By JENNIFER MOONSONG
Glasgow News 1
In April of 1917 and the months that followed, young men from Barren County often gathered on the Glasgow Public Square to be photographed before marching to the depot to ride a train to Camp Taylor to become soldiers.
Camp Taylor was home to the 84th Division formed of young men from Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. Most of Kentucky’s World War I soldiers fought in France.
The Lincoln Division of Camp Taylor had a presence in France, and because of that soldiers from Barren County were frequently rostered as men who served in France.
They commonly fought on the battle fields of Belleau Wood, Chatteau Thierry, Soissons, and the Argonne in the year and a half leading up to Armistice in November of 1918.
Ed Watson was the first Barren Countian to die in action in WWI, and at least 34 more died in the line of duty to wounds, to disease or to both. In addition to the expected plight of war, many were flu victims as flu ran rampant through the troops.
Lt. Colonel Edgar N. Caldwell and Sgt. Grover Potty were the first Barren County men to arrive in France. Caldwell was the local who received the highest military decoration of WW1. He received the Distinguished Service Cross.
At the end of WWI, Barren County found itself without an organized military unit, and it was not the first time. However, a little more than a decade later, on April 1, 1929, the 123 Calvary Regiment, Army National Guard, activated.
The Headquarters Troop was assigned to Glasgow, and was led by four men who had served in WWI. The members of the 123rd were called to action just before the start of WWII.
These photographs picutre young men from Barren County, drafted and enlisted, who fought in WWI. The photos were taken on there courthouse lawn.
Barren County Historical Society
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