World War I

World War I Memorial

Legend on the front of the monument, engraved in stone:

World War 1917 through 1918

Legend on the back of the monument, raised letters cast in bronze:

To her brave sons and daughters who served in the World War A.D. 1917-1918 the City of Leominster has erected this monument in grateful commemoration of their patriotism.

Here are recorded the names of those who died:

  • Luigi K. Alquilio
  • Edward J. Lauzon
  • Wilfred J. Brosseau
  • Raymond I. Look
  • Enrico Chiurri
  • Carl Locke
  • Antonio Del Bove
  • William H. Lynch
  • Henry a. Douglas
  • Daniel O'Keefe
  • Charles E Duboy
  • Donald M. Parker
  • John J. Finn
  • Emery J. Pelkey
  • Peter H. Flibbert
  • Harold I. Petts
  • Morse Freeman
  • Edward J. Regan
  • Martin Glashben
  • Stephen Santini
  • Giovanni Gasbarie
  • Maurice G. Smith
  • Lester Horton
  • Exlone J. Snow
  • Harold K. Hodsden
  • Sydney E Taylor
  • John F. Hyland
  • John S Theurer
  • Clifford Ieudic
  • Raffaele Villano

The casting on the front of the monument is marked, at the bottom, with the name of the maker "T. F. McGann and Sons Co., Boston, Mass."

Leominster World War I Gold Star Record

Aquilio, Luigikilled in action 20 July, 1918 south of Soissons.
Enl. 19 Jan., 1917, R. A.; assigned 1 March to Co. F. 80th Inf., 3d Div.; trans. 1 June to Co. F, 38th Inf., 8d Div.; 13 August to Co. H, 16thInf., 1st Div. Overseas 22 Nov, 1917.
Born April, 1898, in New York City, son of Nunzio and Frances Aquilio; brother of Ettore, Daniel, and Adelina. All of Leominster, 1917, but later returned to Italy. Comb maker. Resident in Massachusetts three years.
Cited in G. O. Number 1, Hq. 1st Div., 1 Jun., 1920: "For gallantry in action and especially meritorious services."

Barton, William Huffman, Coxswain, N R. F.: died 29 Dec., 1918 of disease.
Enl. 29 September 1914. Serving on Receiving Ship, Boston, 7 April, 1917; 5 May to "Melville;" 2 June to "Winslow;" 15 May, 1918, to Receiving Ship, Philadelphia. Dis. 11 June, 1918. Enr. 12 June, 1918, at Navy Recruiting Station, New York; assigned to Receiving Ship, Pelham Bay Park.
Born 12 June, 1897, at Hyner, Pa.

Brosseau, Wilfred B.: died 27 Nov., 1918 (at Aix les Bains), of disease.
Enl. 26 May, 1915, Co. B, 6th Inf., Mass. N G.; reported for duty 30 March, 1917; mustered 6 April; assigned to Supply Co., 102d Inf., 26th Div. Overseas 18 Nov., 1917.
Born 9 Nov., 1897, at Shirley, son of John Baptiste and Delia (Duverney) Brosseau (both born in Canada); brother of Mrs. Ida Beaudette, Levi, Arthur, Adelard, Edward, Victor, and Selina. Comb maker.

Chiurri, Enrico: died 27 Jan., 1919, in France, of disease.
Ent. 30 May, 1918, Btry. C, 14th Bn., Field Arty. Replacement Draft; trans. 2 September to Btry. F, 121st Field Arty., 32. Div. Overseas 28 July, 1918.
Born 16 Sept., 1895, in Italy, son of Nicola and Rubina Chiurri, living in Italy; brother of Domenico of Leominster.

Del Bove, Antoniokilled in action5 Oct., 1918 (near Exermont).
Ent. 28 March, 1918, 151st D. B.; trans. 24 April to Co. G, 3d Engrs. Training Regt., Camp Humphreys; 10 June to Co. D, 116th Engrs., 41st Div.; 27 July to Co. C, 1st Engrs., 1st Div. Overseas 15 June, 1918.
Born June, 1893, at Alvito, Italy, son of Guiseppe and Constanza Del Bove; brother of Joseph, Mario, Alfred, May, and Mrs. Grace Tersegni. All of Leominster. Comb maker. Resident in Massachusetts ten years.

Douglas, Henry A.: died 24 Sept., 1918, at Camp Devens, of disease.
Ent. 22 July, 1918; assigned to 151st D. B.; trans. 16 August to Co. C, 36th M. G. Bn., 12th Div.
Born 24 Jan., 1890, at Leominster, son of Orson II. (died 1919) and Mary Jane (Drew, died 1917)
Douglas; brother of Mrs. Mabel Manning, Mrs. Bertha MacLean, Elmer, Ervin, Herbert C., and Clarence A. Comb maker.

Dubay, Charles Ekilled in action11 Oct., 1918 [near Grande Pré], Meuse-Argonne offensive.
Ent. 30 March, 1918; assigned to Co. M, 325th Inf., 82d Div. Overseas 25 April, 1918.
Born Dec., 1894 at Clinton, son of Mrs. Irene Dubay.

Finn, John J.killed in action 31 Oct., 1918, near St. Juvin.
Ent. 26 April, 1918, 151st D. B.; trans. 23 May to Co. K, 302d Inf., 76th Div.; 18 October to Co. C, 320th Inf., 80th Div. Overseas 5 July, 1918.
Born Feb., 1893, County Cork, Ire.; brother of Margaret Finn of Boston.

Flibbert, Henry Peter, Corporalkilled in action26 Oct., 1918, south of Verdun.
Enl. 28 May, 1917, Co. B, 6th Inf., Mass. N G.; trans. 30 August to Supply Co., 102d Inf.; 27 Jan., 1918, to Co. D, 102d Inf.; 4 Feb., to Supply Co., 102d Inf.; 18 March to Co. K, 102d Inf., 26th Div. Overseas 19 Sept., 1917.
Born 13 Feb., 1887, at North Oxford, son of Adolphus and Elizabeth (Perron) Flibbert; brother of Joseph, George, Theodore, Delima, Elizabeth, Agnes (wife of Laurence S Cole), and Rosana (wife of George Boucher). Comb maker.

Freeman, Morse, Marine Corps: died 4 Oct., 1918 [at Quantico, Va.], of disease.
Enl. 25 May, 1918; assigned to Parris Island; trans. 19 July to Savage Arms Co., Utica, N Y.; 19 August to Co. B, 11th Regt., Quantico, Va.
Born 29, Jan., 1899 at Leominster, son of Franklyn and Mabel W (Morse) Freeman.

Hyland, John Francis: died 26 Sept., 1918, at Camp Devens, of disease.
Ent. 23 June, 1918. Sd Co., 1st Training Bn., 151st D. B.
Born 13 July, 1887, at Leominster, son of Hugh and Katherine Hyland (both born in Ireland).

Lauzon, Hermand Joseph, Mechanic: died 10 Feb., 1919 [at LaRochelle], of disease.
Ent. 25 June, 1918, 153d D. B.; 17 July to Btry. E, 336th Field Arty., 87th Div.; 19 July to Btry. D, 336th F. A., 87th Div.; 2 December to 250thCo., M. P. Mechanic 13 Jan., 1919. Overseas 27 Aug., 1918.
Born 16 Feb., 1895, at Fitchburg, son of Honoré M. and Marie E (LeClerc, died 1920) Lauzon (both born in Canada); brother of Albert G. of Dayton, Ohio, Mrs. Honorine Rochcleau, And Mrs. L'Oretta Wass. Farmer.

Look, Raymond I.: died 21 Sept., 1918, at Camp Devens, of disease.
Ent. 22 July, 1918, 151st D. B.; trans. 16 August to Co. C, 36th M. G. Bn., 12th Div.
Born 30 June, 1892, at Leominster, son of Irving B. and Minnie L. (Kemp) Look.

Lynch, William Henry: died 8 Oct., 1918, of disease.
Ent. 4 Oct., 1917, 2d Co., M. P., Camp Devens. Dic. 10 Oct., 1917, account of disability. Ent. 29 July, 1918, 17th Co., 5th Bn., Camp Syracuse; trans. 20 August to Casual Co., 2d Bn., Chemical Warfare Service, Edgewood Arsenal, Md.
Born 7 July, 1894, at Phillipston, son of Michael (born in Newfoundland, deceased) and Elizabeth (Llorch, born in Ireland) Lynch. Piano finisher. Resident in Massachusetts seventeen years.

Merrill, Charles Frederick, Lieutenant (temp.), U.S. N: died 9 Sept., 1920, at Naval Hospital, Mare Island, Calif., of disease.
Appointed Machinist (perm.) 30 Nov., 1915. Ensign (temp.) 15 Aug., 1917. Lieut. (JG) (temp.) 1 Feb., 1918. Lieut. (temp.) 21 Sept., 1918. Assigned to duty on "Vestal" 5 Dec., 1915.
Born 2 April, 1882, at Newburyport, son of Frank H. and Mary (Cantanon) Merrill.

O'Keefe, Daniel: died 21 Sept., 1918 [at Camp Devens], of disease.
Ent. 22 July, 1918, 151st D. B.; trans. 1 August to Co. B, M. P., 12th Div., Camp Devens.
Born 15 Aug., 1890, at Malden, son of Hugh and Minnie O'Keefe of Leominster; brother of Julia M. of Fitchburg. Bartender.

Pelkey, Emery J.killed in action28 Sept., 1918 [north of Montfaucon].
Ent. 26 May, 1918, 152d D. B.; trans. 22 June to Co. K, 314th Inf., 79th Div. Overseas 8 July, 1918.
Born 17 July, 1889, at West Boylston, son of Peter H. and Cordelia Pelkey (both born in Canada) of Leominster; brother of Napoleon John, Edmund John, Blanch Orena (wife of Andrew John O'Donnell), and Mary Louise (wife of John J. Madden). Comb maker.

Petts, Harold Irving: died 15 Feb., 1919 at Hampstead, N Y., of disease.
Enl. 1 Aug., 1917, R. A.; assigned to 65th Acro Sq., Aviation Section, Signal Corps; trans. To 477th Aero Construction Sq., Garden City, N Y.; 29 Jan., 1919, to Depot Casual Detachment, Garden City, N Y. Overseas 4 March, 1918, to 16 Jan., 1919.
Born 17 July, 1895, at Leominster, son of Charles H. and Leona U. (Pierce) Petts. Machinist.

Regan, Edward Jameskilled in action23 July, 1918 [attack on Trugny Wood].
Enl. 10 Dec., 1916, Co. D, 6th Inf., Mass. N G.; reported for duty 30 March, 1917; mustered 6 April; trans. to Hq. Co., 101st Inf., 26thDiv. Overseas 7 Sept., 1917.
Born 5 July, 1898, at Leominster, son of John Joseph (died 1920) and Catherine Agnes (Shannon) Regan; brother of John Joseph, Harold Martin, and Eugene Augustus (serving in U.S. Navy). Student in high school.

Santini, Stephen: died 1 Oct., 1918, at Base Hospital, Camp Devens, of disease.
Ent. 23 June, 1918, 151st D. B.; trans. 1 August to Co. G, 73d Inf., 12th Div.
Born 11 Feb., 1892, at Capestrano, Italy, son of Luigi Santani of Ironwood, Mich.

Snow, Exlone Joseph: killed 16 Sept., 1918, by accidental shell explosion [at Vigneulles].
Enl. 12 Feb., 1917; reported for duty 30 March; mustered 6 April, Co. B, 6th Inf., Mass. N G.; trans. to 101st Engrs., 26th Div. Overseas 26 Sept., 1917.
Born 26 May, 1896, at West Boylston, son of Exlone and Delina (Toutant) Snow of Leominster; brother of Harold Roy (served in U.S. Navy) and Wilfred Henry. Employee, comb factory.

Taylor, Sidney E, Cook: died 14 Oct., 1918, at Augusta, Ga, of disease.
Ent. 5 July, 1918, 153d D. B., Camp Dix, N J. Cook 24 Aug., 1918.
Born 21 Aug., 1895, at Webster, son of Clarence Fennor and Harriet (Penncry, died in 1908) Taylot; brother of Blanche (wife of John Coughlin) of Providence, R. I. Married Mary Loretta Mitchell, who in 1925 was wife of Arthur E Bond of Leominster. Chef. Resident in Massachusetts twenty-two years.

Theurer, John Sidney, Cook: died 22 Oct., 1918, of disease.
Enl. 1 Aug., 1917, R. A., Recruit Depot, Q. M. C., Fort Slocum, N Y.; trans. 27 August to Wagon Co. 5, Q. M. C., Fort Sam Houston; 15 April to School for Bakers and Cooks; 17 July to Wagon Co. 50, Q. M. C.; 30 July to Q. M. C. Detachment, Fort Sam Houston. Cook 9 Sept., 1918.
Born about 1893, at Rockville, Conn., son of John (died 1901) and Clara Theurur, who in 1920 was Mrs. Wittman of Pawtucket, R. I. Celluloid turner. Resident in Massachusetts thirteen years.

Villano, Raffaolo: died 26 Sept., 1918, in France, of disease.
Ent. 5 July, 1918, 14th Co., C. A. C., Fort Hamilton, N Y.; trans 30 July to August Automatic Replacement Draft, Fort Hamilton; 10 September to 54th Arty., C. A. C. Overseas17 Aug., 1918.
Born 31 March, 1892, at Calore, Italy, son of Mrs. Grazia Martin (Sorrentino) Villano of Leominster; brother of Mrs. Pasqualina Dambrosio and Mrs. Rosa Antonizio of Calore, and Antonio of Leominster. Comb maker. Resident in Massachusetts ten years.