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Volume 9, Issue 5 - Feature #2413

1st World War Soldiers

Below is an obituary from a Woods Co., Oklahoma newspaper for H.J. (Hiram James) Mondy. The Mondy family is recorded in several articles on pp. 475-476 in "Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County. <br><br>(1976) One article states: "When the First World War broke out Hiram (James Hiram) enlisted in 1916 in the 188th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and sailed for France late the same year. Almost at once he saw action at the front with the 46th battalion of the 10th infantry Brigade. On Mar. 30, 1917 he was killed in the drive of Vimy Ridge. He is buried in Villers Station Cemetery near Arras, France.<br><br> In the 1914-1918 Book of Rememberance his name appears on page 295. This book is displayed in the Memorial Chamber in the Peace Tower of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Canada.<br><br> His grandfather, James Calvin McCary was my great-great grandfather, as well.<br><br> The Obituary WOODS COUNTY BOY WHO FELL AT VIMY RIDGE -- Captain J. C. McCary, of Alva has just received notice of the death of his grandson, Hiram Mondy, who fell in action March 30, in the assault on Vimy Ridge, near Lens, France. Hiram was born on a farm near Alva in 1896, as son of E. (Elwood) T. and Ida McCary Mondy. He attended the public schools of Woods County until the family moved to Paynton, Sask., Canada ten years ago, where he grew to manhood. He enlisted in March 1916 in a Canadian regiment and sailed for Europe last June. He fell early in the assault of the Canadians on Vimy Ridge in which the Canadians gallantly swept the Germans from this hitherto impregnable position and held it firmly against the most desparate counter attacks of the Germans. He was buried with hundreds of his fellow comrades on April 3rd at the villiage of Boise in northern France. He was in his 21st year, and his mother is daughter of Captain and Mrs. J. C. McCary of this city. <br><br>The young hero inherited the best American fighting blood. J. C. McCary, his grandfather, was an artilleryman in the Mexican War of 1846-48 and followed General Winfield Scott from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico and in the Civil War followed the fortunes of the Confederacy from Bull Run to Appomattox. He commanded a battery in the awful artillery duel at the Battle of Gettysburg, immediately preceding Pickett's famous charge on the Union position and saw that magnificent division swept away on the slopes of Cemetery Ridge. The aged veteran, although in his 90th year, is as vigorous as a man a score of years younger. He morns the loss of his gallant grandson but is proud of the fact that he fell in the cause of humanity and in the defense of his adopted country.<br><br> Info submitted by Charles M. Cook in Louisiana Bayou Country

Charles M. Cook - 2007-02-03 15:57:49

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