Search results
First World War York. England & Scotland Forever (c) CYC Imagine York. 1914AD - 1918AD. The First World War visited terror on North Yorkshire when German battleships shelled the East Coast, including Scarborough and Whitby, in December 1914. York came under attack later.
York was founded in 71 AD when Cerialis and the Ninth Legion constructed a military fortress on flat ground above the River Ouse near its junction with the River Foss. The fortress was later rebuilt in stone, covered an area of 50 acres, and was inhabited by 6,000 soldiers.
- Early Life
- Trouble and Spiritual Conversion
- World War I and Moral Confusion
- A Change of Heart
- In France
- A Tough Assignment
- A Stunning Achievement
- Medal of Honor
- Later Life
- Sources
Alvin Cullum York was born December 13, 1887, to William and Mary York of rural Pall Mall, Tennessee. The third of 11 children, York grew up in a small two-room cabin and received minimal schooling as a child due to a need to aid his father in running the family farm and hunting for food. Though his formal education was lacking, he learned to be a ...
During this period, York became a heavy drinker and was frequently involved in bar fights. Despite pleas from his mother to improve his behavior, York persisted in drinking. This continued until the winter of 1914, when his friend Everett Delk was beaten to death during a brawl in nearby Static, Kentucky. Shaken by this incident, York attended a re...
With the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, York became concerned that he would be required to serve. These worries became reality when he received his draft registration notice. Consulting with his pastor, he was advised to seek conscientious objector status. On June 5, York registered for the draft as required by law, but wrote ...
Now 30 years old, York was assigned to Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division and posted to Camp Gordon in Georgia. Arriving, he proved a crack shot but was seen as an oddity because he did not wish to fight. During this time, he had extensive conversations with his company commander, Captain Edward C.B. Danforth, and his battal...
Traveling to Boston, York's unit sailed for Le Havre, France in May 1918 and arrived later that month after a stop in Britain. Reaching the Continent, York's division spent time along the Somme as well as at Toul, Lagney, and Marbache, where they underwent a variety of training to prepare them for combat operations along the Western Front. Promoted...
Moving forward from the hill, York's unit was forced to attack through a triangular valley and quickly came under German machine-gun fire on several sides from the adjacent hills. This stalled the attack as the Americans began taking heavy casualties. In an effort to eliminate the machine guns, 17 men led by Sergeant Bernard Early, including York, ...
Beginning in a prone position, he utilized the shooting skills he had honed as a boy. Picking off the German gunners, York was able to move to a standing position as he evaded enemy fire. During the course of the fight, six German soldiers emerged from their trenches and charged at York with bayonets. Running low on rifle ammunition, he drew his pi...
For his achievements, York was promoted to sergeant and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Remaining with his unit for the final weeks of the war, his decoration was upgraded to the Medal of Honor which he received on April 18, 1919. The award was presented to York by American Expeditionary Forces commander General John J. Pershing. In additi...
Though wooed by filmmakers and advertisers, York was eager to return home to Tennessee. Doing so, he married Gracie Williams that June. Over the next several years, the couple had 10 children, eight of whom survived infancy. A celebrity, York took part in several speaking tours and eagerly sought to improve educational opportunities for area childr...
Birdwell, Michael E. "Alvin Cullum York: The Myth, the Man, and the Legacy." Tennessee Historical Quarterly71.4 (2012): 318–39. Print.Hoobler, James A. "Sergeant York Historic Area." Tennessee Historical Quarterly38.1 (1979): 3–8. Print.Lee, David D. "Appalachia on Film: 'The Making of' Sergeant York." Southern Quarterly19.3 (1981): 207–15.Maestriano, Douglas V. "Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne." Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2014.Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known by his rank as Sergeant York, was an American soldier who was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. [1]
Wartime York. First World War postcard - York Castle Museum. York began as a fortress and has been pivotal in many battles and campaigns over the centuries. The city remained a garrison town but when the Great War broke out in 1914 it had been many generations since the last serious conflict.
Oct 8, 2018 · York reluctantly entered the U.S. Army on Nov. 14, 1917, and became a member of the 82nd Infantry Division. His disciplined living and superior shooting ability saw him promoted.
People also ask
How did York get its name?
Why was York important during the Great War?
When was York founded?
Did Alvin York fight in World War 1?
What happened to York during the Great War?
Who was Sergeant York & why was he called 'Sergeant York'?
Sep 5, 2023 · The Roman invasion of Britain, launched in AD 43, didn’t really touch this part of northern Britain until AD 71, when they established a military base they called Eboracum – today’s York. At that time, the region was inhabited by a Celtic tribal confederation called the Brigantes.
