Alfred John Wilson

[Hagar]

My grandfather, Alfred John Wilson, served in Europe during World War 1, probably having something to do with balloons, possible 8th Balloon Company. I have a few photographs which folks might find interesting. My hope is that people might be able to provide tidbits of information about him or his unit or his activities. When he died in 1972, he never talked about it but his son, my father, said he served in WW1. My father served in the Pacific as a machine gunner during WW2, and I served as a grunt Corpsman during Vietnam. I have no kids so the tradition ends with me. I wish I could have one more conversation with my grandfather.

The photographs:




My Grandfather. Note his tin flack jacket and all trees blown away behind him.




Written on the back "Balloon in Bed".




"Balloon Winch". Interesting to note that the helmets worn here are different than my grandfather's above.




"Truck Train" apparently in Europe.




"Brabant", Belgium?



"Newport News" (leaving or departing?)

[Hagar]

"Basket Loul". They were sure brave men. If I could get their names I would love to get this image to their descendants. Is Loul a location?



"Our Camp in Loul" but where is Loul? I googled it but could not figure it out.



"Barber and Taylor". Friends? He took very few images of people so these are special for some reason.



"Our train", but in Europe or in the US?

And finally:



"German Prisoners".

I have many more photos, some of which I could put up if interested but some I will not, that show dead Germans and horses and blown up cannons.

My grandfather was born in 1898 in Trenton, New Jersey.

If anybody can add anything at all to his story I would be incredibly grateful. He was a remarkable man. He became a tool and die maker, and helped build the machines that won World War 2.

May we never again ask men to do what these men had to do.

Thank you!

['14-'18aviationcollector]

Hi Hagar,

I have an idea for you. Is it possible that the L could be a T? If so, the location could be Toul. The 25th Aero Squadron was there in 1918, so there might have been other units / squadrons such as the balloon company you suspect your grandfather belonged to during the war. Squadrons tended to move around reasonably regularly, as the front lines and operational requirements changed.

Thanks very much for posting the photos!

Regards,

David.

[tcrean7828]

Mate,
Welcome to the flagship of the Aerodrome - where the greatest minds on the planet get together and talk about their favorite subject - WW1.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

P.S. Werner Voss fan here.

P.S.S. Nice pic's.

[Hagar]

Hi David, thanks for the post. The photos are in storage at my brother's home in Cleveland and will not be available until September, but you might be right. Is there a Toul, Belgium near Brabant?

I understand a book exists "The Balloon Section of the American Expeditionary Forces" with photos of the various units. I found a bookstore with a copy in good condition but it is, unfortunately, too much money but I will get it when I can. That might have his unit's photo, then maybe I can find the names of the balloon pilots. I would love to get that image to their descendants.

If there is a Toul, Belgium, I must add it to my list of places to visit before I kick the bucket. I have ordered a book of maps from World War 1. I think I sense an addiction coming on!

Thanks!

[ONEALM]

Hi Hagar -

Thanks for posting those shots. Interesting stuff....

I have a copy of the Balloon Section book - they are tough to get a hold of and expensive if your do manage to locate one. Mine is falling apart and missing a couple pages and I still paid $100+ for it....

The good news is, the 8th BC section is intact. You g'father is listed
Wilson, Afred J. from 13 Montgomery Place, Trenton, NJ. The short history proves Tomcrean was paying attention and his suggestion was right on the money - The unit arrived at Toul on 2 August 1918.

Unfortunately the personnel list does not included anyone named Barber or Taylor. Maybe from a local infantry unit or maybe another BC unit nearby.

Brabant was Brabant-en-Argonne, France where the unit arrived on 20 September 1918.

The shot of Newport News may have been taken on the return trip. The unit history says they left from Hoboken, NJ aboard the RMS Adriatic on 31 January 1918. It's a little unusual that they would have returned to Newport News, but the unit history is mum on this having been completed before they departed France ! There may be something more in the Gorrell Reports on that point.

The the NJ Bureau of Archives and History on State Street in Trenton has a collection of "unofficial" service records of most all of NJ's WW I soldiers. The records were collected in 1921 by the State Adjutant General and are pretty complete. They give a decent synopsis of promotions, enlistment and transfers.

They are called "NJ Adjutant General Unofficial Service Records" and I'm relatively certain your grandfather's records will be on microfilm reel # 543. Contact the archives online - you can order copies for about $1 a page and there will likely only be 2 pages for your g'father.

If you need a hand, please let me know. I've seen thousands of these records from this record group and can interpret the abbreviations if need be.

Drop me a PM with your mailing address and I'll snail-mail and I'll copy the 4 or 5 pages of the 8th BC stuff from the Balloon Section book for you. Like I said, my copy is falling apart - which makes it easier to copy individual pages....

Hope this helps,
Mike

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Hagar!

Interesting photographs ... it is unfortunate that memories of your grandfather remain untold.

The 8th Balloon Company was formed on the 4th of November, 1917 at Fort Omaha in Nebraska and the unit became operational on the 8th of February, 1918 with the commanding officer Lieutenant M.L. Witherup. Sent to the field as a training unit at Cuperly, the 8th Balloon Company was forced to abandon the facilities by German forces and was moved about; to Romilly-sur-Seine, Marigny-le-Chatel, Haussimont, La Courtine and then to Royameix and worked with the 4th Army Corps.

The balloon, operated by Cleo J. Ross and Harvey Holland, was attacked three times and sustained damage on each occasion and eventually had to be scrapped.

The majority of the balloon companies were concentrated in the Toul area to support the offensive of St. Mihiel. The 8th Balloon Company moved to Rattantout prior to arriving at Recicourt. The unit was to follow the advance of the 1st Army, 5th Army Corps and did not stay in one location for more than a few days.

On September 26, operating in the vicinity of Brabant-en-Argonne Ross and Herbert B. Hudnut, while aloft were attacked and the balloon was set afire. Both men jumped, but, debris from the balloon set the parachute of Ross alight while Hudnut was able to land safely. Ross was to be the only balloon observer to be killed by enemy action and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously while Hudnut was fortunate to survive.

Apparently the balloon was destroyed by a pilot by the name of Hebler who flew with Jasta 68 for the third of three victories confirmed, all of which were balloons, two being downed that day: September 26.

By the end of October the unit was at Montfaucon, with three other balloon companies, and while there another balloon was destroyed from which the observer Arthur Stubbs was able to parachute to safety.

On November 6 Witherup left the unit to take command of the 9th Corps Balloon Group and Lieutenant Hollis H. Jennings took command.

If you develop "balloon fever" Hagar I can recommend the following books -

Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 by Jon Guttmann - a history of the airmen who sought to down balloons during The Great War.

The Balloonatics by Alan Morris - an interesting overview of balloon operations and operators throughout The Great War

Wings of Honor by James J. Sloan, Jr. - a history of American airman in The Great War including detail of balloon operations.

America's First Eagles - something of an official history of the United States Air Service from 1917 to 1918 with information about balloon operations.

Thank you for the posting.
Salut!
Kirk