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S.B.Butler's AEF Scrapbook:
Company F of the 301st Supply Train

Stations

Commanding officer(s)


Lieutenant Dexter E. Spalding

Roster

Amburn George H Private 1st class Norwich, CT
Axtell Warren J Corporal Grafton, MA
Carver Ernest J Sergeant Boston, MA
Chaves Joseph S Sergeant Hemet, CA
Crowley Robert E   Fairhaven, MA
Day George A R Private Beverly Farms, MA
Denahy John J Corporal Groton, MA
Duhamel Edward W Private Lawrence, MA
Finnie Andrew L Corporal Scituate, MA
Gardner Bertrand S Corporal Hanover, MA
Given Maurice F Private 1st class (died of influenza at Le Havre)  
Gould Alvers B Corporal Orleans, MA
Grant Frank A Corporal Bridgewater, MA
Hirsh Louis F Sergeant 1st class Boston, MA
Holder Frank W Private South Portland, ME
Howe Oliver J Sergeant Brockton, MA
Jowdrey Asaph E Private Worcester, MA
Keith Russell S Sergeant Brockton, MA
Kennedy Hugh J Corporal New Bedford, MA
Larson Ludwig Private New Britain, CT
Laschky Edward Corporal Pittsfield, MA
Lawrence Perley W Corporal Gray, ME
Leary Charles F Corporal Fall River, MA
Leighton Walter E Corporal Gray, ME
Lewald Oswald J Corporal South Braintree, MA
Lizotte Adelard Corporal New Bedford, MA
Loring Harold F Private Portland, ME
Ludgate Frederick W Corporal Attleboro, MA
Lynes Francis J Corporal Milton, MA
Macauley John D Private New Bedford, MA
Macheras George J Cook Lowell, MA
Macomber William W Cook Providence, RI
Maitland James E Corporal Fall River, MA
Maliff Frank Corporal South Easton, MA
McDonald William L Private 1st class Providence, RI
McGowan Martin M Private Fall River, MA
Mesick Albert Cook  
Monaghan Victor P Corporal South Braintree, MA
Monty Louis H Corporal New Bedford, MA
Moore Clarence L Corporal Brockton, MA
Moran Francis A Private 1st class Fall River, MA
Nadeau Edward V Corporal Fall River, MA
Nickerson Claude S Corporal Cotuit, MA
Nickerson Leroy A Sergeant  
Nickerson Lloyd T Private Orleans, MA
O'Brien John J Sergeant Canton, MA
Oldham Raymond B Corporal Hanover, MA
Oliver Manual F Corporal Cohaset, MA
Olson Oscar E Private Campello, MA
Pelletier Joseph A Corporal Fall River, MA
Perkins Frank A Corporal South Braintree, MA
Phillips Burleigh E Private Dennis, MA
Piche Arthur J Private 1st class Fall River, MA
Po Paul Private Plymouth, MA
Poirier Henry T Private Sharon, MA
Powers Charles F Private Brockton, MA
Quealy John M Private Lowell, MA
Rapoza R Private  
Reed Arthur M Corporal South Weymouth, MA
Reed John Leon Corporal Pembrose, MA
Roche Paul F Private Fitchburg, MA
Roderick Charles Corporal New Bedford, MA
Rosen Morris B Corporal Newport, RI
Roy A J Private  
Rushton Clarence O Corporal Brockton, MA
Sewall Joseph D Corporal Weymouth, MA
Sheehy Joseph A Private 1st class Lowell, MA
Shepardson Robert P Corporal Millis, MA
Smith Wallace C Corporal Mansfield, MA
Snow John J Corporal Canton Center, CT
Spalding Dexter E Lieutenant New York City
Sullivan Charles R Private 1st class Fall River, MA
Suzan Manual J Corporal Barnstable, MA
Sylvia Joseph D Private Oak Bluffs, MA
Sylvia Lewis Private New Bedford, MA
Taylor Albert F Corporal  
Thorpe Herbert F 1st Lieutenant (died of influenza at Transport school in Decize) New York City
Turgeon Eli Private Lowell, MA
Vecchi Alexander J Private Plymouth, MA
Velzy Cecil Sergeant Little Falls, NY
Watt Walter L Private 1st class Brockton, MA

Company Briefs

Dance at Lowell: Wednesday Evening, November 7, was a red letter evening for Company 6 (later renamed F). That was the night that Lowell opened her arms to Company 6 and gave her a welcome that we shall not forget. She made us feel proud that we were soldiers. How good it was to have Mayor O'Donnell favor us with his presence and how pleased we were to hear his words of commendation for the Lowell boys and for our own Eddie Quinn. What a gathering of pretty girls it was, and how they could dance. The affair was a great success, socially and financially.

Sailing and Cooking: The trip across the Atlantic on the Winifredian was a nightmare for approximately 2800 men. The provisions for sanitation and rationing were abominable. A few days before the Trained sailed Major June told Sergeant O'Brien of Company F that he was to have charge of the Supply Train mess during our trip across. No information was available as to the arrangements made for the feeding of men on such an improvised transport as the Winifredian. Sergeant O'Brien understood that his duties would consist of the drawing of rations for 550 men. Imagine his surprise when notified at 3 o'clock in the morning by the British steward on the ship, Mr. Maxwell, that he was to be N.C.O. in charge of the feeding of all 2800 men for two weeks. Mr. Maxwell informed the sergeant that the several units would have to furnish the cooks, bakers and butchers for their own kitchens, and assistant stewards and dish-washers for the officers' mess.

The ship was divided into two messes, forward and aft. Two small barred-in and foul-smelling enclosures furnished with steam kettles made up the kitchens. No roasting of meat could be done. Every pound of food used in the after mess had to be carried on the shoulders of the details from the forward end of the boat. After the first day, with sea-sick soldiers filling half the hammocks, a turn at ration-carrying was plain hell. The first morning on the boat was one of terrible confusion. Kitchen police failed to appear. All the oatmeal scheduled for the two messes was dumped in the after-mess. The oatmeal swelled and filled every receptacle. Fifteen thousand pounds of potatoes stored in the midst of soldiers' hammocks, became a reeking mess of vegetable corruption. Details of soldiers waded into the putrid mass in hip rubber boots and shoveled the long-deceased tubers over the side. Fifteen hundred men fed aft. Thirteen hundred men fed forward. One faucet with a two-foot trough on each end of the boat, with cold salt water "sans" soap provided washing accommodations for mess kits.

The ration was cut so low that the food would give out with several hundred unserved. The steward would refuse to give more food until compelled to do so by the orders of the officers in charge of the mess.


Lieutenant Herbert F. Thorpe's dog tag

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