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CORPORAL WILLIAM S. HEY
was born in Philadelphia PA on December 20, 1893 to Mr. and Mrs. William
Hey. Known as Willie, he was one of at least 5 children. Sadly their
mother died before the Census was taken on June 2, 1900. The family,
which included older children John, Mamie, and Maggie, and younger
brother Hiram was living in Philadelphia. Their aunt Laura and her
husband John Murr lived their as well. The elder Hey was unable to take
care of his children on a day laborers wages, and by 1910 Willie Hey was
living at St. Joseph's Home for Boys on Pine Street in Philadelphia.
William Hey came to Camden
after coming of age. He was working at the Victor Talking Machine
Company plant and living at 649
North 31st Street in
East Camden when he
registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. He had lived at 9
Haddon Avenue before
joining the 3rd Infantry Regiment,
New Jersey National Guard. He left with that unit for Camp Edge at Sea
Girt NJ, and subsequently to Camp McClellan in Anniston AL prior to
going overseas, as a member of Company G, 14th Infantry Regiment, 29th
Infantry Division.
Corporal
William S. Hey was killed in action on October 12, 1918 while serving
with Company G, 114th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. This
unit was part of the attack on German positions near Verdun on October
8, 1918.
The 29th Infantry Division's account record has the following account
for October 12 1918:
The
114th Infantry, 29th Division was attached to the 18th French Division,
moved from its bivouac in the Cotee des Roches into position in the
Ravin de Coassinvaux on the night of the 11th-12th October preparatory
to an attack upon the Bois d'Ormont, which the Division had been ordered
to make at 0700hrs on the 12th. In conjunction with the 66th French
Infantry, the 114th moved to attack at the hour designated.
The objective of the 114th was the enemy line between Bois d'Ormont and
Bois d'Moirey. The enemy has established a very strong dug in concrete
line of machine guns. The French artillery unit providing preparatory
fire had a severe shortage of artillery ammunition. The small amount
that was actually fired was placed to far behind the enemy lines*. The
artillery had very little effect on the enemy machine gun line and
caused very little damage. The 1st Company of the 111th Machine Gun
Battalion began its advance on Bois d'Ormont to support the 114th
advance but was forced to pull back after only five minutes due to the
heavy German Artillery. After just five minutes eleven 111th men were
killed.
The 114th eventually made it into Bois d'Ormont but the cost was very
high. Six officers and 112 enlisted men were killed, twelve officers and
800 enlisted men were wounded in the engagement.
On
October 12, 1918 the Bois d'Ormont was conquered at the cost of
118 casualties. Private First Class Hey and several other Camden County
men were of that number.
Corporal Hey was 23 years
old at the time of his death. He was 23 years old and was survived by a sister.
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