Dieterich Machine Gun Company
World War I
Dieterich, Illinois, in Effingham County, has the distinction of being the smallest town
in the nation to furnish a company of men to serve as a unit “The Big War”. _ The
machine gun company of the Illinois fourth regiment was formed here.
The May 11, 1917 issue of the Dieterich special gazette carried the following
news item “Machine Gun Company may be located here”. “An effort is being made to
establish a machine gun company in this city”. A meeting was held at the Wellington
hall here Wednesday night and great interest was manifested. Fifty-four boys have
signed their names stating that they will join this company providing it is located here.
A strong effort is being made to increase this number to eighty men of military age.
“In case this company is located here it will be a great benefit to Dieterich and
surrounding country. Every young man in this locality should join this movement. A
patriotic day will be held here Saturday, May 12th, and everyone is urged to attend.
Several prominent speakers will be present. Captain W.W. Austin of the machine gun
company will be here and make a demonstration both afternoon and evening. Bring the
entire family; it will be a meeting of great interest to both young and old.
In the May 18, 1917 special gazette the announcement was made – “Machine
Gun Company located here”
“The local committee of the machine gun co. received word yesterday from state officials
stating that the machine gun company of the 4th Illinois Regiment would be located at
this place. The boys are highly elated over being able to get the company located here,
as several other places much larger than Dieterich were making strong efforts. More
that 70 young men of this community signed within a period of a few days stating that
they were willing to enlist, which speaks well of the boys and has been proven that the
state officials were favorably impressed with the voluntary enlistment. Each regiment is
entitled to but one machine fun company and the citizens of Dieterich are rejoicing over
being able to get it located here.
“Physical examinations will be held here Monday, May 21 st, and all members are
urged to be present. If you have a friend who would like to join this company, bring him
with you, as the boys are anxious to increase their number to at least a hundred. Join a
home company, which consists of all homeboys. Headquarters will be at Effingham
until the company is fully organized. All drilling will be at Wellington Hall in Dieterich,
under the instructions of Captain Austin.”
Shortly afterward the men began camp. They trained for about 40 days on
ground owned by S.A. Merry, about where Glenn Kibler now lives. Inside training was
done in the Wellington Hall, upstairs over the present Wright Furniture Store.
On June 17,1917 they were sent to Camp Logan, Texas and were in training
there until February 28, 1918.
They were then sent to Brest, France in the Amiens Sector. Their first battle was
at Mallense Biose. The company was never out of the trenches until the armistice was
signed November 11, 1918. They were given draftess twice to bring the company up to
strength of 170 men. Five times men replaced others that had been wounded. None of
the original company as it left Dieterich was killed. One may 31, 1919 the machine fun
company arrived back home in Dieterich at 1 A.M.
Members of the company as it left Dieterich were:
Captain:
Lieutenants:
Sergeants:
Corporals:
Cooks:
Mechanics:
Privates:
Include:
Grady O’Hair
Carl McKinney, Claude Austin, Farris C. Jackson.
Elmer H. Fritscher, Irl A. Field, Frederick Reinhard, Hugh J. Austin,
Grant W. Fritscher, William H. Zeimer, Ernest B. Foster, Jarius C.
Sheldon, Milton A. Martin, Earl M. Rahil, Paul J. Frankenstein.
Eugene Caffery, Lonzo M. Calvert, Alfred D. Marks, Alpha Wooley,
Myron L. Fritscher, Harvey A. Pulliam, John W. Hinds
Terry Wakefield, Arthur J. Guyan, Otto Schwartz
Earl B. Givson, Alva Cronkite
William B. Bruner, Herman Bartels, Guy O. Burns, Emery Blunt,
Ivan C. Bounds, Harry B. Carter, Harold C. Crays, Clarence Cornwell,
Jesse M. Comstock, Cole Y. Comstock, William R. Comstock,
Herman Davis, Harvey Dye, Gilbert Gaddey, Edwin C. Givson,
Joseph C. Hutmacher, Ersel Hubbard, Edmund Hubbard,
Audrine Hubbard, Edward J. Hutmacher, Omer B. Hester,
Charles L. Hicks, Dewey Kraas, Virgil Lake, Preston Lake,
Andrew I. Lewis, Carl E. Mason, Orph McCoy, Frank E. Niendiek,
Oden M. Poynter, Joseph R. Randolph, Floyd Rhoads, Joseph A.
Ruegger, Christ Steffens, Sherman Stockwell, Cyrus Toland, Leonard
Wakefield, Albert F. White, Ethelbert Ward, Garrett C. Woody, Ezra F.
Wright, Ervin Webb, Eldred A. Webster, Ona J. Williams, Henry J.
Weichert, Aaron C. Weger, George B. Whightsel, Loren J. Weymouth.
OTHER WORLD WAR I VETERANS FROM BISHOP TOWNSHIP
A. H. Westendorf, Ben F. Deters, Arthur D. Field, Nick Steffen, JR.,
Gust E. Draves, William Miller, Henry Niemerg, Joseph Worman, JR.,
Fred G. Fritscher, Theodore Bierman, Edward Draves, Ben Voss,
Otto Koehler, Henry Voss, JR., Anthony Niemerg, Fred Blunt,
Fred J. Krause, Herbert G. Bartels, Lloyd Wiles, Rex Adams, Emery Melson,
George Wohltman.