Three Camp Cody News Stories from Iowa

Marble Rock boys musicians Transferred to Camp Cody

When the last transfer of troops took place at Camp Cody it included two of our Marble Rock boys musicians Merland Stroud and Matt Paulas. We now have but two of our own boys at Camp Cody, Corporal Ernest Stroud and Corporal Harold McElroy. – From “Iowa Recorder” June 26, 1918

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Y.M.C.A. buildings being erected at Camp Cody

B. E Manville, local real estate dealer, accepted an offer to take charge of one of the great
Y.M.C.A. buildings being erected at Camp Cody at Deming, N. M., and has left to take up the new work. Manville volunteered to donate his ser­vices to the cause. He has charge of one of five great buildings and has five secretaries, one of whom is Ray Clearman of Oxford. – From ”Iowa Recorder” September 19, 1917

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Zella leaves for Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico

Mrs. Zella Downs-Shook leaves today for Deming, New Mexico, to remain there for a while to be near her husband who is located at Camp Cody. – From Iowa Recorder April 24, 1918

4th Nebraska And 3rd Minnesota at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico

Elmer Goeddard, Co. A 125 M. G. Bn., Camp Cody, New Mexico.

The Recorder joins with the home folks In extending greeting to the boys and we ask that should they change locations to keep us posted so the paper will follow them.

From “Iowa Recorder” – March 13, 1918

4th Nebraska And 3rd Minnesota at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico

Camp Cody Sandstorm Division Adopts Bison Head Crest

The 34th division, officially known as the Sandstorm division, has chosen as its crest something very appropriately to the country where It has been train­ed and where the drought of the past two and one half years has furnished many samples of the article chosen. The crest is a bleached bison head, reminiscent of the signature of Charles W, Russell, the famous painter of west­ern pictures.

Photographs taken of the division a few days ago, before some of Its units were moved to other stations, show the crest formed by the grouping of the men, the Illusion of the bleached bones of the head and the horns being brought out by having men with white caps or in their white under-shirts out­line the skull. The words Honor, Duty and Country are also brought out in white around the skull, and the re­mainder of the picture is made up of the dark tone of Khaki.

Sixteen thousand men are in the picture which was taken by Newman, the photographer, and close to two thousand of them are used to form the crest and the motto of the division,. The photograph Is an excellent one, clear and distinct in every detail. 3. A. Mahoney, Inc., has secured the selling agency for the Picture and the firm will also take orders for enlargements. I L. H. Whitmore, the advertising man of the Mahoney store, has made special window decorations for the display of the pictures, with a back-ground of patriotic colors, and the crowds that stop to admire the pictures come very close to blocking traffic on the side­walk in front of the store. – El Paso Herald Newspaper – Date Unknown

34th Sandstorm Division – Camp Cody – Deming, New Mexico

 

Bread For The Camp Cody Soldiers

Lt. It L. Hefly, Q. M. C., N. A., commander of bakery company 345, has 204 men making from 18,000 to 25,000 pounds of bread for the soldiers at Camp Cody each day. Fourteen army field ovens are in use. Lieutenant Hefly is from the school of bakers and cooks at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and many of his bakers followed the trade before they entered the Army service. – Deming Headlight 14 June 1918

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The 68th comprising 6,000 men is back from a week’s hike in the Tyrone and Hurley area. Colonel E. D. Luce commands. – Deming Graphic” – May 1918

Bake Ovens – Camp Cody, New Mexico

Camp Cody Engineer Regiment Will Build Road

The 109th Regiment of Engineers from Camp Cody under the command of Colonel F.B. Downing and Lieut. Col. P.F. Walker will spend 10 days under canvass near Mimbres and turn the training of their men into a piece of road that will remain for many years as a monument to their visit to this section. Road building in one of the important duties which fall to the engineers and on this hike the regiment will do some real road building, a bad spot on the Mimbres road having been selected for the purpose.

The party will consist of Companies A, B, C, D, E, and F, 109th Engineers and one platoon of miners and sappers from the 133, 134, 135, and 136th Infantry, making a total of 1500 men. Their headquarters will be established near the Three Circle Ranch where water in abundant. This is one of the beautiful spots of New Mexico and it is hard to imagine that it will prove an agreeable change for the soldiers from Deming. – “The Silver City Enterprise” May 31, 1918

Mimbres Valley, New Mexico, 1918

Swift Waters Carry French Officers Of Camp Cody To Death – Part 2 of 2

Lieutenants Herbert and Jegou were well know in El Paso, having visited the University club when that organization gave a French tea lately, and had met many of the American military commanders here. French consul J. M. Romagny here knew the lieutenants well and was anxiously waiting news of their having been found. He said Lieutenant Jegou arrived here at the time of the only big snowfall last winter and met Captain Clavel, senior French officer at Camp Cody, in this city and went to the consulate. Mr. Romagny said the officers were veterans of long service since the beginning of the war. Herbert was of the Chasseurs and artillery instructor. Jegou was a bombing teacher. – El Paso Herald Newspaper – Saturday, July 27, 1918

French Officers Funeral – Deming, New Mexico

Swift Waters Carry French Officers Of Camp Cody To Death – Part 1 of 2

American Driver Also Lost

Lieutenant Fernand Herbert, of the French army, and Sergeant Ernst Picard, of the American army, detailed to drive the officers’ automobile, were drowned Friday evening between 5 and 6 o’clock, when their car, driven into an arroyo swept by flood waters, was carried into a 50 foot hole in the Whitewater river, at a point 12 miles south of Silver City, New Mexico. Lieutenant J. Jegou, another French officer, is missing and may have been drowned. A body was found near Spalding about 19 miles downstream from the accident.

The officers, who left Camp Cody Friday, were returning to Deming. The chauffeur’s body was found near the scene of the accident. Lieutenant Herbert’s body was found near Whitewater station, the pockets of the officer’s blouse filled with mud and gravel and the face badly cut. It had floated five miles on the crest of the torrent. The French officers were instructors at Camp Cody and drove to Silver City and Tyrone, New Mexico, to visit friends.

Camp Cody Turns Out Searchers

Picard was from Worcester, Mass. With the motor park detachment. There were no American officers in the car. Colonel John T. Sayles, at division headquarters in the night, was advised by telephone fro a deputy sheriff at Silver City that a man had seen a car go into the river, which was a swift torrent because of mountain rains.

Colonel N. P. Hyatt, commanding the military police here, left immediately with a detachment of soldiers, with picks and shovels, upon learning that all the men in the car were drowned. – El Paso Herald Newspaper – Saturday, July 27, 1918

Damaged French Soldier’s Auto Brought Back to Camp Cody, Deming, NM

Southern Pacific Agent Has Offer for Camp Cody Men Leaving the Army

Mentions Opportunities For Men to Find Work Along That Railroad

Major H. M. Nelly, 34th division adjutant, in his last weekly bulletin, quotes the following letter which may be of interest to discharged soldier and organization commanders. It is from W. H. Graham, Southern Pacific railroad agent at Deming:

“It is understood that there are a great many boys being rejected from the army here, after service, and undoubtedly they have given up there positions at home, and the intention of this letter is to ask if you will kindly put me in touch with the discharging officer, or officers, that I may be able to ask their cooperation in sending such discharged soldiers to me, as I may be able to place them in railroad service somewhere along the line, if they should care to enter such service.

“We usually have something to offer in the way of warehouse and clerical positions and would, of course, want bright men who have either had previous experience, or with good education, and boys who will be able to pass our physical examinations.”

“In connection with the above, I might further mention our training school in San Francisco, where young men are giving free schooling in warehouse and clerical work and later placed in service out on the line. – El Paso Herald Newspaper – Monday, April 22, 1918

1st South Dakota Infantry at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico

Casualty List From Camp Cody, Deming, NM

Captain Smith of the “Sandstorm Division” Now in Hospital as Result of Accident

Webster City has troops on many fronts, including the Camp Cody front. Messages received today bring the news of a casualty on this sector. Captain Harold J. Smith of the “Sandstorm Division” had the misfortune to suffer four broken bones in one foot as the result of an accident a few days ago.

The captain was making his way through camp one night recently when he stumbled into an open ditch left exposed by the ditching crew, which is putting in a sewage system at the camp. Four bones were broken in one foot and Captain Smith is in the hospital. However, he expects to be out on crutches with a few days.

Time is about the only thing that counts with the injured man just now – time for his broken bones to heal and time for the division to move. The enthusiasm with which the “Sandstorm Division” contemplates moving orders bodes ill for the German army, once the Yankees arrive at their longed for destination. Captain Smith hopes to be in marching order when the transfer is made. – Webster City Newspaper – Date Unknown.

125th Machine Gun And Military Police Tents

Home From Visit at Camp Cody, Deming, NM

Mrs. Charles T. Smith is home after a three-weeks’ visit with her son, Captain Harold J. Smith, at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico. Mrs. Hyatt, who accompanied Mrs. Smith south, to visit Col. Hyatt, commander of all military trains of the division, is still at Deming, recovering from an attack of the grippe.

On the trip south the two ladies stopped at San Antonio where they saw Camp-Travis, Fort Sam Houston and the Kelly aviation field, seventy thousand soldiers being stationed there. At El Paso, they were met by Col. Hyatt and Captain Smith and the party spent several days there sight seeing.

Aside from inspecting the big military camp and visiting the many Webster City people at Deming, the ladies enjoyed trips to Silver City, Hot Springs, the big copper mines and many other points if interest withing a considerable radius of Camp Cody.

Mrs. Hyatt, who suffered quite a severe attack of grippe during her last week at camp, was unable to return home with Mrs. Smith, but is now able to be up and around, and will be home shortly. – Webster City Newspaper – Monday, February 4, 1918

Harold J. Smith – Dog Tags