A moments peace - in reserve at Troyon

On the 8th October 1918, Private Solomon Wraight (my Great Uncle), was serving in the Machine Gun Company of the 315th Infantry United States Army. After taking part in the Meuse – Argonne offensive the 315th Infantry were being held in reserve,

Solomon Wraight

The Official History of the 315th Infantry describes the aftermath of the battle for the 315th.

They hiked to Lahaymeix arriving around 3pm on the 5th Oct where they had 5 days much needed rest, as the entire company was exhausted and showed the effects of the strain under which it had been.

On the 10th, we set out again and marched to Woimbey, where we were held in reserve in the Troyon sector. There we were very well fixed, as the billets were good, and the rations were the best we had had in France.

One wonders if Solomon had the chance to reflect on the letter he sent to his father back in January, a couple of months after joining up.

315th Infantry
79th Division
Camp Meade, Maryland, USA
Jan 30th 1918

My Dear Father
I have received your most welcome letter. I was glad to hear that you are still going along fine though I guess it must go pretty hard with you all sometimes, I am mighty anxious when I read of an air raid on old “Lunnon” I can tell you I am still going along the same pottering around with hammer & saw around barracks etc. and have to do a little drill.

It’s very dull down here in camp at times, we are stuck out in the wilds, 22 miles from Baltimore & 20 miles from Washington. I get leave about once a month to go to old Philadelphia, as I look on “Philly” as my “American home”.

I don’t whether I am going to be sent over or not, as they are very particular where they put mechanics. They take shipworkers out of the army and put them in shipyards I re-registered as a ship joiner, you have to put down ship joiner as the word joiner is not used like it is in England I have made good in the Regiment 

I get all the little fancy jobs to do. The joiners over in the old country would be getting good money now if it was peace time. Sometimes I get mad to think of the money I am losing while I am in the army. 20s/- a day was my average now its $1.20 a day for 24 hours at 5cts an hour, I don’t have no trouble keeping count on it. You still ride the old bike, my motorbike is still up in “Philly” believe me I miss it “some” that’s some price you give for shoes eh, we can get a good pair from $2.50 to $6.00 on average just they don’t beat the old country shoes.

We have some who can only speak a few words of English. It is funny to watch them drill in the ranks, they watch the man in front of them follow the leader style. Have you got any of the old joiners working for you. I don’t have to pay any dues into the union now still part of the army.

I sent a little present to mother. I hope that it has arrived safe. I am sending you a few photos with the films of the base camp so that you can make a few copies off. 

I close now with best luck and wishes to you all. Hoping that this nightmare of a war will come to a decision soon. As we are feeling the effects over here pretty bad too.

From your loving son

Charlie Wraight
Company C 315 Infantry USA

(Some words / sentences are missing due to copy and or are ineligible)

Letter Home

Solomon Wraight

Solomon Charles Wraight was born on the 22nd May 1895 in Lambeth, Surrey. He was the eldest son of Solomon (Solly) and Alice Wraight (Nee Uden) and had three sisters Alice (born 1897), Elsie (born 1903) and Ivy (born 10 Oct 1904) and three brothers William (AKA Bill born 1899), Arthur (Born 1907) and Frederick (Fred Born 1911).

Solomon and William were at school together in 1908 at the Gideon Road School, Wandsworth and by 1911 the family were living at 14 Eland Road, Lavender Hill, Battersea. Solomon Charles aged 15 was an apprentice Joiner. His father Solly being a Builders Joiner (Shop Foreman). Alice, William, Elsie and Ivy were all attending school. His younger sister Alice died in 1911 aged 14.

Solomon Charles Wraight, never used his first name and was most often called Toby. Just to confuse matters he signs the letter Charlie (his middle name).

It was probably unbelievable to him that eight months after writing the letter to his parents he would have participated in America’s largest battle of the First World War. Meanwhile back in his new home of Philadelphia the situation was equally as dire with the Spanish Flu epidemic sweeping the city

The mortality report for the first week of October showed 706 people died from the Spanish Influenza. The total of all deaths in Philadelphia for the corresponding week in 1918 was 1,191, which broke all previous records. Whilst Solomon was hiking to reserve positions in Troyon, 254 deaths from the grip and pneumonia have been reported in the last 24 hours. Physicians have reported 1,480 new cases of the flu in that same 24 hour period. It is estimated that there are currently 50,000 people in the city sick with the disease. For the 315th - "Philadelphia's Own" the news from back home would make grim reading.

References
The Official History of the 315th Regiment USA
Philadelphia WW1 years

Taking the Oath of Allegiance

Solomon Charles Wraight, my Great Uncle, had travelled to America in August 1915, landing at New York on 15th August after a ten day crossing from Liverpool on board the White Star Liner SS New York. After being processed through Immigration at Ellis Island he moved onto Philadelphia where he found work with Wilkins & Co. as a carpenter and joiner. 

Solomon Charles Wraight (Circa 1910)

On the 6^th May 1917, almost two years after emigrating from England, Solomon became a naturalised citizen of America.

He was living at 150 K 12^th Street Philadelphia and his petition for naturalisation to become an American citizen was heard at the US District Court for the district of Maryland, his two witnesses were Anthony B. Dougherty and Gabriel J. Wilson. His petition was successful and he took the oath of allegiance at the same time.

The Oath of allegiance as it currently stands

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

Solomon's younger brother Bill had just joined the Royal Navy Air Service and both like their father (also called Solomon) were carpenters and joiners by trade. At that time Bill was stationed at Eastbourne.

America Bound

On August 7th 1915, my Great Uncle, Solomon Charles Wraight, boarded the White Star Liner S.S. New York in Liverpool bound for New York, USA.

Solomon Charles Wraight Circa 1910

Solomon Charles Wraight was born on the 22^nd May 1895 in Lambeth, Surrey. He was the eldest son of Solomon (Solly) and Alice Wraight (Nee Uden) and had three sisters Alice (born 1897), Elsie (born 1903) and Ivy (born 10 Oct 1904) and three brothers William (AKA Bill born 1899), Arthur (Born 1907) and Frederick (Fred Born 1911).

Solomon and William were at school together in 1908 at the Gideon Road School, Wandsworth and by 1911 the family were living at 14 Eland Road, Lavender Hill, Battersea. Solomon Charles aged 15 was now an apprentice Joiner. His father Solly being a Builders Joiner (Shop Foreman). Alice, William, Elsie and Ivy were all attending school. His younger sister Alice died in 1911 aged 14. 

The Wraight Family

The passenger list for The S.S.New York lists Solomon Charles as 20 years of age and a carpenter. Solomon travelled 3^rd Class paying the fare himself and arrived at Ellis Island on the 15^th August 1915. 

SS New York

His final destination being Philadelphia, where he was due to join the Carpenters Union in Philadelphia. Solomon was 5Ft 7 inches, fair complexion with brown hair and brown eyes and no distinguishing marks. His health was good and he was able to read and work.

His uncle, Albert Uden, who had emigrated to Canada in 1907, had joined the 4^th Field Company, Canadian Engineers, whose regiment had recently made the opposite journey to Solomon across the Atlantic arriving in England on 29^th April 1915. (the records are not currently available to confirm if Albert was among their number). For Solomon though a new life awaited in America.