Hi Beryl,
Yes we have the 5-Vol. History of the 28th Division, which has all the Regiments. The 111th is in Vol. II.
I looked up Orville. I was surprised to see he was an officer. There are larger pictures of the officers. There are 2 pictures of him, which we can scan if you like.
He was Company Commander from April 12, 1917 to August 11, 1918
The short write-up says:
Thompson, Orville R., Captain. Killed August 11th 1918. Received 28th Division Citation.
~ Here is the Citation listed in Vol. V...
"Headquarters 28th Division
American Expeditionary Forces
France, March 29, 1918
General Orders
No. 8
1) It gives me pleasure to record in General Orders, a tribute to the valorous conduct of the following named officers and soldiers of this division who have distinguished themselves by extraordinary gallantry in connection with militray operations against an armed enemy of the United States under the following circumstances:
On August 11, 1918, at Fismette France, Captain Orville R. Thompson, 111th Infantry, being ordered to take the Northern half of Fismette from a selected vantage point which was to be occupied at a given hour, found the point inenemy posession. He immediately organized the attack from his then position and advanced his line by short rushes, being always in the lead himself. At the moment of making the finalrush against the embankment behind which the enemy fought, this gallant officer was struck by a hand grenade and instantly killed."...
W.H. Hay
Major General, U.S.A.
Official:
Richard W. Watson
Lieut.-Colonel-Adjutant
~ There is one section in the history of the 111th, entitled "Some Personalities", where they seem to discuss a little about each of the officers. The paragraph relating to Capt. Thompson says...
" Captains Groff of Company K, and Thompson, of Company M were the long and short of the Regiment; one was so big that to dispute him was foolish, and the other so 'cocky' that he made himself master of those around. The loss of these two officers was keenly felt in the Battalion."
~ The previous response I wrote has info on the actions on Companies L & M on Aug. 11, 1918. In discussing the loss of officers in the actions of those few days, there is a comment...
" ...Captain Orville Thompson lost his life leading a charge on the afternoon of the 11th."
~ I am so sorry to tell you that unfortunately, it appears that it wasn't until Sept. 4, that they were able to recover and bury Capt. Thompson.
Regarding the advance made on Sept. 4, 1918...
"...The two other companies of the Third Battalion (stationed at Fismes) advanced strong patrols toward the Vesle, and as the advance progressed, accomplished a crossing and occupied Fismette, which they held during the night of September 4-5, while the balance of the Regiment moved to the ravine one and a half kilometers south of Fismes, near the St. Gilles-Fismes Road. The members of the third Battalion after reaching Fismette were able to bury many of those who had lain in 'No-Man's-Land' since August 10, among them being the body of Captain Thompson."
~ This link to PA State Archives
http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive.aspHas the PA Nat. Guard Vet. Card File & the MexicanBorder Campaign vet. Files. Go to the "T"'s. Orville Thompson is listed as having first enlisted in 1912. The Regiments of the PA National Guard were all incorporated into the Regiments of the 28th Division just before the War
~ This link is to PA Soldiers in the Great War
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/1pa/military/ww1/haulse... & Capt. Thompson is also listed here
~ This site has some general info on the 28th Division's actions:
http://www.skyenet.net/~jhartwell/camps_division_histories.h...~ Here is an article on WWI Burial Case Files:
http://www.geocities.com/lks_friday/COLUMN-040.htm~ This is a link to the Doughboy Center which has some good info on WWI research
http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/gen_faq.htm~ Let me now if you want us to send the scan & if you need further information.
Take Care, Eileen