike– still plenty of dead left on the battlefieldboth enemy and our soldiers. Our barrage going on finally,overtaking the 59th. Helped them take their objective. Had 3 or 4 killed and two or three wounded. Pushed ahead until went throughBunifay–heldupbyheavymachinegunfire.Front wave digging in. We take up support and dig in. Very cold and despicable. Rations brought up and hot soup– sure wassomegood....2ndBattaliononleftflinchedsomewhatand stopped for the time being. We were behind a hill and beginning in afternoon they tried to advance and succeeded with heavy losses by Bosch artillery. Shells blowing men up in the air. C company very lucky in pushing ahead. Spent night in Fox holes– next day spent in same way at St. Soupal.

Diary of a Combat infantryman

Sgt. Belzoni Ainsworth Corbett enlisted in Company C, 2d NC Infantry, on 18 April 1915. He served with the 2d NC Infantry on the Mexican Border from October 1916 until March 1917. He returned to North Carolina wilh the 2d NC lnfantty and remained with the regiment when it was redesignated the 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Sgt. Corbett’s diary gives a soldier’s view of fighting with his company at Bellicourt and the battles fought in the 119th Infantry. Language and spelling is as he wrote it.

SPRING 2017 PAGE FIFTEEN

Could not advance as our flanks had not gained objectives.2nd and 3rd platoons sent up to fill in gap in line night of12th. Worked hard until daylight digging in. Jerry began his straffing–someveryclosecalls....Another show on hand about 4 kilos behind lines– slept on bare ground, several shells falling near, blowing up one of the bunkers(?) and killing several horses and wounding some men. So cold could not sleep– Early rising next A.M. Our barrage opened up very soon after we started up. Got some very good whiffs of Jerry’s gas on way up. They were very slow, giving Jerrys time to retalliate causing us very heavy losses– something severe, the Bosch barrage, shells falling on all sides killing one of my Corporals, had to double-time my platoon for about 1000 yards. Overtaken 2nd wave of 59th Brigade had 5 to6ofmymenwounded,hadtodigin.Hadtheonlyofficerin the left half of the Company wounded. During latest lots of gas. . . .This was 17th (a good hand for us) several killed and wounded. 1st Sergeant wounded. Finally had to dig in. 1st and 2nd Platoons in front wave now as we had gone through the 59th early in the A.M. 3 & 4 Platoons was in support as we did not haveanyofficers.Rationsbroughtup–aboutenoughfor1meal.Up early morning of 18th going to swing to right. Company Commander not giving me any of particulars. Pretty windy. Could not advance as the machine guns were concentrated, also French mortars posted(?) up was in three lines for 2 or 3 hundred yards and would have to fall back. Our barrage fell in behind us about 12 noon killing one and wounding 3 or 4. We put on a machine gun barrage for several hundred yds. Back late in the P.M.

Patrols observed that the enemy had withdraw. We advanced just before dark for some over a kilometer without any resistance, only a few shells. 2 or 3 killed and some wounded. The new line consolidated– slept a bit– Jerry put over a little Straff next A.M. We went ahead at 7 A.M. 19th without any artillerypreparation.Goingthroughitforaboutamile,finallythe machine guns began to barrage. We worked ahead until afternoonfinallygainingobjectivewithlightcasualtieslosing1 killed and 2 or 3 wounded. Having received rations about 9 P.M.–firstsincenightof17thalsofirstwater.Relievedabout10 P.M. by the Tommies– pulled out for the rear all tired and worn out. . . . . Got Division and hiked out again. Reached Busigny later in the P.M. of the 20th. Billeted for the night. Pulled out next A.M. early for the rear somewhere. Hiked to Loncourt American rest camp– spent night. On hike 22nd A.M. long hike with heavy equipment to Lincourt. First and only time ever fell out on hike. Had Tommie shoes on reached camp at dark. . . . A little snow. Jan. 29th orders that most of the Battalion Divisions will leave for the forwarding camp about Feb. 3rd.Jan. 25th Review & inspection of Battalion Divisions by General Pershing. Left Beaumont Jan. 10– hiked to Mainsie 14 Kilometers behind LeMans-forwarding camp 2/11 20 kilometers. Entrained 3/12 for St. Negoise, arrived camp eve of 13th. Boarded ship P.M. of 3/17 pulled out at 5: A.M. 3/18. In the night of the 20th Monday beautiful calm sea. In a rough stormy sea 27th A.M. for 24 hours. 28th beautiful sea. March 29th and 30th rough seas. Arrived Charleston April 2nd 08:00. Debarked 11 :00 left for Camp Jackson 3:00 P.M.

…

The North Carolina Men - Lost with the U.S.S. Cyclops© 2017, Marvin W. Barrash - Used with permission.

North Carolina lost six sons to the sea in March of 1918 when the U.S.S. Cyclops was lost. Those young men served with honor in the United States Navy before and during the Great War. Five of the sailors were members of the crew of the Cyclops. The sixth sailor was on board the ship for transportation back to the United States.

Placed in service in 1910, the U.S.S. Cyclops was a collier; a ship that carried thousands of tons of coal either to naval refueling stations to re-fuel other ships while at sea. She also carried what was then the new energy source for ships, fuel oil. Although the ship was involved in tow trans-Atlantic missions to Europe, she primarily operated along the east coast of the United States. The Cyclops also transported and supplies to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During the war with Mexico in 1914, the collier rescued American oil workers.

In late February 1918, the U.S.S. Cyclops, laden with war materiel, set out for Baltimore, Maryland. En route, the collier a brief layover over at Bahia, Brazil. Next, an overnight layover at Bridgetown, Barbados. After her departure from that island she was never seen again.

The Bureau of Navigation sent telegrams to the next of kin of enlisted men assigned to the U.S.S. Cyclops:

THE NAVY COLLIER CYCLOPS ON WHICH YOUR SON (name, rate) U S NAVY WAS A MEMBER OF THE CREW IS OVERDUE AT AN ATLANTIC PORT SINCE MARCH THIRTEENTH. SHE WAS LAST REPORTED AT ONE OF THE WEST INDIAN ISLANDS MARCH FOURTH AND NO INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM HER SINCE THAT DATE. HER DISAPPEARANCE CANNOT BE LOGICALLY ACCOUNTED FOR IN ANY WAY AS NO BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS OR ACTIVITIES OF ENEMY RAIDERS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE VICINITY OF HER ROUTE. SEARCH FOR HER IS BEING CONTINUED BY RADIO AND BY VESSELS. ANY DEFINITE INFORMATION RECEIVED YOU WILL BE AT ONCE ADVISED. ADDRESS ALL INQUIRIES TO THE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION.

L C PALMER (Rear Admiral Leigh Carlyle Palmer was the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.)

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that on April 17, 1918, Albert Dellinger received such a telegram from the Navy Department, Washington, D.C., which stated, “…that his son,

PAGE SIXTEEN RECALL

Junius L. Dellinger was a member of the crew of the of the Naval collier Cyclops and that nothing had been heard of the vessel since the fourth of March when it was at one of the West Indies islands.”

After 60 days of searches and investigation of many leads, all of the 309 souls on board the U.S.S. Cyclops were declared dead on June 14, 1918. To this day, no trace of the ship has been found.

The six men from North Carolina who were lost with the U.S.S. Cyclops:

ALLRED, GEORGE HENRY FIREMAN, 2C, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 115-01-20CREW, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

The son of a farmer and miller, George Henry Allred was born on May 22, 1892. His parents, Joseph C. and Salina Allred own their family farm in Randleman Township, Randolph County, North Carolina. He had 4 brothers, Dennis M., Hubert, Stanley, Elisha; 2 sisters, Maud and Clara.

On June 5, 1917 he registered for the draft in High Point, North Carolina. His address of record was 115 Pine [Street], High Point, N.C. A single man, George Allred was employed by the Southern Railroad as a fireman. George Allred was of medium height and stout; his eyes and hair were brown.

Sixteen days later, on June 21, 1917, George Henry Allred enlisted in the United States Navy at the recruiting station in Raleigh, N.C. After his training at the Receiving Ship in Norfolk, Virginia, he reported to the U.S.S. Cyclops as a Fireman, 2nd Class.

On October 7, 1917, the Cyclops docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for two months of overhaul work on the collier. The next day, a liberty party, including four men who overstayed their leave, returned to the ship. Among them was George Henry Allred, Fireman, 3rd Class, having returned 3 hours “over leave.” On the afternoon of October 10, 1917, mast was held by the Cyclops’ Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander George W. Worley, U.S.N.R.F (United States Naval Reserve Force). Among the orders the captain issued, G.H. Allred, Fireman, 3rd Class, was given 10 hours of extra duty for his first offense of overstaying leave.

In memory of George Henry Allred, a slender vertical granite monument was placed in the family plot in the Midway Wesleyan Church Cemetery, Randleman, North Carolina. Beneath, his name and date of birth, a fouled anchor was carved into the upper portion of the gray stone and the statement, “LOST ON U.S.S. CYCLOPS 1918.”

DANCY, ISAAC PLATOBOATSWAIN’S MATE, 2C, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 130-15-17CREW, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

Isaac Plato Dancy was born on June 18, 1893 to Norman Melton Dancy and Mary Ann [nee Whittington] Dancy of Union Township, Wilkes County, North Carolina. The Dancys lived on their farm on Whittington Road. Isaac Dancy had 5 brothers: Ira Gilbert, Estel Lewis., Dewey Lafayette, Otho Graham, Asa Clyde; and a sister, Annie. When Isaac was 17

years old he took odd jobs.At the age of 22, Isaac Dancy enlisted at the Navy

Recruiting Station in Richmond, Virginia. His service card shows a gap from his enlistment date of January 12, 1916 to April 6, 1917 when he was assigned as a Seaman to the Receiving Ship at Norfolk, Virginia. On August 3, 1917 Isaac Dancy, Coxswain, reported on board the U.S.S. Cyclops. He was promoted later to Boatswain’s Mate, 2nd Class.

A headstone was erected in memory of Isaac Plato Dancy in the family plot in the Reddies River Baptist Church Cemetery, Wilbar, Wilkes County, North Carolina. It appears to be a government-provided “General” type grave marker, upright, slightly rounded at the top. At the top is a Christian Cross in a recessed circle. The inscription: “ISAAC P.DANCY, NORTH CAROLINA, BOSN. MATE 2 CL., U.S. NAVY, JUNE 14, 1918”.

Isaac’s eldest brother, Ira Gilbert Dancy, born in 1891, also served his country. He left farming behind and enlisted in the Navy and served 4 years during peacetime (prior to World War One). Soon after he was honorably discharged and returned home, the United States entered the war in Europe. Ira Dancy enlisted in the Army on September 3, 1918 and was honorably discharged on June 11, 1919.

DAY, LEONARD CALVERTFIREMAN, 1C, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 130-56-13CREW, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

Leonard Calvert Day, the son of Alexander Day and Lydia [nee Harris] Day was born in April 1898. Alexander Day, a fisherman, owned the family home in Bath Township, Beaufort County, North Carolina. Leonard had a brother, Guy Vernon and a sister, Bonnie Estell. Alexander Day died in 1910 at the age of 39. Upon becoming a widow, Leonard’s mother took employment as a laundress for another family.

Mrs. Day married Bryant Wesley Wells on September 11, 1914. Wells was a carpenter in the ship industry. Mr. Wells was a widower with several children. His first wife died after they had been married for 16 years. His second wife passed away after 1 year of marriage. Bryant and Lydia Wells resided in Morehead Township, Carteret County, North Carolina. In the new marriage, a boy and two girls were born.

On April 9, 1917, three days after the United States entered World War I, Leonard Calvert Day enlisted, as a Fireman 3rd Class, in the U.S. Navy on board the U.S.S. Nevada, Battleship No. 36, at Norfolk, Virginia. On May 9, 1917, Leonard Day was transferred to the U.S.S. Missouri, Battleship No. 11. Fireman 2nd Class Day was transferred back to the Nevada for 4 days and then on to the Receiving Ship at New York to await the his next assignment.

On June 12, 1917 he reported on board the U.S.S. Cyclops which was anchored near Tompkinsville, Staten Island, N.Y. Two days after Leonard Day reported on board, the collier departed for Europe. The Cyclops was assigned to convoy escort duty as part of the first United States Expeditionary Force to Saint Nazaire, France.

On July 26, 1917, upon the Cyclops’ return to her home

port, Norfolk, Virginia, forty men of the crew signed and forwarded, to the Secretary of the Navy, a statement of specifications against their commanding officer. The charges against Lt. Commander George W. Worley, U.S.N.R.F. stated that their captain was “morally and proficiently unfit to command a fighting ship, or a crew of fighting men of the United States Navy.” They requested that a Board of Investigation be conducted, aboard the Cyclops, to review the specifications against their commanding officer.

From the transcript of the proceedings was the testimony of Leonard Calvert Day Fireman 2nd Class, U.S.N., on August 4, 1917:

Q. Why did you sign this paper?A. I don’t think that we were being treated right regarding

liberty. Some of the men were getting 72 hours in France and we only got 5 hours, in Engineer’s Department.

Q. Have you any other complaint?A. Captain Worley looked like he was intoxicated going

over to France. I was on the poop deck, and he was walking towards the bridge.

Leonard Day’s involvement with the case against his commanding officer apparently did not stand in the way of his promotion to Fireman 1st Class.

DELLINGER, JUNIUS LOGANSEAMAN, 2C, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 130-88-89CREW, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

Junius Logan Dellinger was born in June 1897. He was the second of six children born to Albert L. Dellinger and Martha C. Dellinger of Cherryville Township, Gaston County, North Carolina. The Dellingers lived on a farm that they rented. Junius was 12 years old when his family moved to a rented house in Lincolnton Township, Lincoln County, North Carolina.

Mr. Dellinger was employed at the nearby Rhodes Cotton Mill as a fireman. Junius had two brothers: Evan L., Dwight M. and three sisters: Irene, Nelli R., Lois P. By 1916, Albert Dellinger moved the family to the house he bought in Newton Township, Catawba County, North Carolina. Mr. Dellinger worked as a retail grocery merchant.

On December 27, 1916, 19 ½ year old Junius Dellinger enlisted, as an Apprentice Seaman in the U.S. Navy, at the recruiting station in Richmond, Virginia. His service card shows a gap from his enlistment date to May 6, 1917 when he was assigned to the Receiving Ship at Norfolk, Virginia. After completion of his training on October 11, 1917, he was assigned to the Naval Operating Base at Norfolk as a Seaman, 2nd Class.

On December 23, 1917, Junius Dellinger was assigned to the, recently-commissioned (December 18, 1917), U.S.S. Mississippi, Battleship No. 41. Twelve days later, on January 4, 1918, Junius Logan Dellinger reported for duty on board U.S.S. Cyclops, at Norfolk, Virginia. The collier departed four days later for what would be her final cruise.

POWERS, ROBERT HARDYPAINTER, 2C, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 153-74-62PASSENGER, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

Robert Hardy Powers was born in August 1894 to William Hardy Powers and Sallie [nee Moore] Powers, of Buncombe County, North Carolina. Their second son, Henry Powers, was born three years later. In 1910, the Powers family lived in a rented house on Haw Creek Road in Asheville’s Haw Creek Precinct. Mr. Powers was a laborer in a planing mill. At age 16, young Robert drove a grocery wagon in support of his family.

On June 4, 1917, Robert Hardy Powers enlisted in the United States Navy at the recruiting station in Raleigh, North Carolina. His age at enlistment was 22 years, 10 months. (His brother Henry enlisted the North Carolina National Guard on the same day.) Painter 3rd Class Robert Powers was sent to the receiving ship at Norfolk, Virginia for training. By July 24, 1917 he rated Painter 2rd Class. His records show that he served for the next two weeks at the Naval Hospital at Norfolk. It’s not apparent as to whether he was a patient in the hospital or whether he was assigned to that facility in another capacity. He returned to the Receiving Ship at Norfolk for ten days. On August 17, 1917 Robert Powers was assigned to the U.S.S. Pittsburgh, Armored Cruiser No. 4; the Flagship of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. He served on that vessel until February 3, 1918. He was transferred, as a petty officer in excess, to the U.S.S. Cyclops off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was one of the more than 40 sailors and 5 prisoners (three naval personnel; and 2 marines) who were transferred to the collier Cyclops for transportation back to the United States. The U.S. Consul-General to Brazil, Alfred Louis Moreau Gottschalk also took passage on the collier.

RIDDLE, ROBERT EARLSEAMAN, U.S.N.

SERVICE NUMBER: 183-45-36CREW, U.S.S. CYCLOPS

Robert Earl Riddle was born in September 1892 to Wiley Riddle and Bradly Riddle of Ritter Township, Moore County, North Carolina. His sister, Ada M. Riddle born in 1890, was the eldest of his siblings. Julian E. Riddle was born in 1889; Hattie E. Riddle was born in 1898. Mr. Riddle was a farm laborer.

Robert Riddle enlisted as an Apprentice Seaman in the United States Navy at the recruiting station in Richmond, Virginia on December 11, 1916. He was 22 years old. His home of record was Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina. He went through training at the Receiving Ship at Norfolk Virginia from April 6 – May 15, 1917. He reported on board the U.S.S. Cyclops on May 15, 1917 and was assigned to the gun crew. The collier Cyclops had a battery of four 4-inch 50-caliber guns, Mark IX.

SPRING 2017 PAGE SEVENTEEN

PAGE EIGHTEEN RECALL

A PILGRIMAGE TO FRANCEEleven years after the Armistice, Congress enacted

legislation, which President Calvin Coolidge signed into law on March 2, 1929, “To enable the mothers and widows of the deceased soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forces now interred in the cemeteries of Europe to make a pilgrimage to these cemeteries.” Public funds would cover the cost of transportation to and from the seaport from their home, cabin-class accommodations aboard the ship, ground transportation, meals, accommodations, and other necessities. A two week stay in Europe would be permitted. Prior the addition of a key provision to the law in 1930, mothers and widows of the Cyclops men could not participate in those pilgrimages.

In 1933, fifteen years after the loss of their sons, Mrs. Mary Lou Riddle, of Burlington, step-mother of Robert Earl Riddle (his birth mother, Bradley O. Riddle, died in 1902); and Mrs. Martha C. Dellinger, of Newton, mother of Junius Logan Dellinger, took part in one of the pilgrimages. They were with

a group of North Carolina Gold Star Mothers who were afforded the opportunity to travel to France to tour battlefields and American Cemeteries following the Great War. Unlike most of the other ladies they traveled with, they did not see white crosses marking their sons’ graves on the French battlefields. Mrs. Riddle’s and Mrs. Dellinger’s sons were lost at sea. On some of the cruises to France, mothers and widows of the Cyclops men lost at sea, had tossed flowers into the waters of the Atlantic in remembrance of their loved ones. Following their pilgrimage to France, Mrs. Dellinger and Mrs. Riddle arrived at the port of New York on the S.S. Manhattan on August 10, 1933 before heading home to North Carolina.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Marvin W. Barrash is the author of:U.S.S. CYCLOPS and MURDER on the ABARENDA (Heritage Books, Inc.) Email: cyclops.book@gmail.com, https://sites.google.com/site/usscyclopsbook/ …

Private Marches Through the South with Sherman By SaRah StUBBS, toUR gUide, MUSeUM of the Cape feaR

William Sharpe, orphaned at age 2, worked his way through early life as an indentured servant. He enlisted in the Union Army on July 22, 1862 with C Co., 70th Indiana, and spent a large portion of his service, nearly three years, marching with General Sherman through the south. In his reminiscence of the war, he explains the havoc wreaked on Georgia and South Carolina, and the destitution that he and the soldiers around him faced on their eight-week march. The men were starving and exhausted, but found hope as they neared Fayetteville. Compared to other campsites, foraging was wildly successful (and also more dangerous thanks to gathering Confederate forces), and by the time they were camping on the outskirts of Fayetteville, on March 10, 1865, foragers were returning with cart loads of unspoiled food. A further boost in morale came by way of the Cape Fear River, as a steamboat was able to deliver mail from home for the first time in quite a while. According to Sharpe, no man was without a letter, and some received as many as a half dozen.

As Sharpe’s company continued to recuperate from the long two months on the march, life in Fayetteville, to his eyes, seemed to continue in a normal fashion. He deemed the citizens of Fayetteville, “…pious, Sunday go-to-meeting folks,” and held the North Carolinians in much higher esteem than he held South Carolinians or Georgians, who seemed to earn the ire of Sherman’s entire force. They were rebellious and traitorous, and had too little to forage for an army of over 60,000 ravenous men. Sharpe notes, however, that, “…the destruction of property after passing into North Carolina had diminished greatly.”

On March 15, 1865, Sharpe continued with Sherman across the Cape Fear River, which they forded in pontoons, since the Confederates had burned bridges to prevent easy crossing. A brigade on the far left wing made the first contact with enemy troops right outside of Averasboro, and it was discovered that General Johnston, noted by Sharpe as “Sherman’s old antagonist,” and later as being, “superior to all of the other Southern generals,” was commanding the forward-most rebel troops. Until this point, Sharpe had seen little resistance on his journey through the

Carolina’s, and noted that many of the people who had been mustered to fight for the opposing side were either extremely young or extremely old. Averasboro and Bentonville, Sharpe figures, were a final superhuman push to derail Sherman and show the Union that they were tired of being pushed around their own state.

The land around Averasboro was swampy to begin with, and the persistent rain during the battle only added to the muck. Sharpe was put on the skirmish line, and quickly realized that he was in a precarious position. Heavy artillery, or a battery, was close by, guarded by infantry and earthworks. To preserve his life, Sharpe flattened himself to the ground as men around him were cut down by the rebels nearby. Unable to move for fear of being shot by the enemy or by his own side, who had begun a fierce retaliation, Sharpe stayed on the ground. He soon heard heavy firing to his right, which he later learned was a flanking movement enacted by Union officers Colonel Coburn and Captain Winnegar.

Sharpe describes the Battle of Averasboro as the worst fight he had been in thus far. He says, “I had been in some hot places before, but I firmly believe that show, shell and musketry never fell faster than it did on that that occasion. On that field I saw men’s heads shot off, and cannon shots that had plowed right through men’s bodies, and others with legs and arms shot off. O, what a desperate effusion of human blood flowed on that field that day.”

The Confederate forces who fought at Averasboro fell back to Bentonville once they had been outflanked, and Sharpe met them there on March 19. Grape shot flew through the air, and then suddenly the infamous rebel yell reverberated around Sharpe and his fellow Union soldiers. The rebel soldiers came, “…on the double-quick, apparently several columns deep…,” and were met by fire from Sharpe’s front column. After several failed attempts at a charge the Confederates were few in number, and Sharpe watched the remaining few fall back in a chaotic nature. William Sharpe continued to serve in the Union Army until June 8, 1865, when he was mustered out after nearly three years of dedicated service.

…

February 8 found members of the Wilmington Chapter in Kure Beach, NC for their regularly scheduled bi-monthly meeting. The guest speaker was board member Will Murray from Duplin County, a member of the living history group, Great War Tarheels. Will came wearing his full WW1 replica uniform with weapon, describing each piece and demonstrating how to dress a WW1 soldier for war.

Of particular interest was his presentation on the NC 30th Infantry. The Old Hickory Division initially consisted of National Guard units from North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It was nicknamed the Old Hickory Division after general and seventh U.S. president Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson. “Roosevelt’s SS” was a nickname given them by the Germans. The division trained at Camp Seneca where British and French NCO’s were brought in to instruct them. Our last war had been the Spanish-American War. In May of 1918 they traveled to New York and began shipping out, arriving in Calais, France on June 5. The 27th and 30th Divisions were loaned to the British Army under much dissention. After turning in their equipment, the men were reissued British rifles (Lee Enfield short action bolt), helmets and gas masks. Leather helmet straps were worn on the back of the head instead of under the chin for speedy removal and replacement by the gas mask if necessary. The masks were worn by everyone within 5miles of the front and had to be worn on the outside of the clothing for quick access. They were issued American uniforms and individual equipment. The 30th was not issued American wool undershirts, but the British wool and cotton

SPRING 2017 PAGE NINETEEN

combo instead, known as “gray-backs.” The Brody design helmet was British. Not until late in the war did we

manufacture our own, but they never made it overseas except for a few test pieces. Our soldiers went to war with these in early WW2. The M1 steel pot was not issued until June of 1942. It was found that the Brody design would protect from shrapnel, but was ineffective in stopping a bullet. On September 29, the 30th helped to break the Hindenburg Line, with over 1,200 KIA and more than 7,100 MIA and wounded. By October, they were pulled back from the front lines.

The annual field trip was in order on March 22 when 15 chapter members traveled by van to Dunn, NC to the “General William C. Lee Airborne Museum.” Housed in an impressive 1903 three - story brick home he purchased in 1935, the museum is a testament to the pride felt by his hometown. Gen. “Bill” Lee conceived the idea of parachuting soldiers into WW2 Europe for an invasion. Out of this ultimately came the 82nd

and 101st Airborne Divisions. A multitude of WW1 and WW2 artifacts and displays helped the

affable tour guide to tell his story. He was unfortunately severely injured in a jump and after

two heart attacks, was sent back to the United States. The “Father of the Airborne” was unable to participate

in the Normandy landing, which he had been instrumental in planning.

Soon enough, the group was off to tour the “Averasboro Museum and Battlefield,” just down the road. The battle was March 15-16, 1865 and although heavily outnumbered and outgunned, the Confederates were able to delay Gen. William

T. Sherman’s left wing advance for those two days. Over 1,200 were wounded and approximately 350 were killed. Houses used as hospitals are privately owned, but still can be seen from the road. Nearby Chicora Cemetery contains 56 mostly unknown Confederate soldiers. The museum itself has a surprisingly large collection of quality military artifacts from the Civil War down thru to modern times. A Civil War era cabin is on the property. The group had as its field guide, Society President Si Harrington as escort to the various monuments and points of interest.

These trips enrich us in spirit as well as offering a good educational experience. We highly recommend these museums to everyone. They are an easy day trip for most.

…

Wilmington Chapter: WW1 Program and Museums By l.k. laShley, nCMhS WilMington ChapteR

PAGE TWENTY RECALL

The annual symposium and general membership meeting of the North Carolina Military Historical Society is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 2017, in the auditorium of the Archives and State Library Building at 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. The symposium is free of charge to any who wish to attend, and no prior registration is required unless you wish to reserve a $7.00 sub-sandwich lunch. Meals will only be available for those who reserve one no later than Wednesday, May 10th by emailing the Society at ncmilhistsoc@yahoo.com, or calling the Society President at (910) 897-7968. Meals will be payable at registration.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “North Carolina and the Great War, 1917 – 1918, Part I.” Registration for the symposium begins at 9:00 a.m., with presentations featuring five outstanding speakers and topics beginning at 10:00 a.m. Though overshadowed by World War II, the long-term ramifications of “The Great War” and its socio-political aftermath continue to affect our world today.

Leading off the symposium will be LTC (Ret.) Sion H. Harrington III of Erwin, NC, who will provide a presentation on North Carolinians who joined the war effort before the United States declared war by enlisting in organizations like the American Field Service, or in the military service of Canada, Great Britain, or France. Covering the story of the North Carolina National Guard’s mobilization, training, and deployment, as well as recruiting efforts and the draft will be Captain (Ret.) Dan Jutson of Fayetteville, NC. Dr. Mitchell Yockelson of the National Archives in Washington, DC, will speak on the combat role of the United States Army’s 30th “Old Hickory” Division while serving overseas, in particular the role played by the 30th in breaking the vaunted Hindenburg Line. The 30th Division contained the largest concentration of Tar Heels of any division. Speaking on North Carolina’s “other” division, the 81st “Wildcat” Division, will be Mr. R. Jackson Marshall III, Deputy Director of the Division of State History Museums. Closing out the symposium will be Mr. Marvin Barrash, of Maryland, the nation’s foremost authority on the disappearance of the United States Navy collier USS Cyclops, thought to have vanished with all hands, including six North Carolinians, in the mysterious Bermuda Triangle.

Living historians of the 1917 -1918 period will be on hand

displaying uniforms, weapons, and accoutrements. They are an invaluable historical resource and will be able to discuss not only the recruitment, training, and fighting tactics of the day, but the life of the common soldier and sailor.

Several potential free lunch-time or post-symposium activities are available within a block of the Archives and State Library Building. Attendees may visit the 1840 Capitol Building across the street from the Museum of History; the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, adjacent to the Museum of History; the Search Room of the State Archives; or, the Museum of History for a self-guided tour of the North Carolina Museum of History’s first floor “Chronology” exhibit containing various military and civilian items; its permanent North Carolina military history gallery, “A Call to Arms,” located on the 3rd floor; and, the new special exhibit on World War I.

The Society will sponsor raffles throughout the day for donated items. Funds generated from the sale of raffle tickets help defray the cost of the symposium, publication of the Society’s semi-annual magazine “Recall,” and support the Society’s own “North Carolina Military History Museum” at Kure Beach, North Carolina. Donations for the raffle are greatly appreciated and may include books, magazines, prints, figures, uniforms, artifacts, and like items. If you have items you wish to donate they may be hand-carried to the meeting, or mailed to/dropped off with the North Carolina Military Historical Society, c/o Sion H. Harrington III, 503 South 11th Street, Erwin, North Carolina 28339-2715. Questions regarding potential donation items may be directed to the Society via email at ncmilhistsoc@yahoo.com, or by calling (910) 897-7968. Be sure to check the Society’s webpage at http://www.ncmhs.net/.

Free parking is plentiful and adjacent to the museum.A meeting of the Society’s Board of Directors follows the

close of the symposium.The North Carolina Military Historical Society cordially

invites you to attend our free symposium and learn about the role of North Carolina in World War I. Mark your calendar and join us for a day of interesting speakers, fascinating information, and good fellowship!

…

North Carolina and the Great War, 1917–1918, Part I

By the noRth CaRolina MilitaRy hiStoRiCal SoCiety

SPRING 2017 PAGE TWENTY-ONE

ANNUAL MEETING AND SYMPOSIUMThe North Carolina Military Historical Society

May 20, 2017

Theme: “North Carolina and the Great War, Part I”Location: Auditorium, Archives and History Building

109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC

SChedUle of eventS

9:00 a.M.-9:30 a.M. RegiStRation*

*RegiStRation and SyMpoSiUM Will Be in the aRChiveS and State liBRaRy BUilding at 109 e. JoneS StReet in Raleigh. fRee paRking iS availaBle in the paRking lot diReCtly aCRoSS the StReet.

9:30 a.M.-9:35 a.M. WelCoMe and adMiniStRative annoUnCeMentS

9:35 a.M.-10:00 a.M. BUSineSS Meeting: pReSident’S, tReaSUReR’S, & MeMBeRShip RepoRtS, old & neW BUSineSS, eleCtion of diReCtoRS, adJoURn; 1St Raffle

10:00 a.M. - 10:45 a.M. ltC (Ret.) Sion h. haRRington iii [foRMeR State aRChiveS MilitaRy ColleCtion aRChiviSt]: “taR heelS eaRly to WaR”

10:45 a.M. -11:00 a.M. 2nd Raffle/BReak

11:00 a.M. – 11:45 a.M. Cpt (Ret.) daniel JUtSon [offiCe of the depUty Chief of Staff, g-2, U.S. aRMy foRCeS CoMMand (foRSCoM)]: “taR heelS go to WaR”

11:45 p.M.-12:00 p.M. 3Rd Raffle 12:00 p.M. – 1:00 p.M. lUnCh 1:00 p.M. – 1:45 p.M. dR. MitChell a. yoCkelSon [U.S. WoRld WaR one Centennial

CoMMiSSion]: “BoRRoWed SoldieRS: the 30th diviSion”1:45 p.M. – 2:00 p.M. 4th Raffle dRaWing/BReak

2:00 p.M. – 2:45 p.M. MR. R. JaCkSon MaRShall [depUty diReCtoR of the diviSion of State hiStoRy MUSeUMS]: “noRth CaRolina’S ‘otheR” diviSion, the 81St ‘WildCatS’”

2:45 p.M. - 3:30 p.M. MR. MaRvin BaRRaSh [aUthoR and hiStoRian]: “the noRth CaRolina Men loSt With the U.S.S. CyClopS”

3:30 p.M. - 3:45 p.M. final Raffle / CloSing ReMaRkS

4:00 p.M. - 4:30 p.M. BoaRd of diReCtoR’S Meeting (BoaRd MeMBeRS)adMiniStRative noteS:• SpeCial thankS to the gReat WaR taR heelS and otheR WWi living hiStoRianS.• feel fRee to take BReakS aS needed. pleaSe enJoy the RefReShMentS pRovided in the RefReShMent aRea. • the nC MUSeUM of hiStoRy’S peRManent MilitaRy exhiBit “a Call to aRMS” iS loCated on the thiRd flooR,

along With the neWly opened WoRld WaR i exhiBit. on the fiRSt flooR iS the ChRonology exhiBit WhiCh alSo ContainS MilitaRy iteMS. the SeaRCh RooM of the State aRChiveS iS loCated on the SeCond flooR of the aRChiveS BUilding.

• RegiStRation taBle Manned By Mg ChaRleS SCott and John WineCoff.• Raffle donationS ReCeived and tiCketS Sold By John WineCoff [dRaWingS thRoUghoUt the day]• nCMhS BoaRd of diReCtoR’S Meeting iMMediately folloWing adJoURnMent of the SyMpoSiUM (loCation: tBa)

…

PAGE TWENTY-TWO RECALL

SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS AND BIOGRAPHICAL

SKETCHES

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Sion H. Harrington III, of

Erwin, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, holds Master’s degrees from Webster University and North Carolina State University, and has taught on the junior high through university levels.

Harrington retired in 2011 as the Military Collection Archivist, State Archives of North Carolina. He assisted in efforts to create a North Carolina World War I roster, served on the Department of Cultural Resources’ (DCR) War of 1812 Bi-Centennial Committee, and currently serves on its World War I Centennial Committee.

His research interests include compiling a roster of “North Carolinians in Confederate Naval Service” and writing a history of the “North Carolina Naval Militia.” A five-decade veteran of the military living history hobby, Harrington serves as president of two historical societies and is active with several other history organizations.

He has contributed to several publications, including “Recall” (the magazine of the North Carolina Military Historical Society), “Military Images,” the “Tar Heel Junior Historian,” and co-authored a book titled “Eyewitnesses to Averasborough, Volume I, The Confederates,” based on first-person accounts of the 1865 North Carolina Civil War battle.

Daniel J. Jutson, Certified Information Systems Security Professional®, serves as the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS) Deputy Information Systems Security Manager-Program, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). He synchronizes the certification and accreditation of FORSCOM Intelligence Warfighter tactical systems on the JWICS and manages Cybersecurity activities for the Headquarters, FORSCOM, JWICS network.

Mr. Jutson retired from the North Carolina Army National Guard after 28 years of combined active and reserve service in 2007 having been awarded two officer and five enlisted military occupational specialties. His final assignment was Commander of Headquarters Company, 230th Forward Support Battalion, 30th Armored Brigade, North Carolina Army National Guard. While serving as Executive Officer and Ground Support Platoon Leader for B Company (Maintenance), 230th Brigade Support Battalion, he deployed to Diyala Province, Iraq supporting full-spectrum warfare operations in 2004. He also served as the Battalion Signal Officer (S6) from 2005-2006.

Mr. Jutson was born into a military family at Phoenix, Arizona. He began his military career by enlisting in the Arizona Army National Guard’s 153rd Artillery Brigade and later served in the 82nd Airborne, 1st Infantry Divisions, and the 18th Fires Brigade. He received a direct commission into Ordnance through the North Carolina Army National Guard in 2001. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (History) from Fayetteville State University in 1994 and an Associate of Arts degree from Central Texas College in 1988. His military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic and the Signal Officer Advanced Courses.

Mr. Jutson is a member of several genealogical and military associations to include the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Sons of the Republic of Texas, Society of the First Infantry Division, 30th Infantry Division Association, 82nd Airborne Division Association, Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, NC National Guard Association, and the NC Military Historical Society.

Mr. Jutson is also an active living historian with membership in the Old Hickory Association (Co. K/120th Infantry-both World Wars), Great War Tar Heels, and the USS North Carolina (BB-55) Living History Crew. He is an active militaria collector of U.S. Army insignia and equipment (1902-1945), concentrating on enlisted chevrons and Signal Corps equipment.

North Carolina Military Historical SocietyClass of Membership: ¨ ANNUAL ($20.00 a year) ¨ LIFE ($200 one time)

Amount enclosed: $_____________ for calendar year (Jan.-Dec. 2014)

¨ NEW MEMBER ¨ RENEWAL

NAME _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY ______________________________________________________________________________ STATE ___________________________________ ZIP _________

TELEPHONES: (Office)__________________ (Home) ______________________

Please make check payable to NCMHS and mail to: NCHMS, 7410 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607-5096

SPRING 2017 PAGE TWENTY-THREE

R. Jackson Marshall III, Deputy Director of the Division of State History Museums, received his BA and MA (History) from Wake Forest University. His thesis focusing on the personal experiences of North Carolina Doughboys in World War I, was expanded and published in 1998 as Memories of World War I, North Carolina Doughboys on the Western Front. Mr. Marshall is an authority on World War I and teaches courses on the subject. He was instrumental in the development of the new museum exhibit on North Carolina’s role in World War I now open in the North Carolina Museum of History.”

Mitchell Yockelson, the recipient of the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Writing Award, is an archivist with the National Archives and ex-officio historian with the United States World War I Centennial Commission. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and he has appeared on 60 Minutes, Fox News, PBS, and the History Channel. He is the author of three earlier books: Borrowed Soldiers: Americans under British Command, 1918, named one of the best military history books by The Independent (UK) in 2008; MacArthur: America’s General, and Grant: Savior of the Union. An

historical adviser to the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission, Yockelson regularly leads tours of World War I battlefields for the Smithsonian Journeys and New York Times Journeys series, and frequently lectures on military history. He lives in Annapolis.

Marvin W. Barrash is the author of two naval history books. His first volume, U.S.S. CYCLOPS, published in 2010, is the only comprehensive history of the collier that disappeared without a trace in 1918. His great uncle was a member of the crew and one of the 309 souls who perished. His tenacious research of all existing Cyclops’ logs and documentation, over a thirteen year period, resulted in substantial narrative in lay terms, and a detailed finding aid for all source documentation.

Although U.S.S. CYCLOPS contained nearly 800 pages, there was so much more history to convey.

Marvin Barrash’s prequel volume, MURDER on the ABARENDA, published in 2016, provided the vehicle by which he could expand on some of the events surrounding the naval officer who commanded the collier Abarenda and later, the collier Cyclops.

Marvin Barrash has appeared on-camera as the subject matter expert concerning the U.S.S. Cyclops in two television documentaries produced for the National Geographic Channel. He continues his research of the collier Cyclops with the hope that the ship’s remains will be located and studied; not salvaged.

A life member of both, the U.S. Naval Institute and the Naval Historical Foundation, Marvin Barrash provided many years of volunteer service with the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard. He produced finding aids for many artifacts and documents, aided in preservation of historical materials and researched responses to historical inquiries.

Marvin Barrash has been in the employ of the U.S. Department of Defense, in various capacities, since the 1970s. He currently resides, with his wife and son, in Maryland.

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The North Carolina Military Historical Society7410 Chapel Hill Road

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607-5096or current resident

I owe my Assistant Editor, Rita Abbott Billings, a special thanks for completing a difficult project which required her to work many hours for months to complete. Rita took the Editors Recall file and scanned Recall publications dating from 1992 to 2007. She then put the data on a zip drive. She stopped at 2007 as Recall issues since 2007 to the present date are already preserved on the Society web page, www.ncmhs.net. We can thank Rita for saving a major part of our Society history. She is also responsible for finalizing for printing this Spring-Summer 2017 Recall. In the files you can see my first publication, as editor of Recall, July 1995. At the time I was told the job was temporary. Yes it is. You will note that most of the articles in the Spring-Summer 2017 publication are written by your editor. The reason is a lack of articles written by you. While I love to research, study and write about military history, surely you must agree Recall is more than just the editor Your support is appreciated. Please send me an article-short or long. All will be appreciated. The May 20th NCMHS Symposium is approaching. It is going to be a good one Please take time to attend!

EDITOR’S TACK ROOMBy Richard M. Ripley

In this issue …The First World War ...................................................................1Gabriel Rains & The Confederate Torpedo Bureau ..................7The 30th Infantry Division in the Great War ..............................8PFC Felix E. Brockmann, a World War I Soldier ....................13Diary of a Combat Infantryman ...............................................14The North Carolina Men - Lost with the U.S.S. Cyclops .........15Private Marches thru the South with Sherman.........................18Wilmington Chapter: WW1 Program and Museums ...............19North Carolina and the Great War, 1917–1918, Part I ............20Annual Meeting & Symposium ................................................21Symposium Speakers & Biographical Sketches .....................22Editor’s Tack Room ..................................................................24Contribute Articles to Recall .................................................... 24Request to Document Tarheel Military Experience ................ 24

Readers are invited to submit material to Recall. In choosing material for publication, the editor of Recall will give preference to articles of unusual significance and transcripts or abstracts of difficult-to-locate records.

Material submitted for publication will be reviewed by persons knowledgeable in the areas covered for validity, significance, and appropriateness. All material will be edited for clarity and conciseness. Manuscripts should be sent to the Editor, 4404 Leota Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27603. Tel. 919-772-7688. E-mail: rripley@nc.rr.com.

Photos, Interviews Sought To Document Tarheel Military Experience

The Military Collection at the State Archives of North Carolina works to collect, document, and preserve records documenting North Carolina military veterans, North Carolina military installations, or military activities during wartime and peacetime occurring within the state. The Military Collection collect for all wars, military engagement, or peace-time service from North Carolinians, including such materials as veteran’s letters, service records, military paperwork, period reminiscences of service or diaries, flight log books, photographs, posters, maps, training manuals, and other archival materials.

The Military Collection also conducts interviews with veterans from World War II to present military engagements and service through the North Carolina Military Veterans Oral History Program. If you have materials you would like to donate to the Military Collection, or if you are a veteran willing to be interviewed, please contact the Military Collection at (919) 807-7314, or email Archivist, Matthew Peek at matthew.peek@ncdcr.gov. Check out the Military Collection’s webpage: http://archives.ncdcr.gov/Public/Collections/Non-Government/Military-Collections

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