Wilbur Mixson In World War I
BUNCEY, COTE d'OR.
FRANCE MAY 9, 1919
SKETCH OF CO. E, 306TH AMMUNITION TRAIN
Wilbur Left Most Back Row
Co. "E" left Camp Jackson, S.C. at 5p.m. Wednesday July 24th., 1918 on the Seaboard Air Line Railway. Arrived at Camp Mills, N.Y. at 11 p.m. Thursday July 25th. Left Camp Mills New York at 2:30 p.m. August 7th and embarked on ferry boat at 4 p.m. Carried to Pier No. 49 Hoboken, N.Y. and embarked immediately upon White Star Liner, Royal Mail Steamer Celtic. Laid in harbor all night and following day. Hottest day and night of 1918 summer. Picked up American convoy off Sandy Hook at midnight August 8th on high seas. Convoy composed of three submarine chasers, three destroyers and three battleships.
Postcard
of the U.S.S. Missouri that took Wilbur England
Monday August 12th saw large ice
burg off the coast of Greenland. Picked up English convoy at noon Sunday
August 18th, composed of 15 sub-chasers. Saw land for first time August
19th and ran all day between coasts of Scotland and Ireland. Dropped anchor
in harbor of Liverpool at 11 p.m. August 19th. Debarked following morning
at 8 a.m. and hiked to railway station, where we boarded train. On train
all day, passing Oxford University and Stratford on Avon, home of
Shakespeare.
Got off at Romsey at 5 p.m. same day and hiked two miles to rest Camp Woodley.
Remained there until morning of Saturday
August 24th, when we hiked 12 miles
under heavy pack to South Hampton, and crossed English Channel during night.
Debarked at Cherbour, France at 7 a.m. Sunday August 25th. Hiked six miles
to English rest camp and spent Sunday there. Monday morning hiked bck to
Charoourg and boarded box cars "Noames 40 or Chavaux 8". Ate and slept in
box cars until 1 p.m. August 28th when train unloaded at Valdahon, Doubs.
Hiked 6 kilometers to Varcel, where we remained in billets for ten weeks.
September 23rd hiked to "La Glacier" a large ice cave. Company billeted
in an old school
building at Vercel by the name of "L'Eole au Sacre Coeur."
Left Vercel for the Front November 4th. Boarded train at Valdahon and on
train all night. Arrived at Dugny, a railhead, at 12:33 November 5th, were
we spent day. Hiked under cover of night to "MUDVILLE", known as Camp Oing
Freres. Made trips over to Red Cross evacuation hospital, where they "put
out" hot chocolate. Got orders to move up to Norenville front as support
for 321st Infantry, which was shot to hell. Hiked all night under heavy
pack, going over old trenches and barbwire entanglements. Not one man of
"E" company fall out on this hike. Morning of 11th of November ate hard
tack and corned willy for breakfast. Helped build a bridge under heavy fire
and occupied support trench for Infantry. Just ready to go over "the top"
when orders to cease firing cam in. Camped in pup tents on "no man's land"
until November 14th, when company moved back to Camp Bios Sec. November
16th hike up to Verdum, 10 kilometers, and returned to camp same day. At
6 a.m. November 18th beg long hike. Hiked 16 kilometers to Courouve, where
company spent night. On November 19th left Courouve at 10 a.m. and hiked
17 kilometers to Rembercourt, where we remained until November 23rd. Hiked
to Haironville, where company rested one day. November 25th hiked to Breuil
aur Marne, where we spent one night. November 26th hiked 15 kilms, to Brachey,
where company billeted one night. Thanksgiving Day November 27th on road
all day, hiking to Blaise, where spent one night. From Blaise moved to Juzencourt,
where we were billeted in Government Barracks. Left Juzencourt November
29th and hiked to Barmesse, were rested one night. November 30th trucks
picked us up at Chatervaillain and carried us to Buncey, Cote d'Or. On January
2nd 1919 left Buncey and hiked to Vanvey, Cote d'Or , to work with 306th
Engineers on roads. Returned to Buncey March 10th. On March 20th acted as
guard of honor for review of 81st "Wildcat Division" before the King and
Queen of Belgium and General Pershing. Also acted as special guard at a
review of the divsion for General Pershing on April 10th, 1919.
OFFICERS WHO HAVE SERVED WITH "E" COMPANY:
CAPT. NORACE W. SHELWIRE - HOME ADDRESS - RADNCR, PA.
CAPT. MARK A. COOPER
CAPT. H. A. GERGENS (NOW IN COMMAND)
1ST. LT. KENNETH D. GILMORE - COLUMBIA, S.C.
2ND LT. TENCH F. COXS
2ND LT. JOHN B. KIMBERLY, JR.
2ND LT. THOMAS WEATHERFORD.
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