World War I Series - Russel W. Bolley

 

RUSSEL WILLIAM BOLLEY

Born in Highland Township, Defiance County, on March 27, 1896, Russell was the son of Theobald and Carrie (Demland) Bolley. His address was R.F.D New Bavaria, as Highland Township touches Henry County on the east side. His father was a longtime farmer in Highland Township.

On June 5, Russell filled out his World War I draft registration in Highland Township.  He waa a single farmer and claimed exemption as he said he had a father and mother, brother and sister to support.

His father's obituary noted that the father was a diabetic and often sickly which may be the grounds for Russell's plea for an exemption. In the end, he was not exempted, but instead called to duty and assigned as a Private in Company G, 28th Infantry Regiment, First Division.

He left for France on the ship "Grampian" on June 11, 1918.

"Grampian - Canadian Shipping Lines

The First Division, where Bolley was assigned, really took much of the front line fighting in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Russell Bolley was killed on October 6, 1918, in the midst of a terrible battle.  As described in the History of the First Division compiled and published by the Society of the First Division:

"There was never a more trying period for the First Division then October 6, 7,8, when it waited for the Army to renew the assault.  The men dug, as best they could, shallow holes for protection.  In these, they lay under a downpour of shell, gas and bullets.  Frequently, the Montrefage looked like a veritable volcano.

For hours at a time the smoke from bursting shell in the Exermont raine and in the depressions north of it, resembled forest fires.  Every valley was drenched with gas.

The casualties among the burial parties...were so numerous, they were discontinued.  All batteries were shelled in their exposed positions.  Streams of wounded flowed from every part of the zone of action. Ambulances could not operate forward...and the ever increasing groups of bodies about their receiving stations told of the wounded who died on stretchers while being brought from places where they fell.  

Corpses lay in the trails and at night one constantly avoided stumbling over them.  ...So effectively was their fire maintained that, during this period, the occupants of the hill were cut off from food and water, and, as it was afterward learned, the commanding officer of the position could neither receive nor issue orders."

Funeral Service first held in 1919 at home.

Russell W. Bolley was first buried near his place of death on the battlefield near Exermont, and then disinterred on June 7, 1919, and buried in the Argonne American Cemetery. Then, at last, on July 25, 1921, he was disinterred and sent home, shipped out to Hoboken, New Jersey and then home to Defiance where he was trusted to the hands of E. W. Hoffman, Undertaker, Defiance, Ohio. 

 

Russell Bolley rests in Section 23, Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, OH.

In Memoriam

Russell W. Bolley