On Veterans Day, remembering the pursuit of peace and the Armistice of November 11, 1918

Some of the local men who served in the Great War; Everett Hale, Joe Downs, John Moffitt, and Alfred Wright. Their graves — along with at least 26 others in Woodbridge — are marked with the World War I medallion.

The Armistice of November 11, 1918, marked the end of fighting in World War I, a global conflict between democratic and autocratic powers. This ceasefire agreement, negotiated between the Allies and Germany, was signed in the early morning hours of November 11 in a railway carriage in the Compiègne Forest in France. The cessation of hostilities was set to take effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, symbolically bringing the war to a close. Today, we observe Veterans Day to honor this occasion and to recognize all men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces throughout our country's history.

It's worth recalling that America fought in World War I, entering the conflict in 1917, to defend democracy as a form of government and support the Allies — countries like France and the United Kingdom which advocated for self-determination and democratic governance. Opposing them were the Central Powers, which were mostly monarchies or empires with autocratic rulers. The conflict was commonly referred to as 'The Great War' at the time and for many years afterward, because of its unprecedented scale and the number of nations involved — it was the largest and deadliest conflict the world had seen up to that point. Only after World War II did people begin to refer to it as the First World War (or World War I).

The war’s outcome — after four years of relentless bloodshed — led to a lasting global shift toward democracy and inspired movements for greater democratic reforms. President Woodrow Wilson framed America’s involvement as a defense of democracy, asserting that its aim was 'to make the world safe for democracy.' This vision became a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy in the years that followed.

World War I Commemorative Medals — *Images from the collection of* *the Museum of Connecticut History**, depicting commemorative medals created by each town and city in the state.*

Here in Connecticut, an estimated 63,000 state residents served overseas in a military capacity as part of the American involvement in The Great War. After the conflict was over, many cities and towns issued service medals to their returning veterans to convey the gratitude of the community. The Museum of Connecticut History features exhibits related to World War I, including a collection of these commemorative medals and personal artifacts from Connecticut residents who served.

The materials available at the Museum of Connecticut History and elsewhere in the state document the service of soldiers from towns throughout the state. Such historic collections also provide a glimpse into how Connecticut communities came together to celebrate the end of The Great War, reflecting the widespread relief felt across the nation. But what about our local community — what can we learn of the experience of men and women in Woodbridge and Bethany?

Eaglescout sign post at Eastside Cemetery. — *Signposts like these, constructed by Eaglescout Jason Luciani at each of the cemeteries in Woodbridge, list all known service members buried in Woodbridge.*

One source of local information is the listings in each of the three Woodbridge cemeteries on the signposts constructed in 2019 by Jason Luciani for his Eaglescout Project with troop 907. Those men — and at least one woman — listed as serving from our community during The Great War are:

Among those listed as serving in World War I, there are about 30 memorial pages on the Find A Grave website collected in 'a virtual cemetery' labeled: World War I Patriots of Woodbridge and Bethany. Readers are invited to help gather additional memorial links to add to this collection. Do you know about the life stories of these or other service members from the Great War?

One such soldier was Jerome A. Downs, Jr. — my great-grandmother Nellie Downs Lounsbury's younger brother, affectionately known by his family as Joe (one of the trio raised by Alta Porter Downs (1850-1924) mentioned in last week's post on TownHistory).

Military Service Record image — *The World War I Military Service Record of Bethany, CT resident Jerome A. Downs, Jr.*

According to his Military Service Record, Joe Downs entered the armed forces on October 3, 1917, initially serving in Company F, 304th Infantry Regiment, 76th Division, at Camp Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts. He was later transferred to General Evans' Headquarters Company and promoted to Wagoner, a role involving logistical and transportation duties. Joe left Camp Devens for overseas duty on July 10, 1918, as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. Upon arriving in France, he served in the 152nd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, stationed under Army Post Office #773 with the AEF. The 76th Division, known as the Liberty Bell Division, primarily served as a replacement division, supplying reinforcements to front-line divisions.

After the Armistice on November 11, 1918, Joe was transferred to the Peace Commission on December 13, where he served in post-war peace efforts until his discharge on September 3, 1919, at the rank of Corporal. In looking through some family keepsakes recently, I came across a letter Joe Downs wrote to his mother Nellie’s aunt Nona Rathbun Johnson (1880-1948) while stationed in France just 52 days before Armistice Day in 1918 :

Joe Downs with family and letter — World War I soldier Jerome A. Downs Jr. pictured in uniform with his father Jerome Sr. and three half-brothers (twins Dwight and Kneeland, and Stanley 'Tucker' Downs), alongside Joe's letter to his grand-aunt Nona written while serving in France, shortly before Armistice Day in 1918.

The text of Joe's letter, above, written on stationary with American Y.M.C.A. letterhead, reads:

France, September 19, 1918

Dear Aunt Nona,

I received your letter the other day and have meant to have answered before but have been pretty busy. Everything is about the same as usual around here. We are having a showery day today. It rained pretty hard last night. There isn't much news to write about. I have been looking for a letter from Mildred for the last 10 days but nothing has come yet.

Dad wrote in his letter that grandma [he is referring to Alta Downs here] had just got back from camp meeting and was going again in a few days to the Advent Camp Meeting. I will send some cards in a few days of the place where we are. There is what they call Market day here today. They bring cattle —sheep, pigs, goats, chickens, geese, ducks, horses and all such things that they have to sell. There is four colts there this morning that are fine ones. Then in the town they have stands where one can buy anything imaginable. They have a market day once a month.

Sept. 20, Well I went away in a hurry and I haven't done any writing since until tonight and tonight I wrote to dad as I got a letter from him yesterday and I started a little to Mildred the 14th of Sept and I thought it was about time to finish it and seeing I was writing I thought that I would get yours on the road too. That must have been some storm that they had in Waterbury. We can get the European Edition of the N.Y. Herald + Daily Mail. It is beginning to get cold here so I will have to hurry up and get into bed. We have been having quite a lot of stormy weather lately but today it's been fine. I was out by my lonesome tonight while I wrote to Dad but it got too dark to finish.

There isn't much news as there isn't anything happening around here. Perhaps I will have more to write about the next time I write. I don't think of any more news so I will close for this time. Hope to hear from you again soon and that you are all well.

With love to all
Joe

Wagoner Jerome A. Downs Jr
152nd Inf. Brigade Hdqrs.
Army Post Office # 773
American Expeditionary Forces

At least two of the other young men from our area who served during the Great War did not make it home to their families. Their 'ultimate sacrifice' in service to our county is remembered at Eastside Cemetery in Woodbridge. One was Fred Thornhill Barnes (1891-1918), whose story was included in a TownHistory write-up on Memorial Day. And another was Everett Carleton Hale (1899-1918) who was the only son of Ernest Joy Hale and Annie Electa Perkins, and a great-grandson of Woodbridge farmer Bevil Peck Smith (1803-1879) and his second wife Electa Bradley Smith (1806-1902).

Enlisting in the Naval Reserve Force at age 17, Everett served for just sixteen months before contracting what was likely the virus later known as the Spanish Flu (1918 pandemic). After only a week-long illness, he died at the young age of 19. In his Military Service Record, a note on the final page captures his mother's sorrowful plea: “Have no good photo before entering service. Would it be possible to return photo, as it is very dear to us, being our only boy. Mother.”

Everette Hale scrapbook image — Everett Carleton Hale's entry as one influenza patient among many at the Naval Hospital in New London, his death record about a week later, his photo taken when he enlisted at age 17, the WWI monument on the New Haven Green, his gravestone at Eastside Cemetery, his name as listed on the New Haven monument plaque, and the note from his mother requesting the return of the family's cherished photo of their only son.