Charles Lloyd Langham (1889 - 1918)

Born 1889 in Grant Township, Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 8 Oct 1918 at about age 29 in Meuse, Haute-Marne, Champagne-Ardenne, France

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Biography

Private Charles L. Langham was my great-grandfather’s first cousin. Charles was born in Grant Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania in 1889 and died in France on 8 Oct 1918, only a month before the Great War ended on 18 Nov 1918. He is buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France. Pvt. Langham served with C Company, 111th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division. He died the very day Sgt. York of 82nd Division wiped out a nest of 35 machine guns and captured 132 German soldiers as part of relief operation of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The 111th Infantry earned WWI battle stars for the Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne-Lorraine battles, driving the Germans finally from France. On the date of his death, the 28th Division was engaged in the Meusse-Argonne offensive that occurred from September to October 1918 against the German Fifth Army. The second phase of this battle began on 4 October, during which time all of the first phase assault divisions of the I and V Corps were replaced by divisions from reserve. The Americans launched a series of costly frontal assaults that finally broke through the main German defenses (the Kriemhilde Stellung of the Hindenburg Line) between 14-17 October. By the end of October, the Americans had advanced ten miles and had finally cleared the Argonne Forest. On their left the French had advanced twenty miles, reaching the Aisne River. It was during the opening of this operation that Corporal (later Sergeant) Alvin York made his famous capture of 132 German prisoners. Although the battle was "probably the bloodiest single battle in U.S. history," the battle is little remembered today; its battleground memorials are neglected by most American visitors to Europe. According to the American view, the battle's pressure on the Germans was an important factor in their agreeing to the armistice: "Until the last, this battle had worried German commanders most; unlike other sectors of the front, here they had little space short of a vital objective that they could afford to trade for time."^[1]

Obituary

Mr. and Mrs. john N. Langham, of near Purchase Line, received a telegram from the War Department on Thursday, stating that their son, Private Charles Lloyd Langham, a member of the 111th United States Infantry, had been killed in action in France, on October 8. The deceased, who was aged 29 years, was a nephew of Judge J. N. Langham, of town, and was a young man of sterling Christian character, and his death comes as a great shock to his wide circle of friends. He is survived by his parents and these brothers and sisters: Mrs. Wesley Long, of Heilwood; Mrs. Walter Knupp, of Fleming Summit; Miss Jean Langham, of Freeport; Robert K. Langham, serving with the United States troops in France; Perry Langham, of Blacklick; Marshall Langham, of Hillsdale, and Miss Amanda Langham, at home.^[2]

Burial

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial Romagne-sous-Montfaucon Departement de la Meuse Lorraine, France^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com - James Weaver originally shared this on 27 Jul 2009
2. ↑ The Indiana Weekly Messenger (Indiana, PA) - Thu, Nov 14, 1918 - Page 1
3. ↑ [1]findagrave