151st Depot Brigade WWI

[mslurvey]

Members

 

I am looking for what SSI may have been worn if any by the 151st Depot Brigade at FT. Devins MASS. Please read the question and the answer from WWI Nerd. Any and all responses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to Brian for his thoughtful response.

 

WWI Nerd

I am helping a fellow collector research his Grandfather and we were wondering if his unit, 151st Depot Brigade, had an SSI for the unit or could they wear the SSI of the 76th ID. Name: Angelo Leone 1895-1972 and was stationed at Fort Devins 13DEC1917 through 10SEP1918. Service #2721246

Thanks, Mason

 

Hi Mason,

I'm really not sure if there is a way to connect a Depot Brigade with a specific division.

Most recruits who were not already attached to a unit, such as a National Guard outfit, were assigned to depot brigade for their basic training.

At any time during their basic training, the men could be parceled out either individually, in groups or in its entirety to any other Army organization.

Often the ranks of a division or a regiment that was scheduled to ship out for France, but was understrength by one, ten or a hundred men, would be filled by raw recruits drawn from the nearest Depot Brigade.

Therefore, at anytime, two men, a dozen men or an entire company from a Depot Brigade that was intended to be a part of the 76th Division, might be reassigned to the nearest Port of Embarkation in order to bring the required quota of men for say an engineer regiment or a motor repair unit or a bakery company or a base hospital that was waiting to ship out up to strength.

As far as I know, the only way to know for sure where a man from the 151st Depot Brigade went would be to track down his service record, if available. There may be others on the forum who are better informed than me about how the Depot Brigade system worked, so posting a request for information may be more helpful than this reply.

Anyway, good luck,

Brian

 

[gomorgan]

I think Brian pretty well hit this one out, I don't recall any of the Depot units wearing any SSI, and reading some of the Divisional histories they moan of the constant movement of Officers/ NCO's and trained EM to fill out units heading to the AEF. The 88th Division comes to mind, I think they shipped off about two times their numbers prior to getting shipped themselves.

[patches]

Any shoulder patches would of started to been worn after October/November 1918, by then the war was going to end soon if it hadn't ended already by the time a division adopted it's patch, and even then the patches really start to be seen after the armistice for the ones that were adopted in late October, in example some patches where adopted a bit after the armistice. like Smith gives a 14 March 1919 date for the 76th Division's shoulder patch adoption.

[Salvage Sailor]

I am not familiar with Depot Brigades, but my Grandfather was in the 83rd Infantry Division and when they arrived in France, one infantry regiment plus support was sent to the Italian Front and the remaining two regiments were redesignated as the Second Depot Division (Cadre) at Le Mans tasked with training new arrivals. They still wore the SSI for the 83rd Division throughout the war.

[War Party]

This is my 2nd cousin twice removed, Elmer John Smith, of Scottsburg, Indiana. His grave marker lists him as a member of the 151st Depot Brigade. It appears he may have an overseas stripe and a shoulder patch, but it is impossible to make out. I will try to find the relative who posted this photo on Ancestry. Hopefully they will have the entire photograph which may help.

 

[atb]

It could be a silver service chevron for service in the Zone of the Interior (i.e. not overseas in the AEF). An overseas service service chevron is gold colored.