Story written by Sue Siefert
(BATESVILLE, Ind.) -- Anthony P. Siefert was a quiet gent, attentive to his wife Josephine, his six children, Marcia, Dorothy, Jerome, Arvilla, Joan and John, and his 19 grandchildren.
He loved his native Oldenburg, and later Batesville where he and Josephine made their home. I knew him as Grandpa.
He suffered noticeable hearing loss following his service in WWI, and I assumed this led to his reserved demeanor.
I thought I knew my grandfather, but it wasn’t until after his death in 1973 at age 86 that his family learned of some of what he witnessed in the war, some of what shaped his quiet demeanor.
Excerpts from Anthony Siefert’s World War I Journal – as shared by Sue Siefert
The First World War
At age 31, Anthony Siefert, set sail from Hoboken, NJ on June 15, 1918. On June 27, the ship docked at St. Nazaire, France. The troops spent a few days there before being transported by train to Champlitte, and then spent July 4, 1918 marching 10 kilometers to Argillieres.
After more hiking, the machine gun company of the 116th Infantry 29th Division reached the front lines. As they traveled, the availability of goods declined, and he notes, “Tobacco scarce,” and more importantly he reports, “Aerial bombs dropped near company’s office,” and at a later stop he indicates, “Watched an airplane battle overhead; the German plane is shot down.”
At 1 a.m., August 22, 1918, the troops arrived at the front-line trenches and “were given a hot reception of heavy artillery barrage from the enemy,” he writes. Within two days of battle, one of his fellow soldiers could no longer stand the pressures. “August 24: Shively from Indianapolis shot himself near one of our machine guns.”
In the Trenches
After several days of battle, the company is directed away from the front, only to experience several night-time air raids. As they move from place to pace and battle to battle, numbers which had marked dates and distances are supplemented by how many American officers and troops died or were injured. One passage notes an action with six officers and 163 enlisted men. “…sustained a loss of one officer killed, one officer wounded, and one officer gassed. Enlisted men – 15 killed, 34 wounded, and 14 gassed.”
When he arrived at a front-line trench at dawn he was ordered “over the top immediately.” In another excerpt, he writes, “There was a machine gun nest on the southwest ridge which kept up a harassing fire for a few hours before being captured.” On October 9, 1918, “we were subjected to considerable artillery fire from the enemy’s large caliber guns inflicting a loss of five killed and seven wounded.”
To deter an enemy counterattack, grandpa’s company assists the infantry, “inflicting a great loss on the enemy’s front wave of troops.” This same day, “numerous enemy planes flew over our sector harassing us with machine gun fire.” On October 11, a gas attack killed one officer and five men.
His company is assigned to protect the flanks of advancing infantry by laying down sweeping blankets of machine gun fire while Allies provided a heavy artillery barrage. “…Sustained very heavy losses in reaching our objective.”
By October 23, 1918, casualties had whittled his company down to less than two platoons, and these platoons were divided into two waves. Members of one wave were cut off from the rest of the company by enemy machine gun fire and artillery. Serious losses to the company left it unable to advance further with three men killed and wounded.”
“All except two machine guns shot out of action stayed in two shell holes until relieved,” he notes. This remnant of a company rendered valuable assistance in preventing the enemy infiltrating in between the second line of infantry and the first line which had gone through to its objective and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy.”
On the action which killed, wounded and gassed dozens of men, grandpa writes of his company, “This company went into action either in the front line or in support during almost the entire time, and displayed wonderful endurance in keeping up with the infantry and always reached the objective by the time the infantry reached there. The company displayed an admirable spirit in withstanding the hardships and overcoming difficulties attached to this branch of service.”
Grandpa notes that no able-bodied man wavered, with exception of two stragglers, though they are recorded as still missing at the time of his notes. He notes that his company stayed on task between the constant shelling of artillery and enemy infantry attacks. They accomplished these tasks without Allied air support, “… which not only deprived our artillery of observations, but permitted the enemy aviation to mark our lines and harass us with machine gun fire as well.”
This horrific battle and valiant stand occurred on October 24. The next entry is for November 11, 1918, when the Great War, which would come to be known as World War I, ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Armistice Day, which America still celebrates as Veterans Day.
“November 11: Received news of the signing of the armistice at 11:30 a.m. Great rejoicing among the French people. Church bells rang for one hour steady and at 15-minute intervals during afternoon and evening.”
Homeward Bound
Grandpa’s company left St. Nazaire by ship, midnight, May 10, 1919, and arrived in the United States at Newport News, Virginia at 9 a.m., May 20.
After the war, the WWI vet married his sweetheart, Josephine Leising on October 4, 1922.
The couple brought six children into the world, Marcia, Dorothy, Jerome, Arvilla, Joan and John and made their home in Batesville. Grandpa was a founding member and Commander of Batesville’s VFW Post 3183, and grandma helped found its Ladies Auxiliary, serving as president.
Later the couple’s son, WWII veteran Jerome would serve as the Post’s Commander, and even later their grandson, Desert Storm veteran, Thomas Fritsch served as Post’s Commander.
WWI veterans are among a generation whose time has passed – they may be gone, but never forgotten.
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