Krags in AEF

[CJCulpeper]

Not certain if you guys have seen this.

From "HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY"

From page 7

Some of the supplies and equipment were slow in arriving
and on account of their scarcity no duplicate pieces were
issued except socks and underclothes. These were strenuous
times for Capt. Skelly and his Supply Department. The arms
and equipment issued were the old type, used in the Spanish-
American war, including the Krag-Jorgensen rifle. The motor
transport consisted of three Dodge touring cars, eleven Pierce-
Arrow two-ton trucks with express type bodies and ten Indian
motorcycles with side cars.

From page 115

The Springfield rifles, which had been issued when the old
Krag-Jorgensens were taken up after the Battle of Cambrai,
were now exchanged for the standard British Lee-Enfield rifle
in order to obviate any difficulty in ammunition supply should
the regiment be ordered into the British front Hne. A special
officer's and N. C. O's Bayonet school was started at Headquarters
under the direction of a Company Sergeant Major,
"Bayonets," Fourth Army B. E. F., who was temporarily
attached to the regiment for the purpose of instruction in
bayonet training. The mornings were devoted to the N. C. O's,
while the officers received instruction in the afternoon. Practice
in wave attacks, and offensive and defensive bayonet work
was given.

There is a fairly good photo on page 19, too.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027818099


Culpeper

[Rick the Librarian]

Equipping U.S. units stationed with or training with the British was pretty much S.O.P. The 27th and 30th divisions were both with the British for the last few months of 1918 and both carried British weapons. Several other units were temporarily with the BEF and were issued British equipment, which was turned in when they were transferred. I read of one unit, made up of a large proportion of Irishmen, who were NOT amused at being issued British uniforms with the royal crest on the buttons. The buttons (IIRC) were hastily replaced!

[John Sukey]

There is a pic of the first troops to land in France. sent to arrange the camps for the main body. Their equipment. weapons, and uniforms were right out of the Spanish
American war.
And lets not forget the Black troops who served with the French and were issued French equipment.

[5MadFarmers]

Thanks CJ, that cleans that up.

I'll be including the issue of Krags to the cantonments in the book. That's already done. Bottom of the barrel scraping they were.

[Dan Shapiro]

Thank you Professor Wilson!

[kragluver]

I have seen reference to Krags deployed overseas with the AEF in several places - most recently in Bruce Canfield's latest book. However, I've never seen the original source documentation about Krag's in theater. Of course, there are the various period photos showing Krags and other SAW material that was discussed above. Thanks for the reference!

[CJCulpeper]

You're welcome, fella's. I am always keeping an eye out for anything Krag and Spanish American War up to the present day. The problems we suffer from today with the Congress and especially this executive branch had its start in the twenty-five year period from 1895 to 1920. Frankly, Roosevelt should have been shot and not William McKinley though Mckinley had a few political faults too. TR was one of the first to push for universal health care. He called his self a Progressive. Read socialist. It is very telling that Bill Clinton based his political life on Roosevelt.

Culpeper

[Story]

As good a thread as any for this - stumbled upon this pic while looking for something else, figured you enthusiasts would want to see it.

https://digital.library.temple.edu/digital/api/singleitem/image/p15037coll3/47475/default.jpg

Recruits train in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. dated 1917, from the (Philadelphia) Evening Bulletin.
via Temple Library
https://digital.library.temple.edu/digital/collection/p15037coll3/id/47475
and yes, it is copyrighted
This material is subject to copyright law and is made available for private study, scholarship, and research purposes only. For access to the original or a high resolution reproduction, and for permission to publish, please contact Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center, scrc@temple.edu, 215-204-8257.

Now, those of you familiar with the area might think to themselves 'what? training in Lansdowne? Shenanigans!" (like I just did).

They're probably part of the Philadelphia Military Training Corps-


(Anthony J) Biddle was among a group of influential individuals who foresaw America’s eventual involvement in World War I. In October 1915, with the consent of
Barnett, Biddle created a training camp at Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, conducted by Marine noncommissioned officers from Marine Barracks Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. After the close of the camp, Marines from the Philadelphia barracks led periodic drills throughout the winter. Those trained in the camp became known as the “Drexel Biddle Citizens’ Army,” and by April 1916, more than 3,000 men had completed training. At that point, U.S. Representative Thomas S. Butler of Pennsylvania introduced a bill, which was approved, to provide $31,000 for the Marine Corps to train citizen soldiers.5


Pledging his support for the preparedness campaign, Barnett ordered Captain Logan Feland from Marine Barracks Philadelphia to command training during the summer of 1916 at Lansdowne.
See p.29-30,
https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/HD/Brief%20Histories/Ford%20Reserves%20Pt%20I-III.pdf?ver=2019-05-24-133417-690

Given their attire, I'd suggest this photo was taken in the summer of 1916. No clue where they sourced the Krag rifles, unless there were some in storage at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Here's the USMC version of their service history with the Krag. https://usmcweaponry.com/m1898-krag-jorgensen/


This Philadelphia Military Training Corps, of which Company B was a part, was originally incorporated in 1916 under the laws of Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Major Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, it had its headquarters on the old Biddle estate in Lansdowne. Upon the outbreak of the war in Europe, Major Biddle delegated Captain Edward W. Macey to organize the Main Line for military drill.

The company was also always well represented at the weekend reviews of the C.M.T.C. at Major Biddle’s Lansdowne estate. It had grown to the point where 103 rifles were constantly employed, these rifles being furnished by the Philadelphia Military Training Corps.
https://radnorhistory.org/archive/articles/ytmt/?p=73

W. Stokes Kirk would have been a likely source for someone with deep pockets in 1916.
https://shootingdiceblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/sd_whisperer_krag.jpg