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Jan 27, 1890
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Born at La Plata
Maryland, USA
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| 1913 |
Graduated from the University of Maryland as a member of Phi Kappa
Sigma Fraternity, Alpha Zeta Chapter
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| 1914 |
Employed by Fidelity and Investment Co, New York, NY
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Nov 7, 1914
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Attested into
the 21st Battalion at Kingston Ontario
Ø Number 60077 (temporary number 927)
Ø Next of kin given as L Allison Wilmer (father) of Leonardtown,
Maryland, USA
Ø Previous occupation given as Lumberman
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Church of England
Ø Assigned to “H” Company
o This was later reorganized into “D” Company
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Metagama at Montreal Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Devonport England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp near Hythe Kent
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Jun 25, 1915
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Appointed to
rank of Lance Cpl with pay
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He wrote a letter back to Mr.
Jack Matthews in La Plata from West Sandling Camp September 5th, 1915 on 21st Battalion
letterhead:
Dear Jack,
I feel sure you will be surprised to hear from me, however I
trust the surprise won't be an unpleasant one. There is hardly ever any time for letter
writing for we have been very much on the go since our arrival in England last May.
At last our training is at an end, and we are ready for the
front. The King and Lord Kitchener inspected us Thursday and I understand the whole
Division made a wonderful showing. We leave for France next Thursday to do our
little part in the great struggle and honestly I can hardly wait to get there. We all feel
extremely bitter towards Germany on account of her many unpardoned atrocities, and I know
when the time comes we shall go at them with all the strength we possess.
I wish you could see our Camp. We are situated on a very high
hill overlooking the English Channel two miles away, and all around us are smaller hills
and little valleys and hedgerows everywhere and they are always green for the sun is never
too hot to parch them. It is truly a beautiful country, and the people are fine.
I was up in London a while ago for several days with one of the
fellows in our company whose home is there. It was my first leave of absence and I truly
enjoyed it. We spent most of the time sight seeing, but what I enjoyed most of all was the
little touch of home life which as you know has always appealed to me. The people there
think a whole lot of the Canadians on account of their brave fight at the battle of Ypres
where they saved the left flank of the British and French Armies.
I declare they stop you on the street and ask you to go to the
theatre or take an auto ride. Was down to Ramsgate to see the damage done by a Zeppelen
(sic) in a recent raid, and on the way back stopped at Canterbury to see the old Cathedral
there.
Mary Allison frequently sends me a new photo of little Warren
Trowbridge and he is certainly a great looking kid. She also gives me detailed accounts of
how he is progressing and the number of pounds he weighs which certainly amuses me for
really I don't know much a baby should weigh. I know how happy she is, and indeed it makes
me happy too at the thought of it.
When you get the chance please write to me for it would certainly
afford me a great deal of pleasure. I think of you and all "back home" ever so
often and while absent in body I am forever there in spirit. Good luck and happiness to
you always, and my love to all at "Iduln."
Sincerely
Harry White
A letter to the address below will reach me in France.
# 4 Company, 21st Canadian Battalion
4th Infantry Brigade,
2nd Canadian Division
To War Office,
London, England
Reg. No. 60077
The letter was supplied
courtesy of the Southern Maryland Studies Center, College of Southern Maryland, Louise
Stone Matthews Collection, and transcribed by Stephen Ellacott
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St
Seiriol at Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Boulogne France and proceeded to St Omer
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Mar 16, 1916
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Promoted to rank
of Cpl to replace Cpl Evans 59310, who was killed in action
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May 28, 1916
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Granted 10 days
leave
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Jun 7, 1916
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Granted a 2 day
extension to his leave
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Jun 26, 1916
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Received
shrapnel wounds to left shoulder and head while in the front line trench. He was rendered unconscious for a short time and
was treated at the CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)
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Jun 27, 1916
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Transferred to
No 13 General Hospital at Boulogne
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Jun 30, 1916
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Surgery
performed to remove shrapnel balls and bone fragments
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Jul 2, 1916
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Invalided to
England aboard the Hospital Ship Cambria
Posted to
CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital
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Jul 3, 1916
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Admitted to the
Military Hospital at Bagthorpe, Nottingham
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Aug 25, 1916
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Transferred to
the King’s Canadian Red Cross Convalescent Hospital at Bushey Park, Teddington
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Aug 29, 1916
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Transferred to
the Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom
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Oct 11, 1916
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Awarded the
Military Medal per London Gazette #29780
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Oct 12, 1916
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Discharged from
hospital and recommended for sick leave to Canada
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Oct 14, 1916
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Granted sick
leave to Canada until November 25, 1916
Embarked the RMS
Ascania at London
Address while on leave - 4 Revell St,
Annapolis, Maryland, USA
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Oct 27, 1916
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Disembarked at
Montreal Quebec
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Nov 25, 1916
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Leave extended
to January 6, 1917
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Jan 6, 1917
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Leave extended
to February 8, 1917
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Jan 20, 1917
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Discharged from the
CEF in Canada as “a special case”
Although there is no
copy of his discharge papers in the file, his post discharge pay was sent to him at 4
Revell St, Annapolis, Maryland, USA
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Oct 10, 1918
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At this point I
do not have the records or details of his service, but he joined the United States Army
with the rank of Lieutenant and went to France with the 20th Aero Squadron,
known as The Mad Bolshevik Squandron, as an Observer, flying in Dehaviland DH-4 aircraft
number 32904.
On October
10, 1918 his aircraft was hit by an "Archie" while over the German lines at a
height of eleven thousand feet. The plane was seen to turn and start gliding towards the
American trenches, but, at about six hundred feet, they apparently encountered a strong
German barrage which riddled his plane with bullets and killed both him and his pilot,
Lieutenant William Clarkson Potter. They were both buried by the Germans at
Barricourt, Ardennes, near Stenay. Following the war, both remains were transferred
to the Suresnes American Cemetery and reburied side by side.
The above is taken from The History of the American Field Service in
France at http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/memoir/AFShist/AFSTC.htm#TC.
Above left is a photo of his pilot, Lt WC Potter who was killed with
Lt Wilmer, right, and they are buried side by side
The photos above are from The
History of the 20th Aero Squadron by Clarence G Barth
Above is a photo of the crosses erected in the original graves for
Harry Wilmer and his pilot. The photo is taken from Lost Eagles by Blain Pardoe and credited to The
National Museum of the United States. Below are the permanent crosses that currently mark their
graves in their final resting place, the Suresnes American Cemetery.
 
Suresnes American Cemetery, Suresnes, France, plot B, row 17,
graves 2 and 3.
Photos of the current headstones courtesy of the Suresnes Cemetery
staff and reproduced here with their permission
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Another eye witness, pilot William S Holt of the 20th Sqn, described
what he saw in a 1980 interview:
"Little Willie
Potter.....I remember so clearly seeing him go down. Potter was right over on my
right wing and I was looking over there and the Germans were coming in. I saw this
one particular German plane come in and turn - and Potter's gas tank burst into flames.
The plane turned over and it went down. Poor little fellow! It is
traumatic. I had seen others go down befoe, but this was the most vivid.
(Potter's observer) Harry Wilmer was a Canadian. Why he was in the American
Army, I do not know. He had been on the ground with the British Army and had won a
Military Medal."
In addition there is this entry from "Over the
Front", Volume 22, League of WW1 Aviation Historians:
"On 10 October, Ltn Leibfried and Vzfie Trautmann downed
DH-4s of the 20th Aero Squadron DH-4 No 32904 flown by 1st Lt WC Potter and 1st Lt HW
Wilmer (KIA) over the forest by Fey-en-Haye."
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Dec 10, 1923
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1914-15 Star,
British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to his father, L Allison Wilmer, c/o Wilmer
& Ching, Leonardtown, Maryland USA
Because he
was discharged from the CEF and serving with the American Expeditionary Force, there was
no Memorial Cross issued.
The American
Legion at 6330 Crain Highway, La Plata Maryland is officially named The Harry White Wilmer
American Legion Post 82.
 
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