The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-04-17
STORY OF SERGT. TIN1NIONS.
Brave Lynchburg Boy Met Death Try
ING to Relieve Soldiers at Front.

To Lieutenant L. J. Morse, morale
officer aboard the transport Poca-
hontas, which docked at Charleston
Thursday, March p, with nearly
three thousand men and officers of
the thirtieth division, goes the cred
it for, solving what proved to be one
of the most battling mysteries of the
war, the disappearance of Sergeant
Charles E. Timmons, of Lynchburg,
S. c., who is still officially missing
in action"
Lieutenant Morse made the trip
with Pocahontas as morale Of
fcer, in which capacity he worked
day and night, with the cooperation
of Robert Struthers, of New York
city, and Thomas E. Babb, of Wor-
cester, Mass, both Y. M. C. A. men,
entertaining and caring for the wants
of the officers and men throughout
the long and tiresome voyage from
France, and it was in this way that
he came across the information as
to the missing South Carolina boy.
It is a story in which is blended
strangely, but beautifully, sacrifice,
loyal friendship, and pathos.
Sergeant Charles E. Timmons, of
Lynchburg, company A, 11Sth In
fantry, the old first South Carolina
regiment, was reported missing in
action" on September "a, 1918. For
some unaccountable reason his
mother, Mrs. Charles Timmons, nev-
er received notification. Hearing
nothing from her son since early in
September her intaition I told her
something was amiss and at once
every possible means of information
was made use of. But to no avail
until the transport Pocahontas dock
ed and word of the fate of her son
was hurried to the heroine mother
with all dispatch.
when I was in Newport News in
January" said Lieutenant Morse, "in
charge of the personnel transporta-
ton work of the Princess Matika,
Lieutenant Timmons, the brother of
the missing man, asked me to see
what 1 could find out in France.
When got to Paris saw all the well
fare organizations, the American Req
Cross; the Y. M. C. A.-all Of them,
and they tried hard to gain some
knowledge of the missing veterans
whereabouts, but in vain. To all pur-
pose, Sergeant Timmons had vanish
ed.
ION this last trip home on the Po-
cahontas, coincidence or fate ruled
that the sergeant's very organization
should be aboard, including Major
William D. Workman, of 315 Ande1-
son street, Greenville, his battalion
commander, Captain S. D. Willie, of
315 Earle street, Greenville; his COM
pany commander, Sergeant Harold R.
Turner, of III Memminger street.
Gceenville; his first sergeant, and
Corporal William Peoples, of Estill,
who was with him when he met his
end-for it appears practically GER
tain that the brave South Carolinian
is no more.
major Workman, who was on
special duty elsewhere when Tim
mons, who was the supply sergeant
of his company, went out on the mis-
: sion that was to prove fatal, at once
wrote the sergeant's mother's."
An, excerpt from the majors letter
follows: "On September 23rd the
59th brigade took over the line near
Hargicourt with Charles regiment
in the line. D company was on the
left of Hargicourt and failed to send
guide to battalion headquarters to
guide it's ration party forward. Char
lie volunteered to guide the ration
party which consisted of about thirty
men. Major Mahon showed Charlie
the route on the map and warned
him not to go if he had any doubts
of his ability to find D company.
Charlie said he was certain he could
guide the party and took charge. The
party was heavily loaded with water
and rations and Charlie told them to
leave their rifles at battalion. head
quarters.
''The party started out with Char
lie and Corporal Peoples in charge.
On the second halt Charlie told the
party to remain where it was while
he and Peoples went on forward to
locate D company. The two boys
went on and on in the moonlight un-