Engineers in World War 1
When the United Stated entered the war in April 1917, there were only 3,000 enlisted engineers. By the end of the war in November, 1918, the demand for their expertise had required the services of almost 400,000 engineers. The Engineers were in charge of repairing the devastation of the war to expedite troop movements such as surveying, bridge and road repair, constructing buildings, maintaining communication lines, removal of land mines and "booby" traps, digging trenches and constructing shell, gas and splinter-proof shelters, providing clean water and constructing or removing barbed wire. They also launched gas attacks, built hospitals, barracks, mess halls, stables, target ranges, and repaired miles of train tracks. Their extensive and time consuming duties left them little time for rifle practice and drills and they were not relied upon for frontline combat, but the success of the Allied forces depended upon the support of the Engineer Corps.
Stories from the front lines. The following stories were taken from post war interviews of the returning veterans conducted by the Indiana Historic Commission over eighty years ago.
WW1 button bearing the emblem of the Engineers Corps
Courtesy of the Indiana War Memorial archives
Albert John Lambert, 108th Engineers, Ripley County, Indiana
“Work of Engineers was to build bridges across the Meuse, build roads, dig trenches, put up barbed wire entanglements, dig dugouts and dressing stations. Also cut wire entanglements of enemy with pliers and blew them up when necessary. Went ‘over the top’ in charges.
“A mistake in orders on the night of November 10, 1918 sent two regiments ‘over the top’ near Metz without a protective barrage fire. They were caught by uncut barbed wire. The enemy fired with machine guns, determined not to let their supplies of ammunition stores be captured since the Armistice was on the point of being signed. This mistaken attack resulted in the loss of about five hundred American soldiers.
“Luxemburg is German in character and sympathy was pro German until after the Armistice.”
Charles Thomas Butler, Engineer Corps, Marion County, Indiana:
21st Engineers, (L. R.) Special Regiment, authorized to construct, maintain, operate light railway from railheads to trenches. “I reported to 1st Div. headquarters, Menil La Tour, France, February 8, 1918 with 23 men (Gen. Robert Bullard, Commander). We were bombarded by German aviators that night. From the above date (in the Northwest Toul sector) I never left the front until I was given a leave January 11, 1919. Left German border, March 20 6, 1919. Regiment repaired highways, LeMans area, until May 15, 1919.”
Alfred Peter Poorman, Captain, Engineers, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
“Reduced weight from 165 to 145 pounds, half through exercise, half through dysentery caused by bad meat. Candidates, most of whom are college graduates, with from two to 15 years practical engineering experience, and many of whom were already commissioned as Lieutenants Captains and Majors but not ordered to active service, were treated by the West Point officers in command as though they were of the same class as the old regular army enlisted men.
“Am still in favor of universal military service if it could be placed in charge of some agency other than the West Point graduates in the Regular Army”
Era L. Patterson, Private, Co. E, 7th Engineers, 5 th Div, Grant County, Indiana
Enlisted September 21, 1917. Trained a short time at Fort Thomas. Sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Sailed the first of March, 1918. Went into action at once, when not working for engineers was going over the top with infantry. Has been in many engagements. When in the engineers, fifth Div., they were under heavy fire during their construction of bridges. They build the last Bridge over the Meuse River, standing in water to their chins. Private Patterson was gassed and went through many hardships. After the signing of the armistice, with sent to Rumalang, Luxembourg and kept there until he sailed for the United States in July, 1919. After landing, with sent to Chillicothe, Ohio for treatment in hospital. Is still very nervous. Received discharged, August 21, 1919.
“The 7th Engineers laid the last Bridge over the Meuse River under heavy shellfire until the last shot was fired. When not doing duty as Engineers, was going over the top with the infantry.”
Lee Glenn Winslow, K. I. A., Grant County, Indiana
Lee enlisted saying he felt his duty to do something for his country. Was converted after entering the service, saying “Don't worry about me, if the Germans get my body, they won't get my soul, for I have given it to the Great Father’s keeping”
He was helping build a road over which food and ammunition had to go that evening. His officers wrote saying “We laid Lee tenderly away between Souain and Somme Py.”
He left a Father, Mother, two brothers, two sisters and one half-brother to grieve for him.
Manuel Redman Floyd Jr., Master Engineer, Engineers Corps, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Entered service Dec. 12, 1917. Stationed at Columbus. Ohio. Sent to American University, Washington, D. C. Sailed for oversea service in March, 1918. Was sergeant before going to France and was later promoted to Master Engineer. Jr. Stationed for some time in France and was later transferred near Bordeaux, on the Spanish border. During his service he states that his shift of 30 men sawed 91.188 feet of board and his battalion made the record of all the A. E. F. of engineers. Saw service on the Mexican Border with Co. L. 19 th Infantry, in 1912, command of General Funston. Born in Washington County, Nov. 29, 1893, son of Mrs. Clara Floyd. Home is Route K, Lafayette, Ind.
National Archive photo, Courtesy of Indiana War Memorial archives
Harold Leslie Clegg, 24th Engineers, Special Regiment, Marion County, Indiana
“During the Meuse-Argonne Battle, I was pumping water to the men on the front-line when a German shell exploded just as I went back to see how much water was in the tanks. I was covered with mud and water, but escaped with no personal (injuries) miraculously. There was nothing left of the engine piston ring.”
Stanton William McCready, Engineers, Marion County, Indiana
Help put in sewer plant and Camp Taylor, also made Camp Shelby, was at Camp Shelby for one year.
Oscar B. Howard, Casual Co. 2, Engineers, Decatur County, Indiana
“I was honorably discharged from the United States Army. As Testimonial of Honest and Faithful Service, doing my duty the best I could, having a good character and clear conscience.” Signed Oscar B. Howard.
Earl Sylvester Passwaiter, 34th Engineers, Marion County, Indiana
The 34th engineers was a “take” outfit, the men having been transferred from the different camps in the country to us, and it consisted of 24 companies or about a brigade. We were unassigned to a division or Army hub, but worked as an independent unit.
William Fred Taylor, Co. C., 29th Engineers, Marion County, Indiana
Additional information relating to the work of the 29 Engineers at the front can be obtained by writing to Washington or E. Hinman, Astoria, Oregon where a book was published giving the complete history this organization.
The unit was divided into smaller units in stationed along the entire American front and at times worked with both the British and French forces. Part of their work consisted of securing information as to enemy activities, locating batteries, mapmaking and general observation. Internally pulls were located between the artillery first-line trenches, was connected with certain divisions, being attached to various. During my stay in St. Mihiel sector was with various divisions, 5th, 7th, 26th, 28th, and 79th.
Tanks crossing a dynamited bridge repaired by the Engineer Corps
Photo courtesy of Indiana War Memorial Archives
Howard Sebring Smith, Engineering Corps, Ripley County, Indiana
“Service, 7 months in France, 5 months in Russia, Murman Coast and south into the interior some 600 miles. Less than 1,000 men in the United States saw service in both France and Russia.”
Jack Conley Thurston, Co. C., 34th Engineers, Marion County, Indiana
Meuse-Argonne offensive, October 8, 1918; Etain, October 1, 1918; Sedan, November 6, 1918
Gassed at Etain about 6 miles from Verdun, France, about November, 1918.
“Placed on detach service in September as member of the Railroad Transportation Department, Convoy Branch. Convoyed quartermaster, ordinance, engineer and medical supplies to the front.
List of countries and cities visited;
France: Bordeaux, Paris, Marseilles, Lyons, Toul, Nancy, Verdun, Nice, Brest, Tours, Perigieux, Beaune, Dijon, St. Dixier and other small towns.Belgian: Liege and other smaller towns.
Germany: Coblentz, Cologne, Montibar, Wirges, Trieves and smaller towns.
Italy: Province of Turin
Spain: Biarwitz
Africa, Oran, Gibraltar, Azores
England: Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Ramsey and Southampton.
Spent three months in the AEF University at Beaune, Cote d’or, France in the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
309th Engineers Flag
Indiana War Memorial Archive Collection
Harry Harrison Gault, 17th RR Engineers, Ripley County Indiana
discharge records notation:
“The 17th Engineers with the 12th, 13th and 14th Regiments paraded in Linden on August 15, 1917. These regiments of railway engineers were the first American troops that had ever paraded in Linden, and the first foreign troops that had marched through Linden for more than 500 years.”
Harry S. Zufall, Pvt, Engineers, Croix de Guerre, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Entered service April 29.1918. Went to Jefferson Barracks. Mo.. and then to Camp Humphreys. Sent to England, then to France and was wounded near Metz. Was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Born at LaFayette, June 19, 1898 son of Elizah and Mary N. Zufall. Educated in LaFayette schools. Wife is Lottie P. Zufall. Home is LaFayette, Ind.
Lee Glenn Winslow, K. I. A., Grant County, Indiana
Lee enlisted saying he felt his duty to do something for his country. Was converted after entering the service, saying “Don't worry about me, if the Germans get my body, they won't get my soul, for I have given it to the Great Father’s keeping”
He was helping build a road over which food and ammunition had to go that evening. His officers wrote saying “We laid Lee tenderly away between Souain and Somme Py.”
He left a Father, Mother, two brothers, two sisters and one half-brother to grieve for him.
American YMCA stationary
"On active service with the American Expeditionary Force"
Cpl. C O Gossett, Co. C., 113 US Engineers, AEF APO 793
April 20, 1919, Uruffe, France
Dear Eugene,
This is Easter night and I must confess a rather lonely one, as there is nothing to do and I can't go anyplace because I am non-com in charge of quarters today, and I must stay around the barracks.
You will probably wonder where Uruffe is located. It is about 20 km south of Toul, and is one of thousands of little villages in France. We have a very nice camp, for a camp in France, at the edge of the village. The worst trouble is the mud, but you find that everywhere in France and after nearly 7 months, I am used to it.
Now, to answer some of your questions. As for an early return home, I at present, see no chance of getting back earlier than August, but as you know, strange things happen in a very short time in the Army and there is a mere possibility of an earlier return. By the time you get this letter, we will probably be in Germany, for some units of the division are already on the move. We work some repairing roads, drill a little and perform the necessary camp duties and loaf the rest of the time.
Answering where I had been since being in France is a long story, if told in full, so I'll tell the most important places. We landed in Brest, October 28 and were quarantined there a month for spinal meningitis. This is beyond a doubt, what saved us off the front lines. We were sent from Brest, at last, to a village near Dijon and put on some structural work. At the time the armistice was signed, we were a ways South near Lyons, building a rest camp. Lyons is sure some fast city, or rather fast people stay there.
Christmas, when Wilson and Gen. Pershing revived the Army Corps at Langres, we were their repairing roads. After this, we were assigned to the 7th division, for our division, 38th, had gone home, and were sent up above Toul near the old Hindenburg line, in the St. Mihiel sector, and we are still up here around Toul but not so close to the old front as we were. I haven't the control of the English language enough to try to describe the devastation about 30 km north of Toul.
About a month ago, I was on a seven-day leave on the Mediterranean, going through Marseilles and spending the seven days around Menton. While here, I was over the border in Italy, visited Monte Carlo and the casino there and the great resort, nice. This is the Palm Beach of Europe. We saw here, for nothing, what hundreds of people spent thousands to see, and stayed at the best hotels, Uncle Sam paying the bill. I also spent a day in the Alps on a donkey.
I have prayed for a Kodak, but they would not let us bring ours across, and you can hardly buy them over here, to say nothing of supplies. I have collected a few souvenirs, but very many of them bear down on a hike, and I have seen so many things I want, I have ceased to appreciate the value of them.
I'd sure have hated for you to go over and get picked off, but if you had ever gotten here and gotten through the scrap, you would indeed be proud of the experience. I sure would not take anything for what I've seen or experienced.
I have not seen or heard from George G. I have inquired of every Aero Squadron I see, if he is in it, never have found him. I also have written for his address, but never have gotten it. Yes, I smoke a pipe and some cigars when I can get them, but nix on the cigarettes. With no ice cream, cakes etc. and so little candy and so little to occupy spare time, a pipe is rather companionable.
As for the French girls, to h--- with them. Because the girls are dirty and very undesirable for the Americans, who are used to a different economical conditions and the city girls that we see, for the most part are disgustingly immoral, even to the most immoral American you see. I'll tell you more about them when I get back. Of course there are a few decent girls, but a very few, using the American girls as a standard. Don't worry, none of them will ever get the better of me. I have too much respect for myself and some others.
My plans on returning are to get to college “tout suite” and take up civil engineering. I am hoping to get home, so as to start in college in September, but it is uncertain as yet. I have been following civil engineering ever since I have been in the Army, and I like it fine. I see the need of a college education now, more than I ever did.
I sure would've liked to have been at P. H. and M. A. O's wedding. I sure wish them all the success and happiness in the world.
I got a long letter from Lowell the other day. He is doing fine at IU, so he says. I wrote Olive a letter not long ago, and sent it to DP. I have since heard news she is not at DP anymore. You must not get sore, for that is the first letter I have written your “marcherie”, and she wrote me first. It is almost time for me to check quarters, as it is a quarter of an hour till taps, so, so long.
Ever your friend, Cecil