New Hampshire WWI Military: Private Alfred J Cote of Warren

Headstone of P1c Alfred J. Cote at Arlington National Cemetery. Photograph from ANC website.

Private Alfred J. Cote is a bit of a mystery, though his military service in WWI and his death is not. In various records he is shown as being of Keene NH (the NH Adjutant General’s List of WWI Casualties) and of Warren New Hampshire (from his U.S. Military Transport Records).

What is known is that Alfred J. Cote was a Private in the U.S. Army who served in Company B, 314th Infantry, U.S. Army. His service number was 2886471. On 8 July 1918 he departed the United States at Hoboken NJ aboard the ship Leviathan bound for military service in Europe. At that time his next of kin was a “Mrs. Alice Contois” of Child Street, Warren New Hampshire.

National Cemetery Burial Form. National Archives.

Private 1/c Alfred J. Cote was killed in action as demonstrated on his National Cemetery form for burial in Arlington National Cemetery in 1921. It reads as follows: “COTE, Alfred J. | #2886710 | P1c, Co. B, 314th Infantry, 79th Div. | Interred 22 Sep 1921 | Died 1 Nov 1918 | Originally buried Grave #40 PL#1, Sec 54, #1232 Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne-sous-Maontfaucon, Meuse. C.R. Sept. 1921.”

Photograph of French battlefield cemetery of WWI, from History of the 314th, 1918

This indicates that Alfred J. Cote died in France during WWI on 1 November 1918 and was, as was the usual custom, buried near the battlefield. When the war ended, in September of 1921 his body was returned home to the United States, where he was re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Section Wh/Eu Site 3500. A white cross attributing him to New Hampshire marks his grave site.

In 1922 a Log Cabin Memorial (originally constructed at Camp Meade) was placed and dedicated at Valley Forge PA to the men of the 314th Infantry. P1c Alfred J. Cote’s name appears on the bronze plaque here. In addition his name appears on the New Hampshire Roll in Doric Hall in the New Hampshire State House.

[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].