HIGGINS, James Brantly (Jim), born 8 July 1892 Centerville, Hickman County, 
Tennessee. Died 7 October 1988 and buried at Little Hope Cemetery, Highland Church of Christ, north of Waynesboro, Tennessee. He married first to Grace FRAZIER on 4 July 1920. She was born 10 May 1904. He married second to Ida POPE on 26 Oct 1946. She was born 4 June 1901 and died 18 Aug 1972. He was the son of John W. HIGGINS and Sarah Jane SKELTON. Siblings were Brown HIGGINS, Mollie HIGGINS, Ada HIGGINS (married Clifford MEREDITH); Izora HIGGINS; Odell HIGGINS (married Hubert “Rod” LUNA).
Children of James B. and Grace FRAZIER HIGGINS: Malvena HIGGINS, born 16 Aug 1921, married ___WARREN; Willard HIGGINS, born 1925. Grandchildren: Alva Jo WARREN; Willard Ray, Larry Wayne and Gloria Diane. Great-grandchildren: Keith (died 25 Mar 1977), Ricky, Tracy, Mandy, Kevin, Leslie and Lauren. Great-great-grandchildren: Keith, Brittany and Arzela.
James B. HIGGINS was inducted 21 Nov 1917 at Waynesboro, TN. Service Number 1877078. Served in 1st Corp. Artillery Park from 2 Feb 1918 to 6 Aug 1919. Left US on 24 May 1918 and served in France until 2 Aug 1919 when he returned to the US. Was in the following battles and offenses: from 21 May 1918 to 2 Aug 1919 at Aisne Marne; from 10 July 1918 to 6 Aug 1918 at Chateau Thiery; 6 Aug 1918 to 18 Aug 1918 Oise Aisne; 18 Aug 1918 to 10 Sep 1918 Verdun Sector; 12 Sep 1918 to 26 Sep 1918 Meuse Argonne; from 26 Sep 1918 to 11 Nov 1918 Army of Occupation.
UNIT HISTORY
FIRST CORPS ARTILLERY PARK
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
It is the purpose of this pamphlet to give every man in the organization a brief history of the organization, what he has done, his movements, and what has been accomplished.
As a foreword it is well to give a short outline of what a Corps Artillery Park is, and what relation it bears to other organizations in battle. Until the present war such an organization in our army did not exist. Owing to the vast scale on which this war was fought it was found necessary to provide additional units for the supply of ammunition and the repair of material. In order to take care of this emergency and do it quickly our General staff studied the organization of a Parc du Artillerie in the French Army and decided upon the present organization.
A Corps Artillery Park is the ammunition train for the Army Corps and its primary duty is to carry forward to the Corps Ammunition Dumps an adequate supply of ammunition of all kinds and calibres; to operate the Corps Ammunition Dumps and to carry forward ammunition to the artillery units in the Corps. An Army Corps normally consists of from three to five Divisions.
Compiled by Major Ewell C. POTTS, F. A. U.S.A.
Commanding 1st Corps Artillery Park
Pfaffendorf, Germany
June 30th 1919
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The FIRST CORPS ARTILLERY PARK was organized at Camp Jackson, Columbia, S.C. on January 23rd, 1918, under command of Lt. Col. E. P. WALSER, Inf. N.G. The personnel of the regiment consisted of 30 Field Artillery Officers, 3 Ordnance Corps Officers, 2 Medical Corps Officers, and 1300 men.
Companies were made up as follows:
Officers Men
Park Headquarters 4 28
(Attached Ordnance Sgts.) 2
Motor Section Headquarters 3 30
Truck Companies Nos. 1 to 6 Inc. Each 3 145
Depot Section 5 300
Medical Detachment 2 19
501st Mobile Ord. Repair Shop (attached) 3 45
The authorized motor equipment of the regiment is as follows:
2-Ton Cargo Trucks 162
Motorcycles with side-cars 62
5-Passenger Motor Cars 8
Artillery Repair Trucks 5
Equipment Repair Trucks 3
Light Repair Trucks 6
Supply Trucks 8
Ration and Baggage Trucks 9
Rolling Trailmobile Kitchens 9
Motor Ambulance 1
The nucleus of the organization was formed from enlisted men in Field Artillery assigned from several Regular Army Recruit Depots. The regiment was brought up to maximum strength by assignment of men from National Army Camps at Camp Jackson, S.C. Camp Sherman, O., Camp Gordon, Ga., and Camp Pike, Arkansas. Every state in the Union is represented.
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The regiment trained at Camp Jackson, S.C. until May 8th, 1918, when we were ordered to Camp Merrit, N. J., arriving on May 10th, 1918. On May 21st, 1918 we embarked on the U.S.S. “Great Northern”, and sailed the following evening at 9:30 P.M. We arrived at Brest, France on May 30th, debarked on May 31st, and marched to the “rest camp” at Pontanezan Barracks.
Motor Section Headquarters, the six truck companies, and Medical Detachment left Brest for St. Nazaire, France, on June 4th, 1918, arriving at that station the next day. Two days later the Depot Section left Brest for the same destination. Park Headquarters and the 501st M.O.R.S. attached left Brest for Dijon, Cote d’Or, France, on June 12th and arrived June 14th, 1918.
The next movements of the units of the regiment brought all together at Houdelaincourt, Meuse, France on June 24th, 1918. From Houdelaincourt six officers and two hundred men were sent to the French Motor School at Dourdan, Seine et Oise. Details were sent to Bordeaux, Brest, Sr. Nazaire, Nantes, and Le Harve, to receive and drive overland a large part of our authorized motor equipment, the first consignment of which was received at this station. Officers and men were also sent to the front to observe activities and to study the methods of other trains in preparation for our functioning as a Corps Artillery Park. While at Houdelaincourt, in addition to regular military duties, a large part of the time was devoted to instruction and training and operation of motor trucks and other motor vehicles.
After five months of hard training the opportunity to get into actual service at the front arrived, and on July 13th 1918, the regiment left Houdelaincourt for Magny St. Loup and Boutigny Seine-et-Marne, France, pursuant to instructions from the Commanding General, 1st Army Crops. We arrived at the above stations on July 15th, and immediately began functioning in the Champagne-Marne Defensive. The Depot Section moved from Magny St. Loup on July 15th and took over the Corps Ammunition Dumps at Les Davids and other points north of La Perft-sous-Jouarre. While at Magny St. Loup our final consignment of trucks and other motor vehicles was received and the need for ammunition was so great that every truck was immediately placed in service hauling day and night. Men were compelled to go as long as 48 to 72 hours without rest or relief. In the Aisne-Marne Offensive which shortly followed, our equipment although //
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complete was inadequate to meet the pressing eeds and men were hurriedly sent to Versailles for 100 additional trucks which were bought from the French Government.
As our lines advanced it became necessary for us to change stations, and on July 28th we moved to Coupru and on August 4th moved to Epaux-Bezu. By this time the Marne salient was practically reduced and on the 6th of August the first big offensive of the American Army was brought to a close. From the 6th until the 18th of August only defensive operations were carried on but our work was not materially decreased as preparations had to be made for the next offensive.
The First Corps ceased to function in this sector on August 14th and we were transferred to the Third Army Corps for duty in the Oisa-Aisne Offensive, moving the same day to Charteves on the Marne, about six kilometers east of Chateau-Thierry. Four days later the Third Army Corps under tactical command of the Sixth French Army, General DEGOUTTE commanding, began the Oise-Aisne Offensive. This operation was brought to a successful close on September 10th. The enemy lost many guns, prisoners, and war material, and was forced to fall back to prepared positions beyond the Vesle River. The close of this offensive found the Marne salient, which was a menace to the safety of Paris, completely reduced. With the reduction of the Marne salient the last “Great German Offensive” was broken, and from that moment superiority rested with the Allies. American initiative, morale and eagerness to fight, completely surprised the Germans. They had been told the Americans did not know how to fight.
The officers and men of the First Corps Artillery Park played a magnificent part in these operations. The work accomplished was vitally important to the other arms. We went “over the top” every day. It is well to record here some of the difficulties and vast proportions of our work. The lines moved more rapidly than new ammunition depots could be advanced, making it necessary to haul long distances in order to keep up the supply of ammunition. One average day has been selected which shows that 140 trucks were ordered out to haul 4500 rounds 155 mm. Complete from Couilly-St. Germaine to Beauvardes, a distance of about 50 kilometers. In addition about 70 trucks were out on orders incompleted from the following day, and also a few trucks on small details. Twenty five//
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hundred gallons of gasoline were consumed which at an average mileage of four miles per gallon, means that every vehicle made a distance of approximately 40 miles on that day.
On September 8th ordered were received to turn over our ammunition dumps operated by the Depot Section and prepare for a trip overland to a new front. After two days journey, having traveled about 125 miles via Paris-Metz national highway, we arrived at La Champ La Gaille in the vicinity of Verdun on the afternoon of September 12th. Due to the fact that the roads leading into this camp were exposed to enemy observation, we moved on the next night to Bois de Nixville, on the Verdun-Bar le Duc Road, about ten kilometers south of Verdun. The work from September 12th to September 26th consisted largely of making preparations for the last great battle of the war. During this period all convoys of any size had to go out at night, every effort being made to prevent the Germans from knowing that Americans were in the sector. From the date of arrival in this sector until the 26th of September were under the Second French Army, known as the Army of Verdun. On the morning of September 26th, 1918, the First American Army, after having won a brilliant victory in reducing the St. Mihiel salient, began the last and greatest battle of the war for American arms, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Again the First Corps Artillery Park was called upon to deliver to the front every shell that could possibly be hauled with our equipment. Trucks were never allowed to stand idle, except for repairs. On October 12th the regiment moved from Boise de Nixeville to Germonville, France. While at this station Lt. Col. Elmer P. WALSER was relieved of command and Capt. Ewell C. POTTS, F.A. Regimental Adjutant was placed in command and shortly thereafter promoted to Major. On October 18th we moved to Biercourt, ?November 4th to Cuisy. This was station util November 11th, the date of the signing of the armistice.
The Depot Section operated the advanced Corps Ammunition Dumps continuously from the 15th day of July 1918 to the conclusion of the war. The large personnel of this company made possible the operation, in various part of the Corps Area, of as many as four and at time five ammunition dumps, handling, assorting and dispatching temendous amounts of ammunition in these almost continuos offensives. Some idea of the stupendous task of unloading, handling and reloading to the divisional train, the ammunition of these Corps//
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Dumps can be formed when, in addition to the truck trains of the First Corps Artillery Park, there were almost daily Army and French truck trains brining in ammunition to these dumps. Coupled with the almost continually bad weather, the conditions of the roads causing delay and congestion, the Depot Section particularly in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, by reason of its necessarily exposed position, was subject to constant shell fire and air raids. Its personnel, however, overcame all difficulties, working day and night with much success.
The work of the truck companies was particularly difficult, especially in the Meuse-Argonne, due to the almost impassable roads and congestion of traffic. The trains of the divisions both motor and horse drawn, in this engagement we in such condition, that it was necessary for our convoys to go to battery positions. In many cases ammunition was carried forward to prepared positions before the arrival of batteries, frequently head of the 75’s. In the Meuse-Argonne the First Corps Artillery Park in forty-five days hauled 6,465 loads amounting to 12,9030 tons of ammunition.
From the 15th of July to the 11th of November 1918, the First Corps Artillery Park was actively engaged day and night without relief for a single day, and during this period actively participated in the following operations:
Champagne-Marne Defensive –15th July to 18th July
Aisne-Marne Offensive–18th July to 6th August
Chateau-Thierry Sector–6th August to 18th August
Oise-Aisne Offensive–18th August to 10th Sept.
Verdun Sector–12th Sept. To 26th Sept.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive–26th Sept. To 11th Nov.
AFTER THE ARMISTICE
With the signing of the armistice our work did not cease. The vast amount of ammunition hauled forward by our organization and by the divisional trains was not all fired. The artillery was at times moved so rapidly and under such difficulties, due to bad roads and shortage of horses and motor transportation, that vast quantities had to be left along roads and abandoned in battery positions. On November 11th we moved to Doulcon, just across the river from Dun-sur-Meuse, and on the following day commenced collecting and hauling this abandoned ammunition to the depots for storage and shipment. The equipment of the men was renewed and unserviceable//
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trucks either salvaged or repaired, and replacements drawn for the trip to Germany, as a part of the Army of Occupation.
Our march into Germany began on the morning of November 21st, stopped at the following points en route: Aubange, Belgium; Lorentzweiler and Beaufort, Luxembourg; Scharfbillig, Udersdorf and Monreal, Germany; crossed the Rhine on December 14th and went into billets at our present station, Pfaffendorf, Germany.
Since our arrival in this area the time has been devoted to training, hauling ammunition, and functioning generally as a Corps Artillery Park. The Depot Section has operated the Third Corps Ammunition Dump at Neuwied, Germany and be it said to their credit that this ammunition deport is a model one and pronounced by the Army inspector as the best in the Third Army Area.
The officers and men of the First Corps Artillery Park during these activities have shown marked devotion to duty, and performed all manner of tasks assigned to them, with great zeal. Many hours without food or sleep in cold and rainy weather, and the innumerable hardships of war conditions, did not cause a murmur of complaint. You have helped to make possible the victory. You have rendered invaluable service to your country and let every man point to his organization’s activities in the war with pride.
Major General John L. HINES, Commanding General, Third Army Corps, sent the following telegram after the signing of the Treaty of Peace, evidencing his appreciation of your splendid work:
HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY CORPS
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
June 29, 1919
TELEGRAM
C.O. 1st Corps Artillery Park, 3rd Corps.
S.G.S. 84 The Treaty of peace has been signed and the Corps Commander congratulates you on the great part your troops have taken in forcing the Germans to sign a treaty which compels them to acknowledge the great wrong they did mankind in forcing on the world this cruel war.
OFFICIAL HINES
J.R. FRANCIS
Major Inf.
Sec’y Gen. Staff
Pfaffendorf, Germany, June 30th 1919