Home > United States of America > Iowa > Story County > Cambridge > Cambridge Cemetery > Willard Densmore Wire

Willard Densmore Wire

Birth	:	25 Apr 1888
Death	:	18 Aug 1917 France
Burial	:	Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Story County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.9067600, -93.5424400
Description	:	WW 1- Killed in France WILLARD D. WIRE Cambridge Cemetery Story County, Iowa Inscription: Mothers Offering Willard D. Wire Apr 25 1888 Aug 18 1917 Killed By Shell In Trenches Of France Obituary:: Nevada Representative- Monday, Sept 10, 1917- Front Page First Story County Boy Killed on Europe's Battle Fields Willard Wire of Cambridge, a Hero of Viny Ridge, wounded and Dies after Notable Services with the Canadian Contingent. Willard D Wire, son of Mr and Mrs. Gid J Wire, is dead on the battle fields of war torn Europe, the... Read More	WW 1- Killed in France WILLARD D. WIRE Cambridge Cemetery Story County, Iowa Inscription: Mothers Offering Willard D. Wire Apr 25 1888 Aug 18 1917 Killed By Shell In Trenches Of France Obituary:: Nevada Representative- Monday, Sept 10, 1917- Front Page First Story County Boy Killed on Europe's Battle Fields Willard Wire of Cambridge, a Hero of Viny Ridge, wounded and Dies after Notable Services with the Canadian Contingent. Willard D Wire, son of Mr and Mrs. Gid J Wire, is dead on the battle fields of war torn Europe, the First Story County boy to give his life for the cause of Democracy in this great world war, which is raging so bitterly. Thus the great world struggle is brought home to each and every one of us, for now the war is at our very doors and we can each feel a distinct loss that one of our own has given up his life in the great struggle. Willard was one of the first of the sturdy American volunteers, who is their anxiety to fight for the cause of democracy and enlisted under the British flag who has fallen and today his wife and baby, his father and his mother, in the little city of Cambridge mourn his loss and at the same time have a feeling of pride in that their boy, their husband and father, should have been the first of the Story County contingent at the front in the great world war to sacrafice his life for the cause of freedom. Even since early in April, 1916, Willard has been with the Canadian troops and after a season of training in England was sent to France and with the rest of the boys from the Dominion has done notable service in all that they have been called to do. In fact at the battle of Vimy Ridge he was one of thirteen American young men in the Canadian Division who took part in that historic engagement. Eight of them lost their lives during the battle and young Wire and four others coming out of it unscathed. Since then his family had had several letters from the young man, in all of them he spoke of the great interest he was taking in the army life and the exciting times that he had enjoyed, as he had chanced to see a lot of action, both in and out of the trenches in France. In a recent letter he spoke of an injury to his hand but did not seem to think of it as a serious matter at all. In fact he rather joked about it and this was about the last letter that his family has received , until, the fateful telegram was received on Friday afternoon from the authorities in charge of the British Army in Canada. That was but a brief message stating that the young man had lost his life on the 18th of August in France. Of course , his father, Gid J Wire, at once took steps to find out more of the particulars of the death of his son, but as yet had been able to gain but little information, it being supposed that the Canadian authorities had nothing but the casualty lists on which to base their first message to his family. The message which was received was as follows: "It is with regret that we have to inform you that 871797, Willard Densmore Wire was killed in action on the 18th of August, 1917." Signed- Board of Control of Canada. All tto brief in its wording and almost cruel in its meaning, the family of young Wire at once sent a wire to the Canadian government asking for more details and as to the chance of having the remains sent to America for interment but up to press hour today had received no word of any kind from them. Mr Wire would have been twenty eight years old had he lived till the 25th of August and was married seven years ago this month to Jessie Tillotson at Omaha, Nebr. One child has blessed that union a daughter Winnie who is living with her mother on a farm one mile east of Cambridge. About eight years ago Mr Wire took over a farm at Kerroberts Canada and has since made his home at that place, enlisting on April 1st of 1916. He served in Canada till the first of the year, when he went to England and from there to France. He was a member of the 183 battalion, Company D., of the Canadian forces. Since getting to England his frequent letters home have been full of information regarding the work at hand, the life of the soldiers and the experiences of the trenches. In his last letter which was dated "Somewhere in France" on August 3d, he spoke of having his turn out of the trenches for some time and just returning to them for another period. In mentioning his injured hand, he said that it has been struck by a bit of flying schrapnel but was serious enough injury to keep him out of the firing line for even a day.. That was the last written word the stricken family has had from their boy, husband, father and no doubt the last they will ever receive unless there is a message on the way written after that date, which is unlikely as the soldiers in the trenches where he spoke of returning to, do not have a great opportunity to write letters. Thus it is that Story County loses her first boy in the real fighting of Europe and we feel sure that every man, woman and child in the county will join with the Representative in extending to the bereaved family our hearty sympathy and condolences and also take an additional pride in the fact that as in everything else Story County is right at the fore front when that are things to be done for the good of the country and for world wide democracy.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Willard Densmore Wire's memorial?
Willard Densmore Wire's memorial is located at: Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Story County, USA.
When did Willard Densmore Wire death?
Willard Densmore Wire death on 18 Aug 1917 in France
Where are the coordinates of the Willard Densmore Wire's memorial?
Latitude: 41.9067600
Longitude: -93.5424400

Family Members:

Parent

Gideon Jay “Gid” Wire

(1837 - 1928)

Alma Althea “Allie” Southwick Wire

(1847 - 1921)

Siblings

Howard Jay Wire

(1869 - 1870)

Ruth Mosette Wire Johnson

(1871 - 1941)

George Michael Wire

(1875 - 1951)

Mila Charlotte Wire Elliott

(1880 - 1933)

Vera Elizabeth Wire Fink

(1891 - 1951)

Mildred Ann Wire Fink

(1895 - 1941)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Cambridge Cemetery
Cambridge, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9067600, -93.5424400

2. Ballard Grove Cemetery
Huxley, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8999872, -93.5918840

3. Palestine Cemetery
Huxley, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8770000, -93.5813000

4. Center Grove Cemetery
Cambridge, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8835983, -93.4835968

5. Fjeldberg Cemetery
Huxley, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8786011, -93.5997009

6. Lincoln Cemetery
Cambridge, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9235992, -93.6097031

7. Walnut Grove Cemetery
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9468994, -93.5903015

8. White Oak Cemetery
Elkhart Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8347000, -93.5357000

9. Keller Cemetery
Elkhart Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8201590, -93.5116630

10. Bethany Cemetery
Kelley, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9366989, -93.6594009

11. Kelley Community Cemetery
Kelley, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9496000, -93.6582000

12. Story Memorial Gardens
Ames, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9933014, -93.6112976

13. Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery
Slater, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8780000, -93.6760000

14. Woodland Cemetery
Iowa Center, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9324989, -93.4064026

15. Slater Cemetery
Slater, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8713989, -93.6753006

16. Maxwell Cemetery
Maxwell, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8950500, -93.3996900

17. Mount Zion Cemetery
Washington Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8352610, -93.4345230

18. Sheldahl Lutheran Cemetery
Palestine Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.9071910, -93.6954800

19. Brubaker Cemetery
Maxwell, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8847198, -93.3916702

20. Elkhart Cemetery
Elkhart, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7908648, -93.5166872

21. Willie Coons Farm Cemetery
Lincoln Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8347950, -93.6783760

22. Sheldahl Cemetery
Lincoln Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8507996, -93.6928024

23. Church of the Brethren Cemetery
Washington Township, Polk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8347340, -93.4017630

24. Peoria Cemetery
Indian Creek Township, Story County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8636017, -93.3811035