D 609 .U7 B5 Copy 1 609 J7 B5 opy 1 BIDWELLS in the WORLD WAR ^ Bidwells in the World War COMPILED BY FREDERICK DAVID BIDWELL ALBANY. N. Y. ALBANY J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS I 920 i^^°V .\A OCT 2 !920 F OUR HONORED ONES AITHFUL in every kind of work That helped to make our land A better place in which to live Were found the Bidwell band. Back thru the years in times of peace; In literature, law and art, As teacher, doctor, clergyman Each one had done his part. And suddenly when the scene was changed And peace gave place to war. Their talent and their strength they gave, More willing than before. We follow them in camp and field, Private and officer, khaki-clad. Four gave their lives for democracy's cause. But cherished in memory is each brave lad. As correspondent there was one Who crossed when first was sounded The call to war; and five there were Who nursed the sick and wounded. The Bidwells honor within this book Their own who bore the test; Those few who have earned in war's grim play A place in the hearts of the rest. We'll greet our living, grace our dead. In present praise, and more — In will to find by them still led New quests on a wider shore. Irene Bidwell, Appleton, Wisconsin. 3 TJ Marion Ethel Bidwell Lieutenant Robinson Edward Bidwell Frank Alvin Bidwell Bidvvells in the World War THE Bidwell Family is a small one widely scattered thruout the world, but it is an intensely patriotic iamily and has performed its full share in every crisis which has risen upon the world's horizon. It is fitting to conmience this short recital with the name of our family's most distinguished member, Daniel Doane Bidwell of East Hartford, Connecticut. He made six trips to England, France and Italy during the war. He was in the north of France with a part of Sir John French's army in August 1914; was in Lille when the Germans marched in and was wounded there on September 2, 1914 by a German bayonet; was in Meaux three days after the battle of the Marne. He was the first American war corre- spondent to sail from New York City on an American steamship after our country entered the war. He was under the Zepp squadron in the silent raid of October 18, 1917. Four Bidwells young in years but strong in heroism made the supreme sacrifice. Lieutenant Robinson Edward Bidwell of Red Bluff, California, was killed August 2, 1918, about nine miles south of Dallas, Texas, while making a cross country flight. His aeroplane caught fire when about two thousand feet in the air and descended in flames. At about five hundred feet he leaped to avoid the fire and was killed by the fall. He was but twenty years of age and as a member of the National Guard he served on the Mexican border in 1916. He transferred to the aviation service in October, 1917. It was on October 17, 1918 that Frank Alvin Bidwell of Troy, New York, received his mortal wound, having his hip blown off by shrapnel. He died the next day in 5 a hospital at Roisel, France, and his body lies buried in Rolles Cemetery near the Somme River. He was thirty- six years old. He served on the Mexican border during 1916 and in 1917 did guard duty on railways and barge canal locks in New York State. On May 17, 1918, his regiment, the 105th Infantry, sailed from Newport News, Virginia, for France. As a member of Company A, he participated in all the engagements of the 27th Division, such as East Paperinghe Line, Dickebusche sector, Vier- staat Ridge, The Knoll, Guillemont Farm, Quenmemont Farm, and Saint Soupleton on the LaSalle River. By command of General John F. O'Ryan he was awarded a citation for courage and determination in carrying a mes- sage to company headquarters thru heavy machine gun fire. Everett Bidwell of Carlisle, Indiana, answered his country's call May 2, 1918. He took training at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, and went to France September 2, 1918 with the 327th Field Artillery, 84th Division Battery A. He was a fine gunner. He died of pneumonia October 7, 1918 and was buried in Grave 21, American Cemetery, at Montagne, Department of the Gironde, France. His brother, Roy Bidwell, served in the navy, having enlisted April 19, 1909, and for four years saw service on the battleship " Virginia," and then for two years on the cruiser " Brooklyn." His term of service had expired September 2, 1915, but the call of action became too strong, and so on March 17, 1918 he enlisted again and was sent to the Hazelhurst Flying Field at Mineola, New York. He also was a fine gunner. It was not until September 2, 1919 that he received his discharge. Another brother, Floyd Bidwell, enlisted September 5, 1918 and served in the Depot Brigade of the 57th Company of the 5th Regiment until December 20, 1918, when he was discharged from service. 6 A cousin, Melvin Robert Bidwell, enlisted March 1 7, 1918 and was sent to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. From there he went to France, serving in the medical corps. He was under shell fire at Chateau Thierry, and was there cited for his bravery. He was again cited on the Saint Mihiel front. He received his discharge from the service on July 1, 1919. Hurley Bidwell of Dugger, Indiana, enlisted May 2, 1918 and saw service at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, as sergeant in the quartermasters corps. Colonel Reginald F. Bidwell in command of 101st Grenadiers of the British army served for two years in the campaign in East Africa, where he contracted severe illness and was invalided back to India. He was obliged to resign command of the regiment. Colonel Bidwell is a younger brother of the Bishop of Ontario, Edward John Bidwell, of Kingston, Canada. Bishop Bidwell's son, Roger Edward Shelford Bidwell, at the age of seventeen passed out of the Naval College of Canada in 1917, when he joined the British fleet in the North Sea, serving on the battleship " Canada." He is now sub-lieutenant and is serving on the battleship *' Defiance." Bishop Bidwell's daughter, Miss Gertrude Molly Bid- well, served as nurse at various camps in England in 1915 and 1916. In 1916 she married Captain J. F. Meredith of the Canadian oversea expeditionary force. Another daughter. Miss Dorothea Bidwell, was a nurse at the Marine Hospital, Walmer, England, in 1917, and at the Third London General Hospital in 1918 and 1919. Lieutenant Claude Bidwell of the Hampshire Regiment of the British army was killed by a sniper in September 1916. His brother. Lieutenant Thomas Bidwell, of the Grenadier Guards of the British army, suffered severe shell shock. He served from 1917 until just before the armistice. 7 These two young men were the sons of Arthur Southwell Bidwell of East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Bishop Bidwell's sister, Mrs. A. W. Jackson, was a nurse in various hospitals in England thruout the war, and a niece of Bishop Bidwell, Miss Augusta Bidwell, was a nurse at the Norwich Hospital, England, receiving the first class cross in recognition of her services. From Cortland, New York, went two brothers to fight for their country. They were Frank Augustus Bidwell, aged thirty-three years and Robert Bruce Bidwell, aged twenty-four years. The elder brother went oversea on March 28, 1918 as a member of Company C, 305th Machine Gun of the 77th Division. He participated in the engagements on the Vesle, at Verdun, and in the Argonne. He was wounded November 4, 1918, receiving a gunshot wound in the back and neck. The younger brother went oversea on May 18, 1918 as a member of Company I, 108th Infantry, which was part of the 27th Division. He participated in a number of engagements and was wounded on September 29, 1918. From Chattanooga, Tennessee, went Lieutenant John Thomas Bidwell, commissioned at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, May 15, 1917. At LeMans, France, he served as an instructor at a large training center, and later was claim officer in the rents, requisitions and claims service at Nogent le Rotrou. A young lady, Miss Marion Ethel Bidwell of Glaston- bury, Connecticut, served as a nurse at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. She received her discharge from service July 20, 1919. It was in October 1917 that she received her diploma after a three years' training course at the Hartford Hospital. Doctor Edwin Hamilton Bidwell of Niles, Michigan, received a commission from Surgeon General William C. Gorgas in April, 1917, and was detailed to base hospital 8 service. His son, Edwin Clarke Bidwell, volunteered at the age of nineteen and was commissioned a quartermaster in the United States navy in March, 1917. He saw over- sea service on the Mine-sweeper, " Thrush." He was released on August II, 1919. Perhaps the youngest bugler in the naval reserve force was Joseph Barry Bidwell, son of Daniel Doane Bidwell, who was not quite seventeen when he enlisted, March 5, 1918. He served at the Bridgeport base. He is now in the United States navy. Captain Alfred Morrell Bidwell was commissioned first lieutenant in the medical corps, August 4, 191 7. Later he was promoted captain and attached to base hospital No. 69 at Savenay, France. Everett Barbour Bidwell of East Hartford, Connecticut, enlisted in the United States naval reserve force in 1917 and performed duty mainly on Long Island Sound. Enter- ing as a seaman he was promoted boatswain's mate first class before his discharge in July 1919. He entered the service at the age of twenty-four. His brother, Leonard Bidwell, was a member of the Home Defense Corps. Lieutenant Charles Oscar Bidwell of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, enlisted July 5, 1917, and was sent to Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, for training. Later he was trans- ferred to the officers' training school at Camp Meade, Mary- land, where he received his commission June I, 1918. He then served in the depot brigade at Camp Devens, Massa- chusetts, and was scheduled to sail for France, November 1 , 1918, but did not leave. He was mustered out January 23, 1919 at Camp Upton, Long Island. Berton Thomas Bidwell of Collinsville, Connecticut, answered his country's call on October 3, 1917 and received training both at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was a member of Company D, 307th Supply Train (Motor) of the 82d Division and 9 before going to France he was in the habit of going to Detroit, Michigan, for new trucks to be shipped across, driving them to Baltimore, Maryland, He arrived in France, July 11, 1918, and first went into action July 17, 1918 at the Toul sector. He afterwards participated in the engagements at the Marbache sector. Saint Mihiel sector, and the Meuse-Argonne. He was discharged from service May 13, 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. From one Bidwell home at Hartford, Connecticut, went three brothers to carry their country's standard in foreign lands. Lieutenant Earle Stanley Bidwell, the eld- est brother, received his commission at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in August 1917. He chose the field artillery as his place of activity and in the spring of 1918 he went to France. The second brother. Lieutenant Harold Francis Bidwell, received his commission in August, 191 7 at Platts- burg. New York, [^e left for France the first part of September, 1917, being attached to the United States Marine Corps. The youngest brother, Clyde Chester Bid- well, enlisted in the naval aviation service in May, 1918, Leaving Dartmouth College in 1918 Harold Frederick Bidwell of Bloomfield, Connecticut, enlisted in the medical corps at Fort Slocum, New York. Edward Winthrop Bidwell of Collinsville, Connecticut, enlisted as dental assistant on July 5, 1917, and as a member of the 102d Regiment, 26th Division, arrived at Saint Nazaire, France, on October 5, 1917. He participated in the engagements at Chemin Des Dames sector, Toul sector. Saint Mihiel offensive, Verdun sector, and Meuse-Argonne offensive. He was mustered out of service April 29, 1919. Edgar Merritt Bidwell of Middletown, Connecticut, left for France, February 27, 1918, with the 26th Engineers. He took part in the Saint Mihiel drive and after the armistice went as far as Luxemburg. He was mustered out April 1 , 1919. 10 William John Bidwell of Binghamton, New York, enlisted in the telegraph battalion of the United States signal corps. Lyle Bidwell of Tryonville, Pennsylvania, went to France as mess sergeant of the veterinary corps. Ralph Spencer Bidwell of Glastonbury, Connecticut, was in training at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, from which he was discharged January 28, 1919. From South Manchester, Connecticut, two brothers, Her- bert Alfred Bidwell and Raymond Lyman Bidwell, went into training. The elder brother, Herbert Alfred Bidwell, was discharged from Camp Devens, Massachusetts, Janu- ary 28, 1919. The younger brother, Raymond Lyman Bidwell, was discharged from Camp Aberdeen, Maryland, March 19, 1919. Being a cavalryman prevented Herbert Jackson Bidwell of Sidney Center, New York, from going to France. But he served on the Mexican border thruout the war and is still on duty there. This is but a partial resume of Bidwell activities. The writer apologizes to those Bidwells whose names have been omitted and also to those whose records have not been given as complete as they should have been. From the earliest days when the Bidwells were members of colonial train bands they have been especially active in the artillery branch of military service. 11 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 020 935 825 6 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 020 935 825 6 ^ Metal Edge, Inc. 2006 RAT.