Painted Parade Helmet. W.P. Sanderson

[French Sam]

Hello,

 

I pick up this helmet, 102nd FA name to W.P Sanderson :

 

 

[French Sam]

Does anyone have any information about this man ?

 

Thanks !

 

FS

 

[aznation]

Just a few possibilities. There might be more. Does someone know what those numbers (#3498 and #64713) represent? That might be a further clue to narrow down the right Sanderson.

 

 

[USMarineCorps]

What a great piece of WWI history!

[aef1917]

That's a fantastic helmet. I looked through the rosters in the histories of Battery C and Battery E, and didn't find your doughboy. He's not listed among the WIAs or decorated soldiers in the main YD history either.

[aef1917]

In the "Welcome Home" program for the 26th Division's homecoming parade, there is a Pvt. Walter Sanderson listed as a member of the Medical Dept. 102nd Inf. I suppose he could have transferred at some point, or it could just be a typo.

[David D]

That's a beautiful helmet! Maybe they put 102nd Inf instead of 102nd FA. I'd guess it was a typo.

[aznation]

I think aef1917 might be correct about Pvt. Walter Sanderson being a member of the Medical Dept. 102nd Inf. That could explain the two red crosses on the underside of the helmet, which I was wondering about in the first place.

[French Sam]

Just a few possibilities. There might be more. Does someone know what those numbers (#3498 and #64713) represent? That might be a further clue to narrow down the right Sanderson.

 

 

 

Thanks Aznation !!!

 

FS

 

[French Sam]

In the "Welcome Home" program for the 26th Division's homecoming parade, there is a Pvt. Walter Sanderson listed as a member of the Medical Dept. 102nd Inf. I suppose he could have transferred at some point, or it could just be a typo.

 

Thanks you very much AEF1917 !!! I think you are right with Walter Sanderson !

 

Thanks !

 

FS

 

[French Sam]

I think aef1917 might be correct about Pvt. Walter Sanderson being a member of the Medical Dept. 102nd Inf. That could explain the two red crosses on the underside of the helmet, which I was wondering about in the first place.

 

Totally agree with that !

 

FS

 

[AustinO]

Warren P Sanderson was a Musician 3rd Class in the HQ 102nd FA, serial # 3,498.

 

#64,713 is in the number block for the 102nd Infantry, but was assigned to a George S Sossin.

[French Sam]

Warren P Sanderson was a Musician 3rd Class in the HQ 102nd FA, serial # 3,498.

 

#64,713 is in the number block for the 102nd Infantry, but was assigned to a George S Sossin.

 

Very strange... In that case why the red cross ?...

 

[AustinO]

Common for the musicians in HQ to become stretcher bearers once the bullets start flying. Little use for the band at that point.

 

It's possible that the helmet was painted for one dougboy, and then brought home by Sanderson, who erased the first man's name and added his own. I can't understand why that other number would be on there...are we positive it's 64,713 and not 64213 or 64718? I have names for those numbers as well, they were all 102nd Infantry guys.

[French Sam]

Hello AustinO,

 

Interesting... It's strange... Painting is the same and seems to have been made at the same time...

 

 

[French Sam]

Another pic of the number , the "3" is not the same... in "3"498 and in 6471"3"

 

 

 

 

[French Sam]

The numbers "3" were not made by the same person... Strange...

[scmcgeorge]

Perhaps 64713 was his Red Cross Brassard number.... and it was not unusual for musicians to be used as stretcher bearers. Steve McG

[AustinO]

Perhaps 64713 was his Red Cross Brassard number.... and it was not unusual for musicians to be used as stretcher bearers. Steve McG

 

Now thats a workable theory!

 

Per WWI Nerd's thread here, the control numbers did go up into the 5 and 6 digit range:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/209923-us-army-brassards-armbands-1882-to-1918-part-1/

[aznation]

Wow, learn something new every day. Never knew about Red Cross Brassard numbers before. Very interesting. That's why I love this forum!

[French Sam]

Perhaps 64713 was his Red Cross Brassard number.... and it was not unusual for musicians to be used as stretcher bearers. Steve McG

 

Thanks ! Good idea !!!

 

FS

 

[French Sam]

Wow, learn something new every day. Never knew about Red Cross Brassard numbers before. Very interesting. That's why I love this forum!

 

The same for me... Totally agree !!! Great Forum !!!

 

FS

 

[world war I nerd]

Sanderson may have originally been posted to the medical detachment of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, and then for reasons unknown, he may have been transferred to the 102nd Artillery Regiment.

 

Over the course of the war the tables and organization for AEF divisions & regiments changed several times. Often the various organizations grew or were downsized based on whatever the newest organization orders were. It's within the realm of possibility that Sanderson was transferred because of the above?

 

It's true that the AEF did initially use bandsmen and musicians as stretcher bearers early in the war.

 

However, at some point (I don't recall the date off the top of my head), that practice was discontinued because too many trained musicians were getting killed or wounded.

 

Since it was a lot more difficult to replace a tuba or clarinet player, GHQ issued orders that going forward all stretcher bearers were to be selected from the ranks of the line soldiers. Often these were men selected because they had minor wounds or they were the dummies or slackers within the company.

[littlewilly]

To world war I nerd's point, bandsmen were indeed replaced by men from the front line units. I have not seen any written criteria as to who was selected as stretcher bearers, but I have in my collection SB uniforms from three individuals, none of whom were wounded. Although I cannot speak to their mental capacity, all three shared one common physical characteristic.................they were all big, presumably strong men. The process of removing a wounded man from the combat zone would be made easier if the two men assigned to that task had the strength to carry the man out over rough terrain while dodging shells, etc. A wounded man was an awkward load to carry, so I doubt if the job was given very frequently to a slightly wounded soldier. If the task was assigned to the mentally challenged or those not wanting to be a participant in the fighting, there would probably have been a rush for the job by large numbers of men in the organization! I have seen no orders that could enlighten us on the subject, but I think it would make more sense to have a couple strong men take out the wounded, if for no other reason than they could make more trips than wounded men, and probably could be counted on to return for more wounded, where a slacker would try to disappear once out of the front lines. Slightly wounded men could be used to help other walking wounded men out of the front lines, with no real need to have them come back for more, as they would be having their wounds looked at, too. MHJ

[French Sam]

Thanks guy !

 

FS