9/7/2006:
When Jake Schaeffer of Sheridan County disembarked for France in 1918, he knew he awaited many dangers. As one of the engineers, Jake would have to work under heavy fire while repairing and building roads and bridges. Often, Jake considered everyday his last. Despite this, Jake expressed one complaint, and that was the lack of food.
Today in 1918, Jake’s company moved to a camp near the Lucy sector in France. The camp was the last bit of peace they would have, and three days later they were ordered to prepare for the Saint Mihiel drive. On their march to Saint Mihiel, they encountered their first gas alarm, and the men were forced to march thirty minutes wearing their masks. Though the masks were uncomfortable, Jake’s discomfort lay elsewhere. The McClusky Gazette reported that “Some state that a gas mask will cause a headache–but Jake says it never caused his head to ache–he never had a headache in France–he never got enough to eat to support a full sized headache–all his aches were the aches of an empty belly.”
Shortly after arrival at the front, the men were ordered to prepare to drive. The men had nothing to eat the night before or yet that day, and would stay hungry as they drove forward until 4 p.m. After the advance, Jake worked repairing roads, still without food and was ordered again to the front. Finally, the hungry Jake got a break as he was reporting to the front. They discovered a German billet and inside they found live chickens and ducks, as well as other provisions. The five men with Jake feasted and the Gazette said, “They ate so much that all six nearly died from over-eating.”
On September 14, Jake’s company was moved to the Benney woods. The camp was constantly under heavy fire, but their last day there would prove to be one of the worst. As the barrage grew heavier, Jake ran to help move the kitchen to safety. The danger, however, must have been bigger than his stomach this time, for when he arrived, he found the horses only partly hitched to the wagons and the hands and cooks fleeing the woods before it was too late. Jake followed. According to the Gazette, “Jake ran for half a mile with a full pack and he said he never ran so fast in his life before, or since. The horses attached to the kitchen, the water tank, and the two escort wagons evacuated the woods full tilt–but Jake led the bunch by a good safe margin.”
The company was ordered to the village of Benney the following day, and they stayed there for a short time before reporting to various places in France, including Bouillionville, the Argonne Forest, Ricicourt, Barricourt, and finally Beaufort, where they received the news of the armistice. Jake was building a bridge on November 11 when the armistice was announced and celebrations commenced. The Gazette stated that “a person could not guess in a month of guesses how they celebrated...: Their captain discovered a German ration dump...stocked with potatoes and flour....The men secured lard and corn syrup from their kitchen and fried potatoes and flapjacks the rest of the day. Jake ate all afternoon. As stated before, the grub proposition was quite a proposition in Jake’s young life during the World War.”
Jake was discharged at Camp Dodge on June 8, 1919. His first day as a civilian was spent at the table nearest the kitchen of a popular restaurant. There, said the Gazette, “Jake gave eating his closest attention.”
By Tessa Sandstrom
Source:
“Jake Schaeffer 96 days under fire,” McClusky Gazette. August 22, 1919: 1.