The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-08-14
Casually Uncovering Tro-
ply, Mrs. Wolfe Gets First
News of Ensign Stege's
Decoration.
BATTLED WITH SUBMARINES
Kenosha Sailor Won Citation For His
Part In a Run-in With U-Boats
Somewhere In the Mine-Fields
Of the French Coast.

If some philosopher about as cuckoo
as the late Mr.. Demosthenes is touring
Kenosha with fashlight in search Of
modest man, he will find said " off
Ger and gentlemen at the home Of
Mr.. and Mrs. F. l.. Wolfe, 1913 Prairie
Avenue. He is Mrs. Wolfe's nephew
and foster-son, Ensign George w. Siege.
Although he was officially enrolled
among the heroes in the world-war he
said nothing about the fact to anyone
until Mrs. Wolfe discovered a citation
and a Croix do Guerre in the bottom of
his steamer trunk. Thereafter explain
ations were in order. They were made
even then reluctantly.
cit was a sort Of a private expedi-
tion," Ensign Siege said ON Monday
evening when he had finally been pre-
vailed upon to break the great silence.
/" We started out from Brest on Octo-
Der, 1916, to locate and clean up some
mine-felds that had been causing AL
lied transports no end of trouble. On
tAC way OACh WC WC1O dlbUdChCQ Ny
German submarines AT the time / was
acting as captain Of the after gun.
There was sharp firing back and forth
between us and the German boats and
| in all we lost about six men of our
crew. Several others were badly
wounded. But we managed to escape
from the subs and we thought maybe
we sank q couple or so Of them. Any
way when we got back to Brest in
January we were told by our officers
that we had been cited for bravery and
had been awarded the Croix de Guerre. y
Incidentally Ensign Siege was
among those "several Others who
were badly wounded as q result Of
the mix-up with the U-boats. A shell
from the enemy Is craft hit the gun Of
which he was acting-captain,e killed
three of the crew, and sent bit Of
steel into his abdomen. AS result Of
the injury he was still incapacitated
for service when he received his com
mission in December and his Croix de
OuClAC LII 1O1S.
When war was declared Ensign Siege
was student at the Armour Institute
in Chicago. He spent the summer Of
1917 as chemist at the Simmons Com
pany in Kenosha and in January, 1918
enlisted in the Navy. After several
weeks preparatory training at the
Great Lakes Naval Training Station,
he was assigned to active duty aboard
the 'tDakotan" then plying between
New York City and Brest. The trans
port was several times attacked by
submarines but never successfully tor
pedoed. Young Siege served with dis
tinction on all occasions Of danger and
accordingly was recommended for a
commission in the early autumn Short
ly thereafter he was detailed to special
duty in search of mine-felds and in the
ton and the cross Of war. He has now
been furloughed to the reserve but is
subject to active service upon twenty
four hours notice.
And now that the secret Of his sue
cess in the world-war is definitely
known dinner will be given in his
honor at the Wolfe home this evening.
Covers will be laid for ten guests all
of whom are close friends of the ensign
and hero. Appointments will be ap-
propriately naval with touches Of the
military out Of Difference to several of
his comrades who were soldiers. It is
rumored that the decoration won by
"the most modest man in Kenoshao
will be on display at the party and
that the entertainment may include
full story of his cruise among the mine
fields