New Hampshire WWI Military: Corporal Herbert E. Staples of Ossipee NH (1891-1918)

Herbert Edward Staples, son of John Edward & Ellen Frances (Edwards) Staples, was born 26 March 1891 in North Parsonsfield, Maine. He had siblings Nellie Frances, Grace, and Ora Bella.

Herbert’s father was a blacksmith, and he apprenticed with him in the small town of  Shapleigh in York County, Maine.

He married 26 Oct 1915 in Parsonsfield Maine to Alice J. (Thompson) Shortbridge, dau of Thatcher M. & Frances H. (Tibbetts) Thompson. His marriage certificate states his residence is in Ossipee, New Hampshire, and that his occupation was blacksmith.  Herbert and Alice did not seem to have any children together.

Herbert’s wife Alice had married 1st) 2 Sep 1894 in Wakefield, Carroll Co. NH to Everett D. Shortridge, son of James H. & Mary J. (Twombly) Shortridge, who had died 14 April 1914. Everett & Alice had 2 daughters, Gladys F. (who married 1st, Harry V. Abbott; and married 2nd, Guy E. Jack) & Frances M. (who m. William H. Ross).

World War I Draft Registration for Herbert Edward Staples of Mountainview, NH

At the time of his filling out his WWI registration form on June 5, 1917, Herbert Edward Staples was living in the village of Mountainview within the town of Ossipee, New Hampshire and he describes himself as being of medium height and build with brown hair and eyes.  His occupation was a painter, employed at C.E. & H.P. Smart in Center Harbor, NH.

According to official records, Herbert E. Staples was in U.S. Army   321st Machine Gun Battalion, 82nd Division.  By October of 1918 he his rank was that of Corporal.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1860 – 1920). [The Amer. advance in the Argonne region, France. A procession of Amer. tanks moving up to front of Argonne, Boureilles, Meuse, France, Sept. 1918.]

An extract from the Division dossier of 22 October 1918: “My surgeon just now reported that at least 90 per cent of men suffering from diarrhea and exhaustion. He expresses the opinion that the great majority unable physically to endure an advance, much less make an attack….” It was at this time, on 23 October 1918 that Cpl. Herbert E. Staples was killed in action. The newspaper would not announce his death until November 25th.  In the meantime, he was buried near where he fell.  When the war ended, remains were collected and he was reburied in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France, in Plot E., Row 37, Grave 11, near to the battlefield where he lost his life.

Herbert E. Staples is recognized in the right side panel on the Honor Tablet in Doric Hall of the New Hampshire State House–a listing of those from New Hampshire who died in WWI.

[Editor’s Note: this story is part of an on-going series about heroic New Hampshire men and women of World War I.  Look here for the entire listing].