QUEEN, Briley, was the son of Charlie and Sallie BRILEY QUEEN and was a native of Wayne County, Tennessee. He entered the US Army from the state of Kentucky at the age of sixteen. He had to lie about his age. His mother would not agree for him to enter. He served as a Sargent under Gordon BROWNING. After being at the front for many months he was wounded and moved to a hospital in England where he remained for nine months. During this period, King George V of England made many visits to the patients.
After being released from the hospital, Briley returned to Wayne County. After a period of time he entered school at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee. He remained there for a specialized period of veteran’s training.
Briley and Pauline EDWARDS were married on 21 Dec 1922. They had four children: Charles Edward, Briley Imogene, Douglas Earl and Robert Glendon.
Briley was a member of the Methodist Church. He was a former Commander of the D.A.V., a member of the American Legion Post 130, a member of the 40 and 8; was a Colonel on Governor Gordon Browning’s staff from 1937 to 1939. He was active in politics for many years.
Mr. Queen died 2 July 1951. Burial was in the Boyd Cemetery with full military honors.
Additional information …
Because of his age (17 years), Briley went to Harland, Kentucky and registered at 19 years. He joined the Army 25 May 1917 and trained in the states until he set sail for France on 2 May 1918. Briley was on the front lines of battles at Cantigny, Saissons and Chateau-Thierry from May 27 to July 20, 1918.
The Battle of Chateau-Thierry, 2 June 1918, was the turning point of the fighting in the Marne salient during the last German push towards Paris. Hill 165, lying at the apex of the salient, was defended by American Marines. The Germans advanced to seize, but were met with deadly fire of the Marines, most of whom were expert riflement. Then the machine guns came into play and the Germans were stopped and turned back. This was June 10th.
The fighting around Chateau-Thierry was of a bloody and desperate nature. They were less than 50 miles from Paris.
The American boys demonstrated unusual skills, technical, for untried troops, but had earlier a tendency to rush a position by headlong attack. These tactics resulted in heavy losses: 1800 dead and 10,000 wounded.
The First Division to which Queen belonged, serving with the French to the north, took the town of Cantigny in the Armiens Salient. This won the distinction of being the first unit to launch an offensive. Chateau Thierry was retaken by Americans July 21, one day after Briley was wounded.
On all these fronts Briley fought. He was wounded seriously on 20 July by a bursting shell while “going over the top” at Chateau Thierry. He lay on the battle field three hours before receiving aid and while being carried to the field hospital was repeatedly fired at by German snipers. From July 20, 1918 to March 1919, he lay in a Paris Hospital where he received care and treatment for his wounds.
The shell that wounded Briley killed two of his comrades at his side.