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Photo Source
Calmer Thomas Clemmons
Supply, Brunswick County, NC
National Guard
Corporal
Served:
May 5, 1917 – February 28, 1919
Overseas:
May 11, 1918 – January 30, 1919
Wounded: September 29, 1918; October 16/18, 1918
Calmer Thomas Clemmons was born, raised, and lived most of his life in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, NC.
On May 5, 1917, at the age of 22, Calmer enlisted in the NC National Guard by way of the Boys’ Brigade, as described in a previous post.
In October, the 30th Division was created from NC National Guard units. Cpl Calmer Clemmons was assigned to Company F, 119th Infantry, 30th “Old Hickory” Division.
Previous posts described training with the 30th Division at Camp Sevier, SC, the transportation to France, and events up to and including the Hindenburg Line assault.
Recall the following description of the operation.
Photo Source
Very early in the morning of September 29th the 60th brigade [119th Infantry, 120th Infantry, and 115th Machine Gun Battalion], with some units of the 117th regiment, assaulted this terrible line on a front of 3,000 yards, captured the whole Hindenburg system, then advanced still further and took the tunnel system with all the German troops hidden in it and next captured the towns of Bellicourt, Nouroy, Riqueval, Carriere, Etricourt, the Guillaine Ferme (farm) and Ferme de Riqueval; in this part of the assault advancing 4,200 yards and defeating two German divisions of average quality and taking from these (the 75th and 185th) 47 officers and 1,434 men. – Source
Cpl Clemmons was slightly wounded during the heroic assault on the Hindenburg Line on September 29, 1918. This injury was reported on his NC WWI Service Card. But he faced more serious injuries a few weeks later. Details of that battle will be covered in later posts, as several Brunswick County men were wounded during that time.
Source: Rockingham post-dispatch. [Rockingham, NC], December 05, 1918, p. 9
Cpl Calmer Clemmons was seriously wounded on October 16 [NC WWI Service Card] or 18 [119th Roster]. The date was probably recorded incorrectly because Cpl Clemmons was initially reported missing.
Cpl Clemmons never returned to service due to the seriousness of his injuries, which are unknown. On January 22, 1919, he left US Army Base Hospital No. 40 in Southern England and boarded USS Plattsburg to New York. The passenger list stated that all passengers were “Walking Cases.” [Source: ancestry.com]
The Charlotte Observer [Charlotte, NC] 1919 Feb. 13, p. 14 reported the following.
52 Carolina Soldiers, Wounded, Arrive Here
Sent to Camp Greene Base Hospital for Medical and Reconstruction Treatment.
Fifty-two Carolina soldiers, wounded in action in France but now almost well again, from a New York army hospital, arrived at the base hospital at Camp Greene for medical and reconstructive treatment, according to information given out there yesterday. With relatively few exceptions these men formerly were with the famous Thirtieth division. Others were with labor battalions, medical corps unit and artillery regiments.
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Corporal Calmer Clemmons, Company F, 119th infantry.
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Bugler William R. Smith, Machine Gun company, 322d infantry.
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Bugler William R. Smith was also from Brunswick County. His WWI Profile is coming soon.
If you would like to help us honor Calmer Thomas Clemmons or another Brunswick County WWI veteran, please use the following links:
Click here for the announcement: Announcement: Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran
Click here for directions to donate and honor a veteran: How to Honor a Brunswick County World War I Veteran
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