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| 107th Infantry Regiment WW1 Memorial |
Located at intersection of East 67th Street and Fifth Avenue on the edge of Central Park is a memorial that honours members of the 107th Infantry Regiment who died during World War I.
It was dedicated September 29, 1927, the 9th anniversary of the Battle of St. Quentin Canal during which the regiment attacked the Hindenburg Line.
The 107th Infantry Regiment was a New York State National Guard unit.
Its origins are the Seventh Regiment which was formed in April 1806 to defend New York Harbour against the British. The Regiment was mobilised during the American Civil War, but did not engage in battle. In 1916 it was called into Federal Service on the Mexican Border.
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| Seventh Regiment Armory Park Lane NYC |
On April 6th 1917 the United States of America declared war on Germany.
The War Department issued General Order No. 90 on July 12, 1917 calling into service the New York National Guard.
"Whereas the United States of America and the Imperial German Government are now at war...I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States...call into service...all members of the National Guard...of the following states...
I. On July 15, 1917, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio..."
The Regiment mobilised to the Armory on Park Avenue (between East 66 and East 67th streets). They marched daily to Central Park for drill. and manoeuvres. On August 5th 1917 a proclamation drafted the National Guard into Federal service. They joined the 54th Brigade of the 27th Division (The New York Division) and redesignated the 107th Infantry Regiment.
On 30th August 1917 the 27th Division marched down 5th Avenue in a farewell parade. The five mile route from 110th Street to the Washington Square Arch was lined by hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. The parade would take five hours to pass by.
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27th Division march past New York Library
Farewell Parade 30th August 1917 |
The 107th Seventh Regiment left New York on September 11 entraining for Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, South Carolina. They remained at Camp Wandsworth until April 28, 1918 before moving to Camp Stuart in Virginia ready for deployment to Europe
The Regiment embarked on the S.S. Susquehanna and the S.S. Antigone 9th/10th May 1918 arriving at the French port of Brest on 24th/25th May. Two days later they entrained and moved to Noyelles near St Omer. There they undertook several weeks of training before moving to the Ypres Salient Reserve Area northeast of Cassel.
On July 25th 1918 the 27th Division was rotated into the front line in relief of the British 6th Division around Dickebusch. On 1st/2nd 1918 the Second American Army Corps, which consisted of the 27th Division and 30th, took part in attacks around the German strongpoints at Mount Kemmel. They succeeded in forcing the Germans to withdraw. After that action the 27th Division was withdrawn and moved south for rest and more training.
They returned to the frontline on September 25th 1918 occupying positions in front of the St. Quentin Canal tunnel, part of the Hindenburg Line. The Division would participate in the Somme Offensive which succeeded in breaking through the German’s Hindenburg defensive line.
Four men of the 107th Regiment would earn the Medal of Honor for actions on the 29th September.
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| 27th Division Breaking the Hindenburg Line |
The Division would be relieved on October 21st 1918 and moved to Amiens.
That would be the last action for the 27th Division. On 11th November 1918 the Armistice was signed ending hostilities on the Western Front.
The 107th Regiment returned to New York in March 1919. A Victory Parade was held on the 25th March with the Regiment marching up 5th Avenue. The regiment was mustered out of Federal Service at Camp Upton, Long Island on April 2, 1919.
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27th Division - New Yorks Own
Breakers of the Hindenberg Line |
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During its service in World War I, the 107th Infantry Regiment sustained 1,918 casualties including 1,383 wounded, 437 killed, and 98 who later died of their wounds.
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