** SPECIAL ARTICLE RELATING TO THE GREAT WAR 100 YEARS AGO **
***Another Special Article Relating To The Great War 100 Years Ago***
(Click Above Notices To Read Articles)
***Another Special Article Relating To The Great War 100 Years Ago***
(Click Above Notices To Read Articles)
Below is a gallery of pictures belonging to Stephen Garrett; he kept them in an old shoe box. The pictures have been returned to the immediate family. Stephen and I spent many hours reminiscing and this is where I learned of his adventures. - Gammon Irons
A true story of the Great War as told by Corporal Stephen Garrett. Written by Gammon Irons. As a child Gammon was a neighbor to Stephen and later became his care giver at the McGuire's Veteran Center in Richmond, Virginia. It was here that Stephen shared his numerous adventures of The Great War with Gammon. These stories have been verified with the assistance of the Richmond Historical Society, World War I Museum and the Library of Congress.
Pencil sketch by Stephen Garret of the French preparing to go over-the-top at Cambria, France, January 1918. Everything is included: the soldier with fixed bayonet, the British Mark IV tank, the Sopwith Camel biplane, the barbed-wire fence, shells exploding and mustard gas in the middle of no man's land.
Facts: 100 days, 100,000 causalities.
Facts: 100 days, 100,000 causalities.
Pencil sketch by Stephen Garret of the German forces defending their trenches. Battle of Lys, April 1918. German spring offensive. Germany was able to use forces from the east since Russia had capitulate due to its civil war. Little ground was gained from rushing the front-line.
Facts: 22 days, 175,000 causalities.
Facts: 22 days, 175,000 causalities.
Pencil sketch by Stephen Garret showing a desperate reconnaissance mission into no-man's-land. Battle of Belleau Wood, June 1918. German spring offensive. Germany was able to use forces from the east since Russia had capitulate due to its civil war. Again, another stalemate.
Facts: 26 days. 35,000 causalities.
Facts: 26 days. 35,000 causalities.
Pencil sketch by Stephen Garrett of advancment through one of many wheat fields of France. Battle of Saint-Mihiel, September 1918. This was the last major battle and was a great success for the French and American Douhgboys (Great Britan did not participate). Germany never recovered. Corporal Stephan Garrett was injured from a mustard gas attack.
Facts: 3 days, 25,000 causalities.
Facts: 3 days, 25,000 causalities.
A map of Europe in 1914. There was a balance of power keeping war at bay for more than a century. However, in the beginning of the 20th century the Ottoman Empire began to decline causing the Balkan states to call for independence. Combined with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austria-Hungary Empire, the climate was ripe for war.
The Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, Russia
The Triple Alliance: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy
The Balkans: Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria, Serbia
The Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, Russia
The Triple Alliance: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy
The Balkans: Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria, Serbia
First Battalion/Sixth Division/Second Company/Third Platoon/U.S. Army Infantry. Date: unknown.
First graduating class of Camp Stuart, Virginia. 06 April 1917.
Stephen Garrett parading in New York City, New York before deploying to Europe. May 1917.
Stephen Garrett and his unit relieving the Canadians in France. Note the kilts. June 1917.
Stephen Garrett's first assignment – Port La Rochelle, France. This is a scene of a German U-Boat attack. June 1917.
Life in the unit. Bayonet - 5 pounds; carbine or rifle - 10 pounds; one hundred twenty rounds of ammunition, with pouches and belt - 5 pounds; two day’s forage rations - 40 pounds. Additionally, bedroll, mess kit, shaving gear and letters from home. June 1917.
Stephen Garrett on the way to the front. Picture of a French Renault tank. An ingenious weapon incorporating a top-mounted turret that can traverse a full 360’. June 1917.
Stephen Garrett and his unit arriving at the front only to find dead Frenchmen waiting to be relieved. Trenches are dug clear across France, from Switzerland to the North Sea. It requires 2,000,000 soldiers to man them day and night. June 1917.
Stephen Garrett and his unit working with Imperial Russian troops. They are fully committed and with courage but have problems with logistical issues of supply and communication. August 1917.
Imperial Russian troops advancing. August 1917.
A sea of Russian bayonets ready to capitulate. Russia became the Soviet Union after their civil war and renounced The Great War. August 1917.
Although Imperial Japanese troops never fought on European soil, they did fight alongside the British in the Asian Pacific Rim. November 1917.
Note: This picture was obtained by Corporal Stephan Garrett after the war by way of a trade.
Note: This picture was obtained by Corporal Stephan Garrett after the war by way of a trade.
Gas Mask Drill. Date: unknown.
Note: Old style gas mask. American Doughboys received hand-me-downs. Also, the puttees were invaluable for mustard gas attacks. Enlisted received canvas puttees while officers received leather boots.
Note: Old style gas mask. American Doughboys received hand-me-downs. Also, the puttees were invaluable for mustard gas attacks. Enlisted received canvas puttees while officers received leather boots.
Aerial gas attack. December 1917.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over communication engineers during a gas attack. December 1917.
French soldiers ready to push over-the-top at Cambrai, France. Possible picture used to draw the pencil artwork in picture two. January 1918.
Stephen Garret and his unit relieving the Seaforth-Highlanders during the battle of Belleau Woods, France. June 1918.
French infantry leaving the offensive of St. Mihiel, France. September 1918.
Over-the-top, The Saint Michael Offensive at Somme, France. The offensive of St. Mihiel was the only battle which involved only the United States and Germany. September 1918.
More action at The Saint Michael Offensive at Somme, France. September 1918.
A Mark IV British tank used during the offensive of St. Mihiel, France by the Americans. September 1918.
Results of allied attack at The Saint Michael, France offensive. September 1918.
Two dead Germans on-the-wire after a futile night raid during the offensive of St. Mihiel, France. September 1918.
A German prisoner taken by Corporal Stephen Garrett and being interrogated after the offensive of St. Mihiel, France. September 1918
Stephen Garrett guarding a scout after to the offensive of St. Mihiel, France. Note the box (center, left) is a pigeon crate used for communications. More than 6,000 pigeons were used in the offensive of St. Mihiel. September 1918.
French First-Responders attending to Stephen Garrett. The Saint Michael Offensive Somme, France. Stephen Garrett's injury is detailed in Chapter 17 of "Soldier! Oh, Soldier!" September 1918.
Field Hospital attending to Stephen Garrett. The Saint Michael Offensive Somme, France. The Field Hospital was an old barn still filled with animal manure. The thatched roof bothered Stephen Garrett so much that he requested to remain outside in the weather. Hew was afraid a shell might hit the barn and catch on fire. September 1918.
Hospital where Stephen Garrett awaits to go back to the front. The Saint Michael Offensive Somme, France. The soldier in the right front may be suffering from post-traumatic-stress. Note the beds are boards with rope holding canvas. The beds were watered daily to keep the boards, rope and canvas taut. September 1918.
Stephen Garrett working in a machine shop while recuperating. It looks like they are working on Hotchkiss machine guns. There are eight soldiers in the rear for every front-line soldier. September 1918.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over a French observation balloon while recuperating. The balloon was attached to the vehicle (left) and moved with a communications line for signaling Morse code. October 1918.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over a group of French cooks while recuperating. Two million men on a line 500-miles long and 20-miles deep needed to be fed. Twenty-five thousand tons of rations, including 2,000,000 pints of wine, were sent to the front every day. 100,000 trucks and 600,000 horse-drawn wagons were used. October 1918.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over Russian bakers while recuperating. Even though Russia had officially renounced the war, the bakers remained enforce in order for the new Soviet Union to obtain funds from the allies for needed capital. Note the bread in the center of the picture being placed directly on the ground. Additionally, the bread was delivered to the front unwrapped. October 1918.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over a group of British Sopwith Camels while recuperating. October 1918.
Stephen Garrett standing guard over a group of engineers building a bridge while recuperating. October 1918.
A unit made of six men to stand guard during the Treaty of Versailles, France. There is one machine gunner, one machine handler, two resupplying the ammunition and two snipers guarding the rest of the unit. Stephen Garrett was one of the snipers. June 1919.
A publicity shot showing Corporal Stephen Garrett in full gear: fixed bayonet, carbine, gas mask, puttees, ammunition pack and helmet. Date: unknown.