REMEMBERING MIDDLEBORO SOLDIERS LOST IN WW1

…………………….By Bob Lessard, Historian Post 64 American Legion.........Fifteen Middleboro residents, who were serving their country in World War 1, lost their lives during the conflict declared against Germany on April 6, 1917. Fourteen military men and Red Cross Nurse Nina Louise Seymour were among Middleboro’s casualties. ………..An influenza epidemic caused nine of Middleboro’s military to lose their lives due to the flu or pneumonia. ………..NINA LOUISE SEYMOUR lost her life as a volunteer nurse due to pneumonia while administering medical help to our soldiers at a Red Cross hospital in Toul France. She had been a member of the Middleboro Visiting Nursing Association prior to her volunteering to serve overseas. She had been in France for only a month when she died at the age of 26 years. …………Others who lost their lives due to disease/flu/ or pneumonia include in alphabetical order were: Harold R. Ashley, Francis P. Breck, William Green, Isaac Griffin, Daniel McLeod, Joseph Meglio, William H. Messer, Fred A. Robinson, Harry M. Rogers. ………… A brief biographical sketch for some of those Middleboro casualties of disease for whom we have information follows: ……………. HAROLD R. ASHLEY, born August 10, 1887, worked in the cutting room of the George E. Keith Company. Entered service August 30, 1918. Prior to his induction he was a shoe cutter for the George E. Keith Company. Assigned to Camp Upton, New York, he died of pneumonia on September 28, 1918 at the age of 30 years. His grave is located in Central Cemetery. …………..FRANCIS P. BRECK, a member of the United States Navy, died on November 6, 1917 while at the training station in Newport, Rhode Island. He was the son of Dr. Samuel Breck. …………..WILLIAM GREEN, mustered into the United States Marine Corps, 51st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment, American Expeditionary Forces on April 26, 1917.. He lived on Bedford Street with his mother before entering the service. He was Private and died somewhere in France of disease. ……………. ISAAC C. GRIFFIN, entered the United States Army at the age of 26 on June 24, 1918. He had been a shoemaker at the Leonard, Shaw and Dean factory. He was with the 19th Company of the Depot Brigade at Fort Devens when he died of disease September 22, 1918. He was the son of Mrs. Charles Tripp of South Middleboro. …………… DANIEL McCLEOD, joined the Naval Reserve on April 16, 1918. He was 23 years old and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Colin McLeod of Crowell Street. Previously, he had been employed as a Brakeman for the NY. NH. & H railroad. He was a Seaman 2nd Class on the battleship Maine at Hampton Roads, Norfolk, VA., when he died on October 1, 1918 after a week’s sickness, described as influenza and pneumonia. He is buried in Central Cemetery. ……………JOSEPH MEGLIO, at age 28, he was drafted (Number 969) and entered the United States Army on May 27, 1918. He had worked on Centre Street in George Jamison’s Shoe fix company. He was serving with the 314th Infantry Company C in France. He contracted pneumonia and died on October 20, 1918. His wife Rose, living in Brockton, was notified of his death by the War Department. ……………..WILLIAM H. MESSER, born in Middleboro in 1898, he had previously been a member of the Massachusetts National Guard as a Private. His unit transferred into the 104th Infantry and he was shipped overseas on October 3, 1917. Where it was reported that he served in an artillery unit. ………………He had been promoted to Private First Class on November 1, 1917. He was later hospitalized in December suffering from pneumonia and tuberculosis. He died on December 17. 1917. He had a brother Benjamin F. who was a Private serving with the Military Police. His sister, Miss Florence Messer was living at Fall Brook Farm, when notified of his death. ……………….FRED M. ROBINSON, born in Nova Scotia in 1890, he had worked in the dressing room of the George E. Keith Middleboro factory. He joined the United States Army on April 26, 1918 and served with the Infantry as a musician. He shipped overseas on July 7, 1918, according to sources. He transferred to an Engineer section, where he was reportedly involved in some actions. He died at 27 in France from disease. He left a wife F.A. Robinson of 21 Everett Street. ……………….HARRY M. ROGERS, he was mustered into the service on June 24, 1918 and was assigned to Camp Devens with the 19th Company Depot Brigade. He had been home to 17 Forest Street for a visit when he contracted pneumonia. He died on September 21, 1918 at the age of 26. He was the only son of Mr. & Mrs. Albert N. and Lizzie Rogers. He is interred in Central Cemetery. ………………Five Middleboro men were killed in action during WW1. They include John F. Glass (see January 5, 2017 edition of the Gazette page A4), Roger L Keedwell, Simeon L. Nickerson, Charles E. Reed and Joseph G. Rose. ……………..As we observe the 100th anniversary of World War 1, the Gazette will publish other articles related to Middleboro’s history during that period.