Identified WWI US Grouping Master Engineer William E Bice
Item #: WR998
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This is a grouping of an identified Master Engineer Senior Grade of the 1st Army from World War I. The items are identified to Master Engineer William Earl Bice. Bice was from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania and was inducted into the Army on 19 September, 1917 at the age of 30. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal on 22 October, 1917, Sergeant First Class on 4 May, 1918 and Master Engineer on 28 October, 1918. William Bice was a member of E Company, 305th Engineers, 80th Infantry Division from September, 1917 to 14 November, 1918. Master Engineer Bice was then assigned to Headquarters Detachment, 305th Engineers from 15 November, 1918 to 10 June, 1919. He participated in the Somme Offensive and the Meuse Argonne Offensive, being severely wounded in his left side by shrapnel on 11 October, 1918. This engineer served overseas from 26 May, 1918 until 3 June, 1919. Bice was honorably discharged from active duty at Camp Dix, New Jersey on 11 June, 1919. This grouping is made up of his Model 1918 tunic, his Model 1917 overcoat, Model 1917 helmet, British made Small Box Respirator gas mask with carrier, a non military issue haversack and an American Red Cross ditty bag. The 1918 tunic is made of a high quality wool material made by Cohen, Goldman & Company of New York. It features the four pocket design with epaulets. The five button coat has the rimmed US eagle buttons, with six smaller buttons of the same type for the pockets and epaulets. The left sleeve has a felt on wool 1st Army patch with the Engineer castle in the bottom of the A, discharge strip and two bullion overseas strips sewn on it, indicating 12 months of overseas service. The right sleeve has no chevrons sewn on it. The castle of the Engineer branch of service with the letter E and a US disk adorn the collar. A Master Engineer patch was found in the upper left pocket, and remains there. I did lay it on the tunic sleeve to photograph. A New York Quarter Master Depot tag is sewn inside the lining on the bottom left of the lining with a July 3, 1918 contract number. The tunic has virtually no moth damage, just a couple small holes. The Model 1917 overcoat is also in very good condition. It has the double breasted four button front with the straps on the sleeve cuffs. The straps serve no purpose and were later eliminated on the Model 1918 overcoat. The lining only goes to the waist line, as is correct for this model. The left sleeve has a wool backed black embroidered 1st Army patch with a red Engineer castle in the bottom of the A, a discharge stripe and two bullion overseas stripes. The right sleeve still has Bice's Corporal chevrons sewn on it. Sewn on the inside of the lining is another New York Quarter Master Depot tag. This one shows the coat made by the Frankel Brothers of New York. This one shows a contract date of 8 March, 1918. The 1917 American made helmet is complete with liner and chinstrap. The helmet is heat stamped ZC55 on the inside of the rim. A 1st Army patch with the red Engineer castle has been neatly on the front of the helmet. The gas mask carrier is decorated with a red and white spade on a square green background, the red Engineer castle and the 80th Division patch, all painted on the carrier. Below the insignia, neatly printed is MASTER ENGR./ Bice's service number of 1838754 and Wm E. BICE. The carries contains a mask, filter with hose and a dimming stick. All pieces are in very good condition. The non regulation haversack is made of canvas with a leather bottom. The canvas and two buckles are in very good condition, but the leather bottom shows some very significant wear. Neatly stenciled on the flap of the haversack is W.E. BICE/MASTER ENGR. The final item is a small ditty bag that measures 11 1/2" wide and 14 1/2" tall. Sewn onto the front of the bag is a mall white patch with the Red Cross emblem, the words AMERICAN printed above and RED CROSS printed below the cross. Neatly printed on the name line is M.E. W.E. Bice/305 Engrs. There were only two Senior Grade and two Junior Grade Master Engineers authorized per engineer battalion. This is a nice collection of a very rare position held by William E. Bice, and will compliment any WWI collection.
(Sold)
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