World War One Casualties Audrain COunty

world War one Memorial
to all the Audrain County men and women who fought, participated and died in
"The Great War"
1916-1918
The Mexico Federation of Clubs in cooperation with the County Court purchased a $500.00 bronze tablet, to be placed in the courthouse, commemorating the Audrain County men who lost their lives in the service of our county during the war. The names of 27 men are on this tablet. There are 28 in the list below.

Audrain County rallied to "the cause" with overwhelming patriotism. Men, women and money were the key issues. The Draft Board sent 424 men, white and colored, to service. 175 men in 1917 and 226 in 1918. The remainder of men and women were enlistments. Money raised ( Liberty Loans, War Savings and Thrift Stamps, American Red Cross, Salvation Army ) ) was well above the "quota", totaling $3, 231,905.00 over all.

Audrain County's contribution to WW1 numbered nearly 1000 men and a few women, 10 or more, who saw some active service.
There were twenty seven casualties who died while in service. Seven killed in action, 2 others who died from wounds, and the remainder from various causes.

	Name	Death date, place and cause
1	Allen, Fred born at Stuart, Iowa age 25 yrs and 5 months at induction	15 July 1918 in France- resided at Rush Hill, served in CO E 354 INF 4 OCT/17; TO 22 OCT/17; HQ CO 354 INF TO 24 MAR/18; CO M 38 INF TO- KIA, FATHER, WALTER ALLEN RUSH HILL, MO NOTIFIED
2 3	Bartels, Harrison age 31 and his brother Bartels, Robert age 26	15 October 1918 at Camp Brady, MI. record not found 15 October 1918 at Camp Forrest, GA record not found brothers who died the same day during the spanish flu epidemic, sons of Mr. & Mrs. J. C. Bartels of Mexico
4	Blase, Edward Henry	01 August 1918 at Vesle, France -served in CO K 354 INF 23 SEP/17 TO 1 MAR/18;CO K 163 INF TO 3 MAY/18;CO D 125 INF TO 1AUG-KILLED IN ACTION 1 AUG 1918; FATHER, AUGUST H BLASE, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
5	Bledsoe, James Willis born Stockton, CA 17 Nov 1888	14 Febrary 1918, at Fort Sill, OK., of bronchial pneumona, member of Company D, 138th Infantry- American Legion Post was named for him in 1919.MOTHER, MRS A D BLEDSOE, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
6	Brooks, Monte Nelson	03 July 1918 at Fort Riley, KS. record not found
7	Callaway, Warren Harper	30 September 1918, Camp Dewey, Great Lakes service information not found
8	Cauthorn, Robert Louis	died in France - KILLED IN ACTION 2 OCT 1918; MOTHER, MRS ELIZABETH CAUTHORN, MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
9	Crane, Charles Divers resided Martinsburg, age 21 & 5/6 mos at enlistment	July 15 1818 in the Rheims-Soisson battle, , France- 1st Audrain County soldier killed son of Mr. & Mrs. C. T. Crane of Martinsburg- KILLED IN ACTION 15 JUL 1918; FATHER, CHARLES T. CRANE, MARTINSBURG, MO NOTIFIED
10	Creasy, Albert Russell	25 October 1918 at Camp Jackson, S.C. service information not found
11	Duty, Rollie V.	03 March 1918, Fort Riley, KS service information not found
12	Fite, Walter	30 September 1918, died at sea service information not found
13	Ford, Lawrence	01 November 1918 died in action in France service information not found
14	Hollingsworth, George Lewis age 21 & 3 mos at enlistment	28 September 1918, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard - death date from Centennial History, service record says died 1/29/1919 at Naval Hospital
15	Holt, Harold H. (colored) born Mexico, 28 1/2 yrs when inducted-	died from wartime complications after returning to the US. ( not on courthouse list, I added him here because he was listed in Centennial History ). Resided 315 So. Trinity, Mexico no indication of injuries on discharge
16	Hubbell, A. Ross (Ross Allen) born Tuscola, IL. age at enlistment 21 & 1/2 yrs	01 October 1918 in France DIED 1 OCT 1918 OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION; MOTHER, SUSIE HUBBELL, FARBER, MO NOTIFIED
17	Irion, George born Mexico, age at enlistment 27 & 7/12 yrs	16 October at Pittsburg, PA DIED OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA 15 OCT 1918; FATHER, GOERGE IRION, SR., MEXICO, MO NOTIFIED
18	Johnson, Henry W. (colored) b. 2 AUG 1893 Mexico	19 October 1918 in France -* "the only colored soldier to die in France,"* son of Henry and Lizzie Johnson of Mexico, died in a french hospital son soon after his unit arrivied overseas. Served overseas from 9/13/1918 to 10/18/1918-Lived at 326 No. Wade St, Mexico, MO. The Johnson-Holt colored Post of the American Legion was named for him and Harold Holt, son of Bill and Mollie Holt. *unable to verify this "only"
19	Jones, James	11 November 1918 at Camp Dodge service information not found
20	Kisor, (Len) Arden enlisted 6/16/1918- age 21 yrs, 3 mos.,	22January 1919 at the Naval Hospital Brooklyn Navy Yard Seaman 2nd Class, Vandalia
21	Laird, Harry (John H.) of Vandalia, born St. Louis, age at enlistment 22 and 5/6 yrs	died at Fort Sill, OK -INJURED 27 SEP 1918-enlistment period shown to 3/30/1919 death date?
22	Lease, Frank Vernon *** b. Plainsville, Il, 12 July 1897	July 1918, killed in action in France Home town shown as Gazette, MO next of kin not shown- enlisted St. Louis, 12/18/1917 *** only Frank Vernon Lease found,
23	Leeper, Louis Emmons born Skinner, MO. age at enlistment 29 5/12YR	07 October 1918 killed action in France KILLED IN ACTION 7 OCT 1918; FATHER, JOHN THOMAS LEEPER, MOLINO, MO NOTIFIED
24	Mathews, William of Laddonia	09 October 1918 service information not found
25	Musgrove, Forrest E . born Callaway County 30 1/4YRS at enlistment	*06 October 1918 died at sea when the steamer Atilla was sunk.* (Name of ship Atilla from Centennial History of Audrain Co. ) DIED IN THE SINKING OF THE "OTRANTO" 6 OCT 1918; FATHER, JOSEPH MUSGROVE, FULTON, MO NOTIFIED
25	Peters, Merill	03 March 1917 at Great Lakes Naval Training Station service information not found
27	Schooling, Clarence E. b.Clark, MO age at enlistment 24 and 1/3 yrs	killed in action -KILLED IN ACTION 26 OCT 1918; MOTHER, SALLIE SCHOOLING, CLARK, MO NOTIFIED
28	Shaw, Guy Henry (Guy W.) born OLNEY, MOage 23 yrs 5 mos at enlistment	28 September 1919 died in France- resided Vandalia- KILLED IN ACTION 28 SEP 1918; FATHER, WILLIAM W SHAW, VANDALIA, MO NOTIFIED

Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross

Lake (Marquis Lake) Dillard, Sgt. aged 24 2/3YRS when inducted, Lieut. of Laddonia and Mexico, received the D.S. C. award for extraordinary bravery and heriosm in action near Barricourt,France on November 1, 1918. He was subjected to heavy and intense machine gun fire and showed marked bravery while leading his men and capturing two guns and crews in a charge. CO A 354 INFANTRY TO DISCHARGE

Charles Robert Hanger , 1st. Lieut. born 2 OCT1888 ( from Laddonia) a member the 356th Infantry of the 89th Division, received three decorations. He was decorated for going through heavy shell fire, leading a battalion which was lost, across the Muese in heavy fog, the last night of the war. He fought in the Meuse-Argonne battle and St. Mihiel and remained at the front from August 4th until Armistice Day. DISTINGUISHED SERV CROSS; FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR; FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE; ENLARGED FRENCH CITATION CERTIFICATE for bravery in action.

World War One songs
"Good-bye, Ma; Good-bye, Pa; Goodbye, mule with the old hee-haw. I may not know what the war's about But I'll be, by gosh, I'll soon find out. And oh, my sweetheart, don't you fear I'll get you a king for a souvenir I'll get you a Turk and the Kaiser, too, And that's about all one feller can do.	When this lousy war is over, No more soldiering for me, When I get my civvy clothes on, Oh how happy I shall be, No more church parades on Sunday, No more putting in for leave, I will miss the Sergeant-Major, How he'll miss me how he'll grieve.	It's a long way to Tipperary, it's a long way to go. It's a long way to Tipperary, to the sweetest girl I know. Good-bye, Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square. It's a long long way to Tipperary, but my heart's right there