During the time of its deployment overseas from October, 1917 until the Armistice in November, 1918 the 26th Infantry Division suffered a total of 13,664 casualties including 1,587 KIA (killed in action) and 12,077 WIA (wounded in action). Counted separately were 2,113 men hospitalized for being gassed (burned and/or poisoned) by chemical munitions.
The following are notes made in Sam’s pocket diary regarding some of the casualties suffered by the Headquarters Company, 103rd Infantry Regiment during its time in the lines as part of the 52nd Infantry Brigade. The casualties noted here were likely directly due to enemy fire and not the effects of gas which was an environmental condition faced by all.
With one exception no dates of occurrence are noted, but this is a poignant reminder of war’s random cost (as Sam would say, “part of the Game”) and the price paid by some of those who directly served in Hdq. Co. along with Sam.
Sniper's Target by Joseph Chase
BAND SECTION (strength 26 men)
-
Band Leader H.G. Cobb -killed
-
Musician 3rd Class J.A. Sowell -killed
-
Musician 3rd Class A.B. Trundy -killed
MOUNTED ORDERLIES (strength 14 men)
-
Privt. 1st Class E.A. Boynton -killed
SIGNAL PLATOON 1st Section (strength 51 men)
-
Sgt. L.J. Day -wounded
-
Corp. A. Augere -wounded
-
Privt. 1st Class L.H. Gilpatrick -wounded
-
Privt. 1st Class L.F. Forrestall -wounded
-
Privt. N.E. Clark -killed
SIGNAL PLATOON 2nd Section (strength 10 men)
-
Privt. E. Hartford -killed
SIGNAL PLATOON 3rd Section (strength 15 men)
-
Corp. S.B. Young -wounded
-
Privt. 1st Class J.A. Wood -wounded
-
Privt. E.W. Nickerson -wounded
-
Privt. F. Van Greenhowven -wounded
-
Privt. R.P. Durkee -wounded
GUN PLATOON (strength 32 men)
-
Privt. 1st Class D.V. Henry -killed
-
Privt. 1st Class W. Mills -killed
-
Privt. C. Ayotte -wounded
-
Privt. L.L. Pray -wounded
BOMBERS (strength 32 men)
-
Sgt. F.S. Hyde -wounded
-
Privt. J.N. Hislop -wounded
PIONEERS (strength 54 men)
-
Sgt. B.S. Lipsett -wounded
-
Sgt. W.W. Bean -wounded
-
Corp. J.L. Quirk -wounded
-
Privt. 1st Class R. Edwards -wounded
-
Privt. H.E. Lufkin -wounded
-
Privt. J.A. Hutchinson -wounded
-
Hugh I Hunt wounded by shrapnel 2/28/18, died from result 3/1/18
FIELD HOSPITAL LISTS
Hospital #36
-
Ayotte
-
McLaughlin
Hospital #18
-
McLaughlin
-
Durkee
Hospital #66
-
C. Campbell
-
Rice
-
Coone
-
Hubbard
-
Lufkin
-
Smiley
-
Davison
-
Durkee
-
Bryant
-
Gaudette
Hospital #15
-
Scott
Hospital #2
-
Mellen
-
Cushing
-
Whitefield
Hospital #U.S.
-
Parker
Hospital #102
-
Lipsett (Sgt. B.S. Lipsett wounded by high explosives shell)
Hospital #R.I.
-
Edwards
-
Gorey
-
Sheaff
Hospital #5
-
Carlson
SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES IN 103RD INF. 1917-1919
Total number of deaths from all causes: 392
-
Enlisted men (379)
-
Officers (13)
-
Died from disease (18)
-
Died from accident (3)
-
Killed in Action or died from wounds (371)
Total wounded or gassed in Regiment: 1989
-
Enlisted men (1960)
-
Officers (29)
No Man's Land, Allen & Unwin 1930
26th Division Memorial Chapel at Belleau, France
Mass. Infantry Memorial, Apremont France
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery
St. Mihiel Chapel
”AMERICA’S PART”
America asked for nothing material when she entered the war. She took nothing material at the peace table.
She fought for a principle: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
By this attitude her dead in Arlington and those in far-off France, who still rest on the battle-field, earned as their epitaph Christ’s saying:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
- Brig. Gen. Henry J. Reilly, O.R.C.
From "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon, 1914
worldwar1letters
Dear Readers:
On this 90th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Great War, let us remember the supreme sacrifice made by so many members of the Allied armed forces for the sake of freedom. May their memory never perish.
REL, Editor
Armistice Day, 2008
Dennis F. Millett, Co K 2nd Inf. Maine NG, wounded July 16, 1918. Looking for any info on his service with the 103rd Infantry, 26th Division. I have his WW1 Victory Medal with 5 bars. Born 11/1/1892 at New Vinyard, ME. Enlisted in Farmington. Son of George W. Millett. Looks like he was due a Purple Heart too. Thanks for any info or help in researching him further. Regards, Mark Stefan
mrstefan@fuse.net
Hi Mark:
Thanks so much for visiting Soldier’s Mail and for your recent question!
I hope you find the site fascinating as it is probably the only repository of information on the web regarding the 26th “Yankee” Division in general and the 103rd Infantry in particular during the Great War.
Please keep reading as you will see that there is much to learn about Dennis Millett in terms of what he no doubt experienced as he served along with Sam Avery in the 103rd.
From what you tell me, Dennis would have been one of the “originals” along with Sam. If your Victory Medal has 5 clasps, they should match what is pictured on Soldier’s Mail (see the Page “Citations and Honors”) which would credit Dennis with all the major campaigns and sectors the 26th saw combat in.
If Dennis was wounded on July 16, 1918 it would have been during the Champagne-Marne Defensive when the 103rd was being shelled mercilessly. Dennis would have been evacuated from the area for triage and treatment, and depending on the severity of his wounds probably did not participate in the Aisne-Marne Offensive (2nd Battle of the Marne).
I have a loaned copy of the official 103rd Regimental History (see the title by Col. Frank Hume on the “Bibliography” Page) which lists rosters of all 103rd Regiment personnel by Company while awaiting discharge at Camp Devens in April, 1919. I cannot find a Dennis F. Millett listed anywhere.
My guess is that he may have been seriously wounded enough to be detached from the Division and then reassigned elsewhere out of a replacement depot once he had recovered. This is a likely possibility as it was a common practice which negatively affected the morale of the men because often they were denied the chance to return to action with their comrades. Sam Avery was lucky in this respect, but many others were not.
I hope this information helps you in some measure. Keep on reading and keep us posted!
Best Regards,
Rich
This is the 90th Anniversary of the first Armistice Day commemorated in America when on November 11, 1919 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the following words:
“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”
Remember the Fallen and the Most Gallant Generation…
Regards,
REL