Known as Armistice Day or Veteran’s Day, November 11th signifies the demise of World War I when Allied Forces signed an Armistice Agreement with Germany in 1918. Recognizing their sacrifice and duty to country, we continue to honor our Veterans on this historical date each year.
Perry Cookingham, former City Manager of Kansas City, Missouri was called to duty and served in World War I. Per his request, he and several buddies from his hometown of Danville, Illinois were assigned to Company B of the 310th Signal Battalion, which was located at the front for a period of 5 months prior to this world changing event. Following are excerpts from a diary penned by Cookingham and titled: A Few Little Incidents of the War and My Travels with the “Army of Occupation”. Depicted are personal accounts of Cookingham and his fellow soldiers leading up to the Armistice. Obviously it was ever business as usual for our courageous warriors as Cookingham notes on his October 23rd entry. Not only did he have KP Duty (Kitchen Police) on his birthday but they were also shelled by the enemy. Happy Birthday!
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SEPT 28 – Attack of appendicitis
Off eight days.
Oct 15 – Came down with
cold. Could not talk
for four days.
Oct 21 – Well again.
Moved to Monsard.
Living on public sq.
Real homelike. Shelled.
Oct 22 Worked
Oct 23 – Birthday. K.P.
Shelled
Oct. 24 to Nov. 4. Worked
on permanent lines.
Shelled every night
with 9” babies. Co. C
man wounded. Dirt
flying everywhere.
Hit by a few. Thot [sic]
it was a big shell
bursting on my head.
Nov. 5 – Moved to hills
back of Buxerelles [sic].
Nice house. Thanks to
the boche.
NOV. 5 – 11 Worked
on permanent line
near St. Benoit. Shelled
every day. Tore for the
dugouts. Working
½ mile from line!
NOV – 11 – “Finis la Guerre”
Firing ceased. Worked
under the heavy barrage
of last six hours. No
one hurt. Sure lucky.
Went up to see the
boche come over.
Talked to several. Some
sight.
NOV. 11 – 17 Worked on lines
and waited for orders.
Transferred to occupation
army.
November 11, 1918 would not be the conclusion of all war-related activity. There would
still be an aftermath of responsibilities and Cookingham and others were to remain on active duty through February of 1919 according to General Orders No, 38.-A, by General John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief