Frank Harper Stamps

named after Littleberry B. Harper

Silver Star Award: https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/83550

Rev. Mr. Stamps Dies at 77

The Rev. Frank Stamps, 77, of 3316 Macon Road, Oakville Memorial Hospital 2:20 a.m. today, retired National Chaplain World War I Veterans, also former Memphis Barracks 3375 chaplain and Tennessee Department chaplain. Services at 11 a.m. Monday at Highland Heights Baptist Church. Burial in Hills Garden Cemetery. Memphis Funeral Home.

    The Rev. Frank H. Stamps, retired Baptist minister, former national chaplain of Veterans of World War I, died at 2:20 a.m. today at Oakville Memorial Hospital. He was 77.

The Rev. Mr. Stamps was born in Jacksboro, Texas, and moved to Memphis from Knoxville in 1912. He had served on the Mexican border with the First Tennessee Infantry, and, in 1918, went to France with the 55th battalion serving throughout the war with the 120th Infantry 30th Div., Co. A, as a top sergeant. He fought in Belgium and on the Hindenberg line and stayed overseas for a time after the war. He was awarded the Silver Star.

   In addition to having served as a national chaplain, he had been chaplain of Memphis Barracks 3375 and as the organization’s Tennessee Department chaplain.

   During his ministry, he served numerous churches in this area including National Avenue, Eads, Fisherville, Big Creek, Hulbert (West Memphis, Ark.), Arkabutla, Miss., and Burnt Cane (near Forrest City, Ark.) Baptist churches.  He lived at 3316 Macon, and, at the time of his death, was a member of Highland Heights Baptist Church.

   He leaves his wife, Mrs. Hazel E. Stamps, former employee at Baptist Hospital 18 years, to whom he would have been married 46 years Sept. 16; his son, Jerry Stamps, minister of music and education at Leaclair Baptist Church, and four grandchildren, Kathie, Timmy, David and Paul Stamps. 

Memphis Press-Scimitar, July 10, 1971

________________________________________

    The Rev. Mr. Stamps

    Services for the Rev. Frank H. Stamps of 3316 Macon, retired pastor of Hulbert Baptist Church in West Memphis, will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Highland Heights Baptist Church with burial in Memory Hill Gardens.  Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel has charge. 

   Mr. Stamps, who was 77, died yesterday morning at Oakville Memorial Hospital after a long illness. He was an Army veteran of World War I, seeing action in France, where he was awarded a Silver Star.  He was chaplain of Camp Shelby, Miss., during World War II.  He also served as pastor of Eads Baptist Church, Fisherville Baptist Church, Big Creek Baptist Church, and National Avenue Baptist Church.  (Also Arkabutla Baptist Church, Arkabutla, Mississippi)

  He leaves his wife, Mrs. Hazel Stamps; a son, Gerald F. Stamps of 4787 Given, and four grandchildren.

(Memphis Press-Scimitar, July 11, 1971) _____________________________________________________________________

FRANK H. STAMPS

Gospel Singer and Preacher

3316 Macon Road, Memphis, Tenn.

Native of Texas. Reared in Tennessee.

Veteran of Mexican Border Service 1916 and 11 months service in France and Belgium during the World War, receiving a Silver Star Citation for bravery in action October 6, 1918.

Completed four years of preparation in Simmons University 1927.

Pastor National Avenue Baptist Church, Memphis, 1928-31.

Chaplain U.S. Army Reserve in active duty with CCC 1934-1938.

____________________________________________________________

Born Harper Stamps (with no middle name). "Harper" came from the name of a "rich relative in Florida." [a Harper can be found in a second- or third-cousin Stamps line from that time.] Teased as a child (being called names such as "grasshopper"), following the lead of his mother, he changed his name by adding Frank as his first name. This was after his Uncle Frank Barnett (Uncle Frank Barnett's given name was Francis.)

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notes (2005): This is from Granddad's memory in the last year before he died.

Some data was not correct (as he didn't have access to all the documents).

For example, Ivey did not tell her age, so her birth year was unknown, also he didn't have her death certificate so didn't know she died in 1933;

his mother never told her real name because she didn't like it (probably, like Frank, was teased as a child) but only told her nickname, so Frank never knew her birth name. "Frank" was not his birth name either. (Read on to find out what it was and how he came to be known as "Frank".)

________________________________

AUTO-BIOGRAPHY

F. H. STAMPS

OCT. 16, 1970

ROOM 1496 U E

BAPTIST HOSP.

MEMPHIS, TENN

BRIEF AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Born 9-2-1893

at Jacksboro

Jack County Tex

Texas

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Dr. Samuel William Pistole & wife, 1915:
https://marciasmith.medium.com/the-schoolmarm-3ccb43878db3

----------------------------

I was born too early on Saturday a.m. to know much about it. Dr. Pistole attending physician. I talked to him at City Drug Store
in
Seymour, Texas July 1925 or 26 [1925 or 1926]

Father Rev JJ Stamps taught Greek & Hebrew in Jacksboro North West Texas College where I was born. I was named Harper after rich cousin lived in Florida changed my own name to Frank after my mother's brother Dr. Frank Barnett. His daughters Dollie and Hallie Barnett. Hallie was Mrs. J. R. Mallory. Dollie died about 1948- or 49? Mrs. Stamps (Hazel) & I visited Hallie 1967 in Louisville KY -

My parents and Ivey - Roy K. Judson & I moved via Rock Island R.R. to Knoxville Tenn 1900. I was 7 years old.

School Educ Moses School Knoxville 1st Grade to 5th

6 Grade Fountain City (suburb of Knoxville)

Central H School 7th Gr

Rose Avenue 7-8-9

Knoxville High S 10 Gr

Father died April or May 1910 - on Highland Avenue

of Blocked Bowels -- Could have been Hernia

Lifted large rock

He & Kathleen both buried Woodlawn Cemetery - Knoxville

Dollie Evadna Barnett Stamps, my mother, died 1930 or 32 Age 72.

I believe buried in (Tampa, Fla., Myrtle Hill Memorial Park)

see record on file

Father died 1910

Felt I had to quit school & help support my mother.

Worked Fulton Machine Co., Knoxville, testing Syphon Valves....

invention of Mr. Fulton... used on steam heat in homes. Valve regulated heat.

Judson came to Memphis 1911 bookkeeper, Central Cigar & Tobacco Co.

He got a job for me at Wm. R. Moore Dry Goods Co. as Stock Clerk in Hosiery Dept. Sept 1913

Wm R. Moore went into hands of receiver & I was out of job.

Mr. John T. Fisher, Vice Pres. Amer. Tobacco Co., gave me a job as salesman.

Worked in Jackson, Tenn. area with William Fiddler (His wife was daughter of Dr. Sarah Stamps, Osteopath). Shipped to Huntsville Ala.

[That should be William Port Fidler, who was the son of Dr. Sarah Stamps the Osteopath. William Port Fidler was the father of Jimmie Fidler, the Hollywood reporter/gossip columnist. The Fidlers, and Fishers are Stamps cousins.]

Worked with Mr. French Advertising Honest Snuff. Then to Ittawamba Co. Miss. Transferred to a salesman group of 10 to 15 salesmen -

Selma, Ala. - Montgomery - Mobile - Pensacola

after 8 months was transferred to Nashville.

I was under Vice Pres. Hunt in Nashville. My instructions were to give away samples of a new Snuff (Honest) and also I was to sell as much as possible of new snuff. Six months prior to this a Saleslman had sold every grocery store

[can't find any more pages - Tim, 2/2005]

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During my childhood and youth, I had a very strange complex. I was obsessed with the fear that I was an orphan and that I had been left on the door step of my supposed parents’ home one cold and snowy night. This fear always made me shiver, as I visualized a tiny baby left out in the cold.

There seemed to be a great difference between myself and the rest of the family. My father was highly educated, having graduated from the university and the seminary. He was versed in six languages and had earned thirteen diplomas. He was teaching Greek and Hebrew in a Texas college at the time of my birth. I almost worshiped my two brothers, who were so much smarter than I. I thought they were so handsome, while I was so dull and anything but good looking. My mother was the wisest and sweetest thing in the world, and I looked up to my three sisters as if they were angels from Heaven. All of these fancies were so real to me and so exaggerated in my mind that perhaps they were responsible for my complex and fears.

One day I tearfully unburdened my heart to my mother, telling her all of my fears. I said, “Mother, did you find me on your door step when I was a baby, or is it true that you are my real mother?” She was greatly surprised and hastened to assure me that my fears were groundless. However, my fears persisted, until one day fate stepped in and tore away all doubts and fears.

It happened this way. I was conducting the singing for an evangelist in Seymour, Texas, and we were invited to conduct chapel services at the high school. At the close of the services, one of the teachers approached me and said, “Do you happen to be the son of Reverend J. J. Stamps who used to live in Jacksboro, Texas?” “Yes, that is correct,” I said. She said among other things, “I am the wife of Dr. Pistole, who owns a drugstore in Seymour, and I am sure my husband will be glad to see you, for we were friends of your family when you lived in Jacksboro.”

I hastened down town to the City Drug Company and found the doctor and introduced myself to him. He was delighted to see me, and inquired all about the family. Then he said this. “Frank, I want to tell you something that will interest you greatly. I was a friend and neighbor of your family when you were born, and I am the very doctor that brought you into the world.”

The doctor did not understand the full meaning of the tears of gratitude that welled up and overflowed as I realized the impact of what he was saying. The great burden of my life had been lifted and my fear had been conquered.

Frank H. Stamps
3316 Macon Road
Memphis, TN

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notes:

Marie Hatcher

  Father was missionary to Mexico.  She couldn't speak English when came to U.S. at about High School age. [written by Jerry]

"Dollie" was Evadna's nickname. Like Daddy didn't like name Harper because kids in Texas called him "Grasshopper". [Jerry]

[Evadna was Dollie's sister's name, not hers. Her birthname was Martha Belle, but this was not known by the family, because she kept it secret, until her marriage bond was found on microfilm in 2004. I had already had hints that her name was not Evadna, earlier in 2004 when I saw Evadna Barnett Drake's gravestone in the J-town Cemetery in Louisville where sister Rebecca Barnett Napier is buried, and also found the hint that it might, instead, be Martha Belle, when I acquired the names of her family from other researchers earlier that year. The marriage bond proved this. -Tim]

Jennie V. Roberts 915 565 2944

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Father Rev. John Judson Stamps

Mother Evadna (Dollie) Barnett Stamps

Sisters (2nd child) Mable

Mrs. C. V. Jackson deceased

(5th) Jennie Stamps Cantrell

Ivey (3 oldest didn't tell age) Napier died 1934

(first) Harry Stamps

       oldest child

died young
(4th) Roy Kaufmann Stamps

(6th child) Judson H. Stamps

(7th) Frank Harper Stamps

(8th) Kathleen Stamps

      died at 2 yrs 1901

All above relations deceased
Near kin: Niece:

Mrs. Jennie V. (Jackson) Roberts

3522 Fort Blvd. El Paso, Tex.

Sisters in law: Mrs. Marie

married (Judson) Stamps

Mrs. Marie Stamps lives

El Paso Tex: see Hazel for address

Nephew: Richard Jackson ???

Lubbock, Texas see address

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____________________________________________________________

THE WORLD WAR

by Frank Harper Stamps

(written ca 1918?)

(2005 Gerald Frank Stamps family)

(history of the war - from unnamed sources)

   The greatest and most destructive war known to history was not caused by the assassination of Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo. We know now that the only cause of the world's greatest war was the determination of the German High Command and powerful circle around it, that the day had come, the hour had struck, when they were to go forth to conquer the world. Germany had been preparing for war for thirty or forty years. She was ready for it. The German people had been educated into the belief that Germany's destiny was at hand. Compulsory military training adherence by the German people, to the doctrine that might makes right, and the cooperation of German psychologists with the Imperial government to bring the German mind into a docile condition, had molded the German character so that it was easy to impose upon them a military system and philosophy by which the individual yielded all kinds of personal liberties for the alleged good of his government.

German's military machine was ready. Experts had devised a uniform of gray green, which would fade at a distance into obscurity. These uniforms had been fitted for the millions of men enrolled in the regular and reserve army of Germany. Great pyramids of munitions, rifles, traveling kitchens, motor lorries and countless other preparations had been made ready. The German soldiers had been given instructions, which enabled them to go at a signal to his appointed place where everything was in readiness for war.
The German spy system was the greatest ever heard of in history. The cellars of dwellings and shops, rented and owned by German spies, were camouflaged foundations for the great guns of Austria and Germany. German propaganda abroad was just as vigorous as it was at home. The psychologists, propagandists, and spies had figured everything out after years of study on the question. They thought that England would not fight for a scrap of paper. They believed America to have cold feet and would remain neutral. Many other mistakes were made that caused Germany, and the rest of the world for that matter, much sorry, loss of millions of lives and billions of dollars.
Bosnia was a small unwilling province of Austria-Hungary. It was Slavic in population and they hated the Austrians. The court at Vienna had been trying to allay the agitation among the Bosnian Slavs. To carry this policy out further Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria and Hungary, and his morganic wife, Sophia Chotek, Dutchess of Hohenberg, on June 28, 1914, visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. As they were driving through the streets of the town in the morning, a bomb was thrown at them without result. They drove through the streets again in the evening, evidently for a public display. A student, named Gavrilo Princep, a mere lad just out of his teens, attacked the royal party with a magazine pistol and killed both the archduke and his wife.
Here was the excuse for which Germany had waited. The Germanic court of Austria asserted that the crime was the result of a conspiracy leading directly to the Slavic court of Serbia. The Serbians declared they knew nothing about the assassination. They pointed out the fact that Sophia Chotek was a Slav, and that Francis Ferdinand was more liberal than any other of the Austrian royalty and that he respected and understood the Slavic character better than any other member of the Austrian court.
On July 23rd, Austria sent an ultimatum to Serbia presenting eleven demands and stipulating that a reply must be delivered before six o'clock on the evening of the 25th. Although the language was humiliating to Serbia, the answer was delivered within the required time. She submitted to ten of the humiliating points in the ultimatum and agreed to submit the other to arbitration. That night Austria declared the reply to be unsatisfactory and withdrew her minister from Belgrade.
The diplomats of England and France tried in every way to bring about a peaceful settlement but they did not know at this time that Germany was bent on war. They presented plans to Austria and Germany whereby a peaceful settlement could be made and when these were refused they invited Germany to present suggestions of their own. This last note was never answered. Germany wanted Russia to stand aside while Austria punished Serbia; as Russia was bound to Serbia by ties of blood and religion she had to come to her assistance in times of crisis.
All this time the Kaiser William II was in Norway on a vacation trip and the German officials had evidently been operating independent of him. It was a peculiar incident that he did not return from his yachting trip to pay respects to the remains of his friend Archduke Ferdinand, whom he loved so well. When told of the assassination he turned pale and remarked that it was a crime against Germany. His extended visit to Norway was evidently a snare, a device for throwing Europe off the scent, and to lulling them into a false security. While the world imagined that he was recuperating his strength with the salt sea breezes he was biding his time for a dramatic appearance on the stage.
He returned to Berlin suddenly on the evening of the 26th. Two days later he wrote a friendly note to the Tsar in which he stated that he was using his influence to bring about satisfactory settlement between Austria and Russia. In the meantime he tried to bargain with Great Britain, offering to respect the integrity of France and Holland if she, England, would remain neutral in case of a war. Many notes were exchanged between the different countries, the recounting of which would not prove of interest here.
Suffice it to say that when Russia fully realized that Austria was going to overrun Serbia, she commenced mobilizing. By the 31st of July, Russia had mobilized her entire forces. While Germany was actively going forward with her preparations she had not called for a general mobilization.
At this time the Kaiser sent an insulting ultimatum to Russia to the effect that she must demobilize all her forces on the German and Austrian frontiers. Receiving no reply from this ultimatum, two days later Germany declared war on Russia.
As Germany really wanted to attack and annihilate France first, she had to devise some pretext for doing so. Two days after she declared war on Russia, she declared war on France because it was alleged French aviators had committed acts of hostility on German soil.
Thus the world was plunged into despair and one by one the great nations of the earth were brought into the affray for various reasons until practically every country in the world was running red with the blood of their fallen heroes.
History will tell you of the awful atrocities that the German Kulture system perpetrated against the helpless countries of Belgium, Serbia, France and others.
When German sent an ultimatum to Belgium demanding free passage of the German army through that country so that she could attack France from the north and place her big guns across the cannel from England, the brave Belgians sent word back that they were ready to defend their country to the last man. The bravery of these fine people and also of the people of France during the first days of the war is well known the world over.
It was a peculiar incident that the countries who were the losers in the war were the ones who started it and that the ones who won were fighting on their own soil all the time. To my knowledge there was not a shell that fell into German or Austria-Hungarian territory, on the Western frontier, while France, Belgium, and some parts of Italy were wrecked by the invading foe.
(Frank's personal experiences)

   It might be interesting to give here a brief description of the writer's own experiences during the nine months in training camp and eleven months over seas.

On returning from the Mexican border I was discharged on account of dependent relatives but joined the second Tennessee Infantry as soon as the United States declared war. The day we left for Greenville, S.C. was a sad day especially for the mothers and near relatives of the boys of that splendid batalion, of which I was proud to be a member. Many of the boys on that day took their leave for the last time from mother, wife, sweetheart, home and all that made life sweet to them. To recount my own experience I remember that my own little mother was as brave as any soldier in that she bid me good bye with a smile although the tears were coursing down her face and as the train pulled out, I looked back and saw her for the first time break down and sob on my sister's shoulder.
I was used to camp life as I had experienced plenty of it on the border and I rather chaffed under the monotony of it.
Nine months later, after intensive training in all lines of military tactics, we were ordered to France. We left Greenville on May 6th, 1918, and two days later were in New York. We stayed there two days during which time we had a good rest and were allowed one grand and glorious night in New York. From there we proceeded to Boston. From New York to Boston is the most wonderful trip imaginable up the beautiful Hudson River. Arriving in Boston at 5 o'clock the next morning we got off of the train and walked right on board the old English cattle boat, "Bohemian." We steamed out of Boston Harbor at noon on the 11th of May. I shall never forget the trying time that we spent on board that ship for fifteen days. We ate goat and mutton until the fellows went around bleating like sheep. Three days out we ousted the English cooks out of the galley and put our own cooks in their places. After that we faired somewhat better.
The trip over was made without accident and only one night did we have trouble with the submarines. That was the night before landing. We were sailing in tranquil seas for the first time since leaving. About midnight we were awakened suddenly out of the restless slumbers by the rocking of the ship. At first we thought we were either hit or had smashed into a sand bar. We jarred against this sand bar or we were hit five times, as we thought before we were informed that our destroyers were dropping depth charges on a submarine. Strange to say there was very little excitement among the boys and every one found his place with lifesavers on just as if they were going through the regular practice.
We landed at Liverpool on May 23rd and the next morning at sunup we detrained at Folkstone. That afternoon, as we were crossing the channel in small transports, a great Russian transport or tramp ship backed into one of our smaller boats without due warning, ramming a great hole in her side and drowning several of the boys of the 117th Infantry.
I could go on and on writing about the many incidents leading up to our real action but space will not permit.
Leaving Calais three days later we billeted in Eperlocques training area. My own company went to Audruicq, where we stayed until July 4th, when the entire division marched into Belgium with headquarters at Watou, twenty kilos from the front line, so as to be in close support of the 33rd and 49th British Divisions. We had been transferred to the II British Corps Second Army during our training period.
It might be interesting to note that the "Old Hickory" Division was the first American Division to enter the little kingdom of Belgium.
Three weeks after we landed in France one corporal, one sergeant and an officer out of each company were selected to pay a four days visit to the front line. I happened to be one of those selected. The trip up the line was made in two decked lorries, which carried us up to within six miles of the front line trenches. It would take a great deal of writing to recount all the experiences of this trip, but I will give you in a brief way a few of the most exciting moments. The "Queen's Own" English Regiment was in the lines at the time and they were fine fellows. I was stationed in the support line but visited the front line each night in company with an English Sergeant who was very good to me except on one occasion. As we were going up one night we became separated and when a few minutes later he challenged me to halt with his rifle leveled at me I was just a wee bit scared to say the least, I could not say much as my heart was in my mouth and tingling feelings were running down my spine. I managed to mumble out something to the effect that I was a friend of his; I suppose he was as scared as I was for he was very nervous when I joined him and instructed me to stay closer to him. The second night Jerry gave us a good shelling which sounded to me like a million dollar barrage, however the Sergeant said, "Oh that's his regular way, let him have his fun, he will not hurt anything." That remark somewhat quieted my tense feelings and I tried to put on a very brave "I do not care" attitude.
I am sure I was never nearer death before or since that I was the last night of that first trip up the line. We were approaching the front lines when all of a sudden Jerry turned loose with a machine gun. When I heard the bullets cutting the grass around my feet, some singing pretty bird songs in the air over my head, thoughts came flooding my brain all at once most of which were about loved ones at home. I soon regained my feet and joined the sergeant who was laughing at the celerity in which I had found mother earth.
I was very glad when the leftenant, as a lieutenant in the English army is called, gave me instructions to be ready at dawn to leave and the ride back was one of the most enjoyable that I had spent up to that time, especially after we got out of range of the big shells that seemed to follow us for several miles on our way back to Audruicq.
A week later I was sent to the fourth army, British Musketry School at Morbecourt and there received two weeks intensive training in bayonet practice, musketry, jui Jitsee, and boxing. I learned to admire the English Sergeant who was our instructor. He had been, before the war, a prizefighter in London, had traveled a great deal and had seen fighting on all the western fronts and at Gallipoli and the Dardanells. He told us many hair-raising experiences that he had gone through with, many of which we thought untrue at the time but I realize now that he was telling the truth.
On joining the outfit, which had moved to Hurzeel during my absence, I was promoted to ranking sergeant in my platoon and was in command of it most of the time while in the line, as the lieutenant was sent to a bombing school and after coming back was detailed as bombing instructor.
The Division received instructions in the front line with the British, first as individuals, then by platoons, and lastly by entire batalions.
On August 17th, 1918, the Division took over the entire sector occupied by the 33rd British Division, 60th Brigade being in the front line, 59th Brigade in support. This was known as the canal sector and extended from the southern outskirts of Ypres to the vicinity of Voormezelles, a distance of 2,400 meters.
Our first offensive was on August 31st and September 1st. In conjunction with the 14th British Division on our left and the 27th American Division on our right, we attacked Lock No. 8, Lankhof Farm and the city of Voormezelles, advancing fifteen hundred yards. The 30th Division captured all its objectives including the above mentioned places, taking fifteen prisoners, two machine guns and many smaller arms.
During this period the Division was sent, a battalion at a time, to a rifle range several hundred kilos south of Ypres. On our way the train was attacked by two German airplanes, which dropped several bombs uncomfortably close to us. It was a beautiful sight to see the sky lit up almost as light as day with many searchlights and the anti-aircraft guns pouring hot lead and tracer bullets by the thousands into the air in an effort to bring the enemy planes down. Finally one was hit and came floundering down with a long tail of fire behind it. The other plane soon beat a hasty retreat.
On September 4th and 5th the Division was withdrawn from the Canal Sector and placed in British G.H.Q. reserve with headquarters at Roellecourt, France. While in this area the entire division was trained in attacking in conjunction with British Tanks.
On September 17th we marched again further south to Hirissart and on September 22nd we moved to Tincourt with the British fourth army, and took over a frontline sector from the first Australian Division on the night of the 23rd and 24th.
On September 29th the division with the 27th American Division on the left and the 46th British Division on the right, assaulted the Hindenburg line. The Hindenburg line at this point curves in front of the Tunnel of St. Quentin. This was considered impregnable by the Germans for the following reasons. The Hindenburg line curving west of the tunnel consisted of three main trench systems protected by vast fields of heavy barbed wire entanglements skillfully placed; this wire was very heavy and had been damaged very little by artillery fire. The dominating ground enabled them to bring devastating machine-gun fire on all approaches. The lines had been strengthened with concrete machine gun emplacements. It contained at this point a large number of dugouts, lined with mining timbers, with wooden steps leading down to a depth of about thirty feet with small rooms capable of holding from four to six men each. In many cases these dugouts were wired for electric lights. The large tunnel, through which the canal ran, was of sufficient capacity to shelter a division. This tunnel was electrically lighted and filled with barges. Connecting it with the Hindenburg trench system were numerous tunnels. In one case a direct tunnel ran from the main tunnel to the basement of a large stone building, which the enemy used for headquarters. Other tunnels ran from the main building eastward to the city of Bellicourt and other places. This complete subterranean system with its hidden exits and entrances were unknown to us.
On the morning of September 29th at 5:50 A.M. we attacked this sector capturing the entire Hindenburg system and advancing further captured the tunnel system with the German troops therein and took the cities of Bellicourt, Guillaire Firme, and Terme de Riqueval, advancing four thousand two hundred yards, defeating two enemy divisions of average quality, taking as prisoners 47 officers and 1,434 men.
On October 1st and 2nd the 30th Division was released by the 5th Australian Division and moved to back area with Division headquarters at Herbecourt. We scarcely reached this area when we were marched back and took over the front line in the same sector from the 2nd Australian Division, near Montbrehain on the night of the 4th and 5th.
Then came the hardest fighting that we ever had to experience while in France. On October 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th we attacked the enemy each day, advancing 17,500 yards and capturing thirty five towns, chief among which were Busigny, Vaux-Andigny, St. Souplet, Geneve, Montbrehain, Brancourt, Premont, and Brancoucourt. We captured 45 officers and 1,889 men and encountered units from fourteen German divisions.
The division was released by the 27th Division on October 11th and 12th,
but returned on October 16th and took over a part of the same line at the same place. The next attack was launched on Oct. 17th, 18th and 19th against three German divisions. The division advanced nine thousand yards and captured 6 officers 412 men and six towns.

   The fighting was very difficult on account of the terrain, which was broken by small patches of woods, villages and occasionally large towns. This was an asset to the machine gun defense of the enemy and he took every advantage of it. The LeSalle River with high banks beyond was obstinately defended. In spite of these difficulties the advance continued, often without artillery support, and was made possible only by the determination of the men and the skillful use of all arms.

Fortunately for me I did not take part in this last encounter of the 17th to 19th, as I was sent to an officer's training camp in southern France in the little town of Valbonne on the Rhone River, thirty miles east of Lyons.
While there the armistice was signed just about two weeks before I would have received my commission and we soon after returned to our respective divisions.
Thanksgiving day was a very gloomy day for me. I had been on the road fourteen days and at that time was in a Belgian battery Camp fifteen kilos from Le Mons. I heard that our division was located at Baloon and I was sure some of the boys would come to LeMons that day so I walked into town with two others in an attempt to find out where my company was located and also to borrow some money if possible, as I had been out of funds for over a month. I walked the streets till five o'clock without any luck and started back on the long hike by myself, hungry, footsore and cold. I suppose it was eleven o'clock when I finally found my cot and retired without anything to eat.
Christmas was spent in Peze LeRoberts and a few weeks after we received orders to entrain for LeMons, the city I had learned to the hate because of my experiences there. Several months were spent here, which seemed like years. Finally we received the orders, which we had looked for for so long and after spending a week in St. Nazairre we joyfully embarked on the good ship Powhatan bound for home.
No words are adequate to describe the feelings that coursed through our veins as we viewed once again the beautiful shores of the dear old U.S.A. It seemed that every eye glistened with tears of joy as our ship swung into the dock and we alighted amid the cheers of the throng who had come to welcome us home.
An airplane flew over us while we were out in the harbour and dropped the morning newspapers on the deck of our ship. The headlines read "Welcome Home. The City of Charleston Bids a Heart Welcome to the Boys of the 30th Division."

Frank H. Stamps

Age at discharge: 23

World War 1 veteran from Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee

http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/military/ww1she36.htm

_____________________________________________________________

Silver Star Citation

Awarded for actions during the World War I

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant Frank H. Stamps (ASN: 1319318), United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Sergeant Stamps distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Vaux-Andigny, France, 10 October 1918, and by his brilliant leadership. General Orders: GHQ, American Expeditionary Forces, Citation Orders No. 4 (June 3, 1919)

Action Date: October 10, 1918

Service: Army

Rank: Sergeant

Company: Company A

Regiment: 120th Infantry Regiment

Division: 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces _____________________________________________________________

LINKS

WWI Draft registration cards filled out and submitted in Memphis by Frank Harper Stamps and Judson Holt Stamps, are available online at ancestry.com (at a library, low resolution), or higher quality copies can be obtained for $10 each from The Southeast Regional Branch of the National Archives in Morrow, Georgia (near Atlanta):

http://www.friendsnas.org/

exhibit: http://www.archives.gov/southeast/exhibit/4.php

Tennesseans in World War I: http://www.tngenweb.org/worldwar1/

Order of Battle: The American Expeditionary Force, World War I:

http://www.tngenweb.org/worldwar1/

Military Collection: The North Carolina State Archives is currently working with the North Carolina State Library and the North Carolina Museum of History on a grant to create a World War I virtual collection. The materials being digitized include printed books, documents, letters, diaries, photographs, clips from audio interviews and artifacts such as uniforms and weapons. This project will unite these varied resources in cohesive and searchable formats that will be useful to the K-12 community as well as to scholars of the World War I time period. The images displayed below are a small sample of the items scanned by the State Archives as part of this project. To find out more about these and other materials in the Military Collection please search the MARS online catalog.

Valor Award for the Silver Star: http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient...

http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/archives/photos/default.htm

Find-A-Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=92149125