Ferris Wellman Myrice diary

Ferris W. Myrice, WWI diary - 1918-1919

[at top of page] Copied from small note book

Cities and Towns I’ve been in - Europe after leaving for Italy

Letter from Commander

From Colonel William Wallace, 332nd Infantry.
To: The Officers and Enlisted men of the 332nd Inf.
Subject: The 332nd Infantry, U.S.A. in Italy.

The Italian Campaign of the 332nd Infantry has been exceedingly credible. The Government, State and friends of the Regiment have reason to be greatly pleased and the soldiers composing it to be rather proud of themselves and of each other for the excellent manner in which they have adjusted themselves through many trying experiences.

The Regiment had two missions, one, to fight if occasion arose. The other, to act as a propaganist or diplomatic agent.

As to the fighting, some regretted not being thrown into battle immeadiatly on arrival. This could not be. There was no fighting taking place, the activity on the Italian front consisting solely in the exchange of occasional artillery complements. More over we were not sufficiently trained. So the time that might have been wasted in boresome guard duty in unhealthy trenches was spent in better fitting us to fight. The result was that no other Regiment ever underwent so thorough a course of battle tactics as did this under the tutelage of Major Allegrette's, 23rd Assalt Bat. of Ardittes. It was as near the real thing as training can be made. And for those who still cherish regret for lost time, it may be said, that there seemed to be more warlike activity around the training camps of the 332nd than at any other place on the Italian Front. The instruction was ideal and marred only by the deplorable accident which killed six and injured 50.

Owing to the, he place and the occasion, these comrades of ours are and should be held as reverently in our memories as tho their death and wounding had occurred in combat with the enemy.

In order to hold a place for the Regiment when the advance should take place and actual fighting begin, one battalion was sent to take over a section of the Piane trenches. It received high praise from all superiors for its conduct there. Three weeks later the rest of the regiment was moved to Trenso to be put in readiness for the expected offensive. Ten days hard marching followed. No doubt it hurt, but if it had not been exacted, the Regiment despite its previous training, would never have reached the Tagliament With any integrity left. As it was, when the order to move against the Austrians came in and crossing the Piane the hard marches that insued were accomplished in a manner that would have been creditable to veterans. We were honored by being made during the advance, the Advance guard, of the 31st Italian Division (major general De Angelis) of the tenth British Army, (General Coran). That is we were an American Regiment in an Italian Division of a British Army, and in a position showing utmost confidence by both our Allies. That the Regiment did not fail this confidence, the attached letters by our Generals fully show.

During the advance, Austrian rear guard action by means of machine gun patrols and nests were momentarily expected and, in all, probability, heavier and more determined stands at river crossings. But the Austrians seemed bent only on getting away and paused only to break all bridges to delay our march. Not until the Tagliamento was reached on November 3d was it possible to catch up. Here (at Ponte della Deligna) the enemy made a slight opposition to our crossing. The 2d Bat. was ordered to clear the way. During the night it field across a narrow plank bridge and deployed in position in the gravel bed of the river. About four platoons of the others Battalions had forced the river during the day and were in position farther to the right. Sixteen machine guns were in place in the line. The 3d Bat. awaited on the bank up the river and the 1st Bat. stood in readiness as Reserve, both to be called upon to reinforced thatail if by any chance it should be checked. At 5 A.M. the attacking line advanced. The Austrain machine guns and riflemen opened fire upon our advanceing line. The line however moved steadily forward and in about 20 minutes charged, going over the top in a line as perfect at a drill and with a cheer that could have been heard a mile, the the position and started the pursuit only one man was killed and six wounded. The Austrian fire had swept the ground only a short distance to the rear of the advancing single line. The 2d Bat. was holded at Lodroipo, four miles to the front, and the only engagement of the campaign was completed. Small as it was it showed your metal and it proved pure gold.

Cpl. Charles A. Kell, the American killed was probably the last man of any Allied nations to lay down his life for our just cause on the Italian front. At 11 A.M. the Armistice was signed and the war, one of whose great purposes was the restoration of Italy's integrity was won. Italy's ancient foe was humbled beyond possibility of recovery, her lost provinces reconquered, and let us hope, her people again cemented together in bonds of lasting loyalty to her good King and Government.

To have had your part in all this and played that part well is great credit to yourselves and a good heritage of honor for your children. As for the diplomatic part of the mission. That was of deepest concern In a land where the language was unspoken by us, where many ideas, customs, and manners differed radically from our own, where the people were sensitive and likely to jarred by one American brusquerros, for 4000 of us to live and march among them for 4 months without a note of friction, is simply marvelous. What praise you may get for having "the fighting spirit" is as nothing in comparison to the credit due all for the self restraint that imposed upon your selves a more tempered conduct than we are likely to employ even at home.

In the reorganization of the Regiment back in France when it was ordered to Italy, it was asked that it might be made up, not only of soldiers but gentlemen, without any of the latter's bad habits, such as late rising and certain prejudices against work. That was a joke - a dread then - but a reality now.

You have more than fulfilled expectations.

Thank you -

William Wallace
Colonel, 332nd Infantry
Commanding

Purchased book - July 30, 1918
At Villa Franca, Italy

Notes

Mrs. Marriott/Hazel Shirley 621 w. 1st St. Long Beach - Cal

Havery Rutler - Base-Hos. C.S. hermen

Reich Coffin 126 Chesnut st Albany N.Y.

Margaret Cottrell 232 E 4th St Greenville T Agosta - Ohio

Inez Beck, Greenville Ohio 1427 Harrison St.

Robert Munn - Portage Ohio

Ulilah Johns - Sherwood Ohio

Pres. A.G. Cares Defiance Ohio 20 College Place

Milton Ronshien - Cadis, Ohio

Inez Tebay Spring Valley ______ Moore - Montana

J.C. Bates - 150 7th St. Chillicothe, Ohio Phone - 191 Y - Home

Discharge from U.S. Army Filed and recorder May 3 - 1919 Defiance Co. - Vol. 2 - page 332

Record at C Logan
200 St Jr Leaf 4404444454-37
200 ________ 353454435-40
300 Prone 34454454-40
200 St Jr leaf 5554444433-41
300 Prone 530543333000-21

Rifle No - 103397
Serial No. - 1974934
Company No. 204
__________________ at C. Logan

Slow Fire.
200 yd St. Jr Leaf 4354534444-40
300 " Prone SB 3442444444-36
200 " Sitting 44443 -19 38
200 " Kneeling 50444 -17 34
300 " Prone 4433344454-38

Rapid Fire
200 " St. Jr Leaf 5555455554 - 48
300 " Prone SB " 5555055530 - 38

Slow Fire with Bayonet
200 " St Jr Battle 4434444443 - 38
300 " Prone SB 3443434443 - 36

Rapid Fire with Bayonet
200 " St Jr. Battle 5553055333 -37
300 " prone " 4403055550 -36