A little family history -- grandfather Harold and great-uncle Ralph Henry enlisted in the Vermont National Guard.
Ralph was given the rank of Wagoner, qualifying by his experience as an attendant working teams of horses at Waterbury State Hospital Farm in Duxbury. They were among the 196 Vermont NG infantry soldiers that were transferred into the new 101 Machine Gun Battalion, formed around what had been a Connecticut NG cavalry troop. When they arrived in France, they were issued motor vehicles instead of horses, so Ralph became a truck driver. He was killed by German artillery fire while engaged in moving the machine guns and gunners from one location to another.
From the Battalion history book, page 111
Dr. Hesselgrave appeared with cigarettes and chocolate which was indeed welcome, as we had nothing to eat. This was not a healthy place for the Doctor to be in, but we knew he would come to us when we needed him most. There was a dressing-station near us, and it was awful to see the wounded and shell-shocked fellows brought in. About 6 p. m. the
Boche put down a fearful artillery barrage close in front of us, and we were pulled back a hundred yards to escape the effects of this fire. A detail had been digging a grave for Porter, but were unable to finish. A bit later,orders came from Division that we would go back into reserve for a time. We thought our troubles were about over for that day, but were mistaken.
Down on the road near Champluisant Farm, just east of Sacerie, our machines were lined up, waiting to take us out, and as we were loading up
there came the familiar shriek and two shell burst in the field close by.
A moment later there came a deafening blast—all was confusion. Two
more shell had exploded together right among our cars. Two of them were
overturned. We got the wounded into cars as quickly as possible but, to
make matters worse, a mule-cart had become wedged in the road ahead
and blocked all traffic, so we could not move out. Finally the way was
cleared and the cars with the wounded made for the first-aid station at
Sacerie Farm. Harold Smith and Ralph Henry of B Co. died. Brackett,
Weld, Olschefskie, Hampson, Haskins, Barber, Maun, Rogers, Burden,
Fothergill, Mercer, Burnham, Sancyzk of B Co. and Fabryk of C Co.
wounded. Robinson and Gunning of B Co. shell-shocked. Our cars had
been doing fine service most all day in taking out wounded. Two of C
Co's cars were hit and one wrecked. At last we found ourselves in bivoviac
in the woods.
Ralph was given the rank of Wagoner, qualifying by his experience as an attendant working teams of horses at Waterbury State Hospital Farm in Duxbury. They were among the 196 Vermont NG infantry soldiers that were transferred into the new 101 Machine Gun Battalion, formed around what had been a Connecticut NG cavalry troop. When they arrived in France, they were issued motor vehicles instead of horses, so Ralph became a truck driver. He was killed by German artillery fire while engaged in moving the machine guns and gunners from one location to another.
From the Battalion history book, page 111
Dr. Hesselgrave appeared with cigarettes and chocolate which was indeed welcome, as we had nothing to eat. This was not a healthy place for the Doctor to be in, but we knew he would come to us when we needed him most. There was a dressing-station near us, and it was awful to see the wounded and shell-shocked fellows brought in. About 6 p. m. the
Boche put down a fearful artillery barrage close in front of us, and we were pulled back a hundred yards to escape the effects of this fire. A detail had been digging a grave for Porter, but were unable to finish. A bit later,orders came from Division that we would go back into reserve for a time. We thought our troubles were about over for that day, but were mistaken.
Down on the road near Champluisant Farm, just east of Sacerie, our machines were lined up, waiting to take us out, and as we were loading up
there came the familiar shriek and two shell burst in the field close by.
A moment later there came a deafening blast—all was confusion. Two
more shell had exploded together right among our cars. Two of them were
overturned. We got the wounded into cars as quickly as possible but, to
make matters worse, a mule-cart had become wedged in the road ahead
and blocked all traffic, so we could not move out. Finally the way was
cleared and the cars with the wounded made for the first-aid station at
Sacerie Farm. Harold Smith and Ralph Henry of B Co. died. Brackett,
Weld, Olschefskie, Hampson, Haskins, Barber, Maun, Rogers, Burden,
Fothergill, Mercer, Burnham, Sancyzk of B Co. and Fabryk of C Co.
wounded. Robinson and Gunning of B Co. shell-shocked. Our cars had
been doing fine service most all day in taking out wounded. Two of C
Co's cars were hit and one wrecked. At last we found ourselves in bivoviac
in the woods.
