Wilson High School World War I Memorial: William Augustine Curran 10/2/1896 – 9/29/1918

WILLIAM AUGUSTINE CURRAN
32 Epworth Street, Rochester, N. Y.

World_War_service_record_vol_1(1) William Augustine Curran was born in Mumford, N. Y., October 2, 1896, son of James F. and Catherine Curran. He was graduated from Immaculate Conception School and a former pupil of the Rochester Catholic High School and West High School. At time of enlistment he was employed as clerk in the offices of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Co., at Rochester, N. Y. He entered the service at Rochester, N. Y., April 6, 1917, the day the United States declared war, at the age of 20 years, as a Private, in the National Guard of New York, in Company G, 3rd Infantry, later Company G, 108th Infantry. He was trained at Pelham Bay, N. Y., and Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, S. C. Promoted to Private, 1st Class, May 1, 1918. He embarked overseas from New port News, Va., on the transport General Grant, arriving at Brest, France, May 30, 1918. He was engaged in action in East Poperinghe Line from July 9, 1918, to August 20, 1918; Dickebusch Sector, August 21, 1918; Vierstraat Ridge, Belgium, August 31, 1918; The Knoll, Guillemont Farm, September 27, 1918, and on the Hindenburg Line, between Cambrai and St. Quentin, September 29, 1918. The battle at Cambrai was his sixth. The night before he was killed he wrote his mother a letter saying his Regiment was again going into action the next day and they were confident of breaking the Hindenburg Line. He received a citation certificate from General Pershing for gallantry in action. He was killed in action, September 29, 1918, in front of Bony, France, between Bony and St. Quentin. Although he lived but sixteen minutes after he was hit, he was conscious until his death. A ring which he wore he took from his finger and asked his comrade, Private H. Eisenhart, to mail to his mother, and said: “Tell them back home I died game and am ready to go.” He was buried in St. Emelies Cemetery near Le Catelet. Later his body was brought back to America on the U.S.A.T. Somme, March 14, 1921, with four other members of the 108th Infantry.

They were the first Gold Star boys to be brought back to Rochester, and a public Memorial service was held at the Armory for them, March 22, 1921. The bodies were conveyed in procession through the heart of the city to the Armory, the streets being lined with people who paid silent tribute to those who had died for us. The military escort was furnished by Troop H and the 108th Regiment. Members of the Common Council, of the Board of Supervisors, and men prominent in civic and business life marched behind Major Frederick S. Couchman, the soldiers and the Park Band. Pupils of the public and parochial schools stood along the curbing holding American flags. All along the line of march, from the New York Central Station to the Armory, public buildings and dwellings displayed flags at half mast, in accordance with the suggestion of Mayor Hiram H. Edgerton. A very impressive service was held at the Armory, where thousands gathered to pay their respects. The opening and closing prayers were offered by Rev. Clinton Wunder, Pastor of the Baptist Temple, and Rev. George F. Kettell, of St.
Bernard’s Seminary. Hon. Charles E. Ogden, as personal representative of Mayor Edgerton, delivered a beautiful tribute to the dead heroes. Colonel Frederick W. Galbraith, Jr., of Cincinnati, National Commander of the American Legion, also gave an address. A detachment of the F. E. Robertshaw Post, American Legion, comrades of Private Curran in Company G, 108th Infantry, escorted the body from the Armory to his home, where they were in charge of the funeral. He was buried in St. Francis Cemetery, Le Roy, N. Y., March 23, 1921, with military honors.