Military records of Chute men and women in the Armed Forces worldwide are normally confined to a brief list of enlistment and discharge dates, occasionally a fuller description of the rank and specific unit to which the veteran was assigned. Typically, these citations are in the History section of the web site. The result was that the single "History" page was becoming rather cumbersome.

Meant to be an adjunct to the History page, this is reserved for service records which are more detailed, or may have more detailed historical information attached to specific skirmishes or battles, which will help situate Chute family members within a stronger historical context. Links are provided for each entry to the Family Group page as well as the brief entry on the History page. The population of this page with extensive military service entries will be ongoing.

Corporal George Washington Chute, III, Company C of the 53rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Civil War. Photo courtesy of Pat Clevenger. Photo URL: http://homepage.mac.com/netchemistwb/53rd_Mass_f/cdvs_new/G-W-Chute-Jr_cdv.html.

George Washington Chute was an engineer at the time of his enlistment; it is assumed he was assigned to the Engineer Corps. George was 21 when he enlisted in Leominster, Massachusetts; he was assigned as a Private in Company C and honorably discharged as a Corporal. Of special note: Took part in the Siege (and Surrender) of Port Hudson, in Louisiana.

"The 53rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Groton, Mass., October 17 to November 6, 1862. Officers: John W. Kimball, Colonel; George H. Barrett, Lieutenant Colonel and James A. Pratt, Major. Duty in New York, November 1862 to January 17, 1863. Served in the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 19th Corps, February 3 to August 12, 1863. Duty at Carrollton, LA, January 30 to March 6, 1863. Expedition to Bayou Sara, March 12. Demonstrations on Port Hudson, LA, March 13 to 20 Banks (General Nathaniel P. Banks) 1st Teche Campaign, from April 8 to May 22. Engagement at Fort Bisland and battle of the Teche, April 12 - 13. Actions near New Iberia, April 15 - 16. Siege of Port Hudson, May 24 to July 8. Actions near Port Hudson, May 24 - 25, Big Sandy Creek, May 26. Assaults on Port Hudson, May 27 and June 14. Engagements with sharpshooters, May 28. Action near Clinton, June 6. Capture of Port Hudson, July 8. Embarked for Donaldsonville July 15, reporting to General Grover operating in West Lousiana. Duty at Baton Rouge, August 2 - 12. Moved to Cairo, IL, August 12 - 19, to Massachusetts August 20 - 24. Mustered out, September 2, 1863.

A Brief History of the Service of the 53rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

On the 6th of March, the Fifty-third was ordered to Baton Rouge, and, on the 12th, was sent on a reconnoissance up the river, where it encountered, and drove in, the enemy's pickets. On the 13th, it marched with the division in the expedition to Port Hudson; but arriving after the object of the expedition was accomplished, it returned to Baton Rouge, where it remained till April 1, and was ordered to Algiers with the rest of the division, and, on the 9th, took passage for Brashear City, to join in the movement through the Teche country, which began April 11. The enemy having been encountered at Pattersonville on the 13th, the Fifty-third was engaged in supporting a battery, and skirmishing towards the fortifications, when it was under fire of musketry and shell [for] five hours. The flag of the Fifty-third was the first to be place[d] upon the ramparts of Fort Brisland.

The regiment lost in this action, one officer and thirteen privates, killed and wounded. But eight companies were engaged, two being on detatched service.

On the 15th, it marched with the division in pursuit of the retreating enemy, with an occasional skirmish, and reached Opelousas on the 20th, where it remained a fornight, employed in drill and picket duty.

May 24. - The army having moved towards Port Hudson, the Fifty-third was detailed as guard for the engineer corps, and led the column. Encountering the enemy's skirmishers, the regiment was immediately moved forward; three companies, thrown out as skirmishers, soon became engaged with the enemy, and succeeded in driving them back, so that the engineer corps could proceed in its labors.

May 27. - The day of the general attack upon Port Hudson, the regiment was ordered forward, and was soon under fire of shot and shell. It moved to the front to support a battery, and to the front line of skirmishers. It lost at this time thirty killed and wounded.

May 28. - It joined the brigade, and remained until June 1, engaged in picket duty, and fortifying the position; it was then ordered to occupy riflepits at the front, and sustained a loss of five men, killed and wounded.

June 5. - It marched as a part of the expedition to Clinton, which occupied four days, and resulted in driving the enemy from that locality. On the 13th it was ordered to join in the assault upon the fortifications at Port Hudson. This assault cost the regiment heavily. Of the three hundred officers and men (being but eight companies) who were sent in, seven officers and seventy-nine men were killed and wounded.

On the 19th of June, the Fifty-third was ordered to the front in support of a battery, where it remained till the surrender of Port Hudson, July 9. It was then ordered on picket duty five miles from Port Hudson, when it marched with the brigade to Baton Rouge. On the 15th it embarked for Donaldsonville and remained in camp, engaged in drill and picket duty until August 2 when it returned to Baton Rouge, and, on the 12th, was ordered to Massachusetts via Cairo. It arrived at Cairo August 19, and at Fitchburg, Mass., the 24th, where, after a public reception, it was furloughed one week, and mustered out of service September 2, by Captain I. R. Lawrence.

Died: 146; Killed: 18; Discharged: 54; Prisioners: 0; Deserted: 21

Source: From History of Massachusetts in the Civil War, by William Schouler, pp 471-473, E. P. Dutton and Co., publisher, 1868. Compiled by Walter G. Blenderman. Prepared 10/16/1996; updated 11/2/1997; code revised 5/2/2000

There are many excellent websites dedicated to providing historical information on the Surrender of Port Hudson.

Lieutenant Frederick Russell Chute, son of Edward Russell Chute and Mary Nina Chute died on August 14, 1917, at the age of 47. Although British, he was a member of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, the 17th Motor Machine Gun Coy (Army). He is buried in the Witley (Milford) Cemetery in Surrey (United Kingdom). His grave reference is listed as D. 28.

The date of his death suggests that he was one of the many casualties of the Third Battle of Ypres. Allied commanders had decided that they could not win the war without disabling the German submarine bases. According to General Sir John Davison,

"The objects before the British in delivering the offensive in Flanders were briefly, from a strategical point of view, to pin the German Army to the British front in the North and draw in their Reserves; and from a tactical point of view:

  (a) To free Ypres by gaining the Passchendaele ridge which lies in a semi-circle round the eastern side and dominates the town and surrounding country.
  (b) To gain the Passchendaele ridge, thereby commanding with long-range gunfire the enemy's communications through Roulers and his submarine bases at Ostend and Zeebrugge.
  (c) To exploit to the full any tactical success gained (for this special preparations were made).

This offensive was hampered by the late arrival of necessary equipment, the reluctance of the French in joining the Allied offensive and extraordinarily bad weather: the heaviest rainfall that the area had seen in years. The photos of World War I soldiers up to their hips in mud would have been taken during this period.

"The Third Battle of Ypres - commonly referred to simply as a 'Passchendaele' - is commonly cited today as an example (along with the July 1916 Battle of the Somme) of British Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig's enormously costly attritional war strategy. In heavy rain and glutinous mud predominantly British troops eventually succeeded in capturing the small village of Passchendaele in the autumn of 1917, often regarded as a minor gain albeit achieved at heavy cost in casualties.

The word "Passchendaele" was and has been used as a reproach to British generalship, and as a symbol of waste and useless suffering. To the men who actually fought, such an attitude might be intelligible, for their horizon was limited by the expanse of mud and waste on every hand, by the incessant fire to which they were subjected, by the comparatively insignificant gains of ground at great sacrifice, and by the abnormal fatigue and hardship.

Similarly to the wounded and to those who had lost their husbands, sons and brothers it appeared that heavy suffering had been inflicted and limbs and lives lost with little or no result so far as winning the war was concerned. To the gunner during the latter period of the offensive, day in and day out handling his mud-spattered ammunition with unspeakable fatigue, constantly endeavouring to save his guns from disappearing into the morass, serving his pieces clustered round the only solid means of approach, the duckboard pathway, under a concentrated and almost continuous hail of enemy projectiles; to the infantryman heavily equipped staggering through an interminable sea of mud towards what appeared to him as certain death, the physical and mental strain was well-nigh unbearable. A blank wall on every side and no apparent end to the misery." General Sir John Davison

Sergeant Herbert Alvin Murray Chute, son of Henry Chute and Martha Hagan Chute, and husband of Althea S. Bethel Chute of Lockeport, Nova Scotia, Canada, Service Number: 282507, died on September 27, 1918 at the age of 38. He is buried in the Quarry Wood Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Reference: III. B. 36. He was a Sergeant in the Canadian Infantry (Nova Scotia Regiment), in the 85th Bn. Division.

The date of his death points to participation in the taking of Bourlon Wood by the Allies:

"On September 3, 1918, the day after the Canadian Corps breached the Drocourt-Quéant Line, a directive was issued for a general Allied offensive on the entire front from the Meuse to the English Channel, with four great hammer-strokes to be delivered at crucial points. The timetable for these blows called for striking the enemy on four successive days. The second of these assaults was to take place on September 27, and was a joint attack by the First and Third British Armies in the general direction of Cambrai to capture the northern part of the Hindenburg Line. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig ordered the First Army to seize Bourlon Wood and cover the Third Army's left flank as the latter advanced on Cambrai and subsequently on to Valenciennes. The capture of Bourlon Wood was assigned to the Canadian Corps, which would then push forward to establish a defensive flank northeast of Cambrai. Farther south the British Fourth Army, supported by the French First Army, would join the battle on September 29 in an assault on the main Hindenburg position.

The first obstacle General Sir Arthur Currie's forces had to overcome was the Canal du Nord. Because the Canal du Nord was impassable on the northern part of his front, General Currie had his boundary with the Third Army shifted 2,377 metres to the south, and proceeded with preparations for the Canadian Corps to make its initial attack through a dry area between Sains-lez-Marquion and Moeuvres. It was an intricate operation introducing the difficult problem of moving the whole Corps through a narrow opening before fanning out with four divisions engaged on a battlefront that would rapidly expand to over 10,000 metres.

In the dusk of the evening of 26 September the Canadians moved forward. By midnight they were assembled opposite the dry section of the canal, huddled together for warmth, and for the most part in the open. The night wore on and there was no evidence of enemy counter-preparation. Suddenly, as dawn was breaking, the opening barrage flashed out, shocking the enemy into action. Be-fore they could retaliate, the initial waves had crossed the canal and were fanning out from the bridgehead. Nevertheless, the follow-up troops suffered casualties as the enemy, alive to the danger, subjected the canal bed to a violent bombardment. The results justified Currie's generalship. He acquired the canal at relatively light cost, but more than that, Bourlon Wood the essential objective, was also taken.

The Canadians then went on to free Cambrai. After leaving the Amiens front the Corps had liberated 54 towns and villages standing on more than 300 square kilometres of French soil. In its hard fighting the Corps suffered more than 20,000 casualties. On the night of November 10-11 the Canadians entered Mons. The return had been long and arduous and the hard years of the war a bitter experience. Then, on November 11 at eleven o'clock the Armistice was in effect, and hostilities ceased."

There is a memorial dedicated to the Government of Canada in Bourlon Wood. "The Canadian Bourlon Wood Memorial commemorates the attack across the Canal Du Nord on 27 September 1918. It is erected on ground donated by the Comte de Franqueville, who was Mayor of Bourlon at that time."

The Bourlon Wood memorial website provides several photographs of the surrounding area, and inadvertently also provides one of the more amusing warnings you'll read in a website about war memorials:

"Please be aware that there is a school at the bottom of the hill and therefore the danger of young children."

Gee, who knew that young French schoolchildren could be so dangerous?

Was a member of the King's Royal Hussars, "right hand man" to Major Rathdonnell of Lisnavagh, County Carlow, World War II.

"HISTORY
HEROES AND VILLAINS
BILL HARRINGTON, 11TH EARL OF HARRINGTON (1922-2009)
Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz , President of the German Reich and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, snapped his briefcase shut, sat down and awaited the knock. The banging and shouts were becoming louder, the words more discernibly English. Had it really only been 23 days since the Führer's suicide? He wondered how the Allies would treat him. He was, of course, Hitler's designated heir. And, as the mastermind of Germany's entire U-Boat campaign, the Admiral had already graced the cover of Time magazine on two occasions. But he had never been a member of the Nazi party. And perhaps, with the Russian Red Army running amok across Eastern Europe, the Allies would need a man of Doenitz's experience to rally a German army in defence against the inevitable Communist onslaught. Hitler himself had been convinced until the end that Britain would eventually side with Germany in this war. The door did not knock. It was pushed open. A tall, good-looking soldier in the uniform of the 15th-19th Hussars filled the gap. Doenitz noted the man's rank with dismay.

'I will not answer to a Lieutenant', he said haughtily. 'I wish to see your Commanding Officer'.

William Henry Leicester Stanhope, 11th Earl of Harrington, levelled his Enfield revolver at the Grand Admiral's chest and replied: 'You come with me, you bugger'.

At least that was the version of events Bill Harrington gave me when I called to visit him in October 2005. Since his demise, I have tried hard to confirm this tale. But alas I have failed. Bill was certainly in Flensburg when Doenitz was arrested. But the Grand Admiral was arrested, in private, when he stepped on board the house-boat Patria to negotiate with Eisenhower's deputy. Nobody from Bill's regiment was present that day. I've checked everything, including my grandfather's campaign diary. And Bill was my grandfather's No. 2 during the war.

But no matter. Old soldiers are like old fishermen and sometimes the size of the catch increases dramatically. And Bill was nothing if not dramatic. Anyone who knew Bill Harrington was greatly impressed by him. Perhaps it suited him to believe that he was the man who arrested the last President of the Third Reich. Or perhaps he was simply winding me up. He certainly had a wicked sense of humour and was constantly trying to make life more entertaining for those around him.

Son of George E. Merge and Margaret Elizabeth Chute Merge. Branch of Service: Army. Rank: 2nd Lt. Service Number: 0-717251. Date of Death: 1944/09/09. Place of Death: Dusseldorf. Cause of Death: KIA. Place of Burial: Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling. Source: WV Vet Mem Application;Death Certificate. Notes: Age at death: 22. Documents: West Virginia Veterans Database Record Detail. http://www.wvculture.org/hiSTory/wvmemory/vetdetail.aspx?Id=6602. Source: West Virginina Division of Culture and History. James had enlisted in 1943 in the Army Air Corps. According to the combat chronology published in Air Force History for September 1944, "Eighth AF: 350-plus B-17's bomb M/Ys at Mannheim and Mainz, armament plant at Dusseldorf and 10 T/Os. 8 B-17's are lost, mostly to AA fire..." Another version of the events of September 9, 1944 appeared in an article written by Alicia P. Q. Wittmeyer for the Virginian-Pilot on August 11, 2008: "The Liberty Belle isn't just a working model of a B-17, built years after the war was over. It actually flew in WWII and saw combat. The 390th Bomb Group was attacking a target in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Sept. 9, 1944, when one of the planes was hit in the bomb bay. Its bombs exploded, and most of the planes in the formation were instantly destroyed. The Liberty Belle struggled back to its home base and managed to complete 64 more missions in the war." (Source: http://hamptonroads.com/2008/08/wwii-bomber-liberty-belle-asks-come-fly-me.)

Gilbert Randall Chute, enlisted as a private in the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts on 22 DEC 1863, at the age of 43. He was assigned to Company M, Unit 881.

"The recruiting of the 2d Regt. Mass. Vol. Hy. Arty. was authorized by Governor Andrew as early as May, 1863, and Major Jones Frankle of the 17th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was designated as its colonel.

It was originally intended as a veteran regiment to be recruited from the members of nine months organizations whose terms of service were about to expire, but in the end its recruits were gathered from a much wider field. At its rendezvous, Camp Meigs, Readville, recruiting proceeded slowly through the summer and fall of 1863. In July and August, Companies "A", "B", "C", and "D" were enlisted and mustered into the service, and on Sept. 5, these four companies sailed from Boston on the steamer GUIDE bound for Newbern, N. C. Companies "E" and "F" were mustered largely in October and were sent, Nov. 7, to the same destination.

The remaining six companies, "G", "H", "I", "K", "L", and "M", were mustered in December, and were sent to Fort Monroe to report to General Butler. The six companies sent to Newbern were assigned to do guard and garrison duty at various places in eastern North Carolina, while the last six were held during the fall and winter in the vicinity of Norfolk.

The monthly reports for March, 1864, show that Companies "A" and "D" were stationed at Fort Macon, N. C., Company "B" at Newport Barracks, Company "C" at Morehead City, Companies "G" and "H" at Plymouth, N.C., and Companies "I", "K", "L", and "M" at Norfolk, Va.

After a brave resistance Companies "G" and "H" at Plymouth, N. C., were made prisoners almost to a man on April 20 by a Confederate force under General Hoke, about 275 being carried into captivity, a very large majority of whom died in Confederate prisons.

In May, 1864, of the eight companies in North Carolina, all were at Newbern excepting Company "B", which was still at Newport Barracks, while the companies in Virginia were stationed near Portsmouth. The headquarters of the regiment were now at Newbern. In July all the companies with the exception of "B" and "K" were at Newbern. During the months of August and September a large number of recruits arrived, raising the total number of men in the regiment to nearly 2000. By various orders of the War Department, issued during the winter of 1864-65, all the men in excess of the legal maximum standard, about 435 in number, were transferred to the 17th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf.

In the fall of 1864 an epidemic of yellow fever visited Newbern, and the 2d Hy. Arty. lost a large number of men who contracted the disease while doing guard duty in the stricken city.

At the beginning of the year 1865 six companies, "B", "C", "F", "G", "I", and "M", were in the vicinity of Newbern, N. C., four, "A", "D", "E", and "H", were at Plymouth, N. C., while Companies "K" and "L" were in Virginia. These two companies joined the main body at Newbern in April.

Meanwhile on the 8th of March, 1865, Companies "B", "C", "F", "I", and "M" had participated in the battle of South West Creek, near Kinston, losing five men killed, 20 wounded, and two missing. June, 1865, found the entire regiment at Camp Chattanooga, near Newbern. In July it was transferred to Wilmington, N. C., and during the month of August it garrisoned Fort Fisher and other defenses of the Cape Fear River. On Sept. 2 the regiment was ordered home, and on the following day, Sept. 3, it was mustered out of the service and embarked for Boston. Arriving at Galloup's Island, Boston Harbor, Sept. 15, on the 23d the regiment was disbanded and the members departed for their homes.

Source: Historical Data Systems, comp. Military Records of Individual Civil War Soldiers. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1999-. Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 - Historical Data Systems Inc.P.O. Box 196 Kingston, MA 02364

Elias Chute enlisted as a Private on 15 January 1862 at the age of 23 in Ionia, Michigan. Enlisted in Company Battery E, 1st Light Artillery Regiment Michigan on 24 Mar 1862. Promoted to Full Corporal on 1 Jul 1864. Promoted to Full Sergeant on 15 May 1865. Mustered Out Company Battery E, 1st Light Artillery Regiment Michigan on 30 Jul 1865 at Jackson, MI. Side served: Union; State served: Michigan

It has been deemed expedient in compiling the history of this regiment to place each battery by itself. The companies of a regiment of infantry or cavalry usually serve together as an organization, but the character of a regiment of artillery is such that the different batteries are seldom, if ever, assembled as one organization. The batteries composing this regiment were assigned to separate armies in the field and took a conspicuous part in the western army and the army of the Potomac.

The Colonel of the regiment was Cyrus 0. Loomis, formerly Captain of Battery A, commissioned Colonel Oct. 8, 1862, and the field officers of the regimental organization were as follows: Lieutenant Colonel Luther F. Hale, Lieutenant Colonel William H. Ross, Major Josiah W. Church, Major John J. Ely, Major Albert F. R. Arndt, Major John C. Schuetz.

For some reason unexplained, the field returns of the batteries composing the regiment were not made as full and complete as the cavalry and infantry organizations. The records of the Adjutant General's department show but meager returns for batteries that took conspicuous parts in many of the hardest fought battles of the war. The history of these organizations cannot be written as their merits and distinguished services deserve, because such history was not reported at the time it was made.

BATTERY E.

Battery E was organized at Marshall and was mustered into service Dec. 6, 1861, with the following officers: Captain, John H. Dennis, of Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, John G. Ely of Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Jerome Burns of Marshall, and Second Lieutenant Peter De Vries of Adrian. The Battery left Marshall Dec. 17, 1861, for service in the western department and was engaged at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., in April and in September at Fort Riley, Tenn. In November, 1862, it went into garrison at Nashville, Tenn., and was ordered to Murfreesboro in June, 1863. It returned to Nashville again in September, where fifty-seven of the men re-enlisted and went home on veteran furlough. In July, 1864, one section accompanied General Rosseau in his march into Alabama and Georgia. In December the Battery helped to defeat General Hood in his attack upon Nashville and pursued the Confederates upon their retreat. The Battery remained at Nashville until Feb., 1865, when it was ordered to Decatur, Ala., for garrison duty. It returned to Michigan July 16 and was paid and disbanded at Jackson, July 30, 1865.

It had encountered the enemy while in service at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 7, 1862; Fort Riley, Tenn., September 20, 1862; Coosa, Ala., July 15, 1864; Cheraw, Ala., July 20, 1864; Nashville, Tenn., December l2 to 16, 1864.

Total enrollment............................................349
Died of wounds................................................1
Died of disease...............................................3
Discharged for disability (wounds and disease)...............48

Battles Fought
Fought on 15 Jul 1864 at Coosa, AL.
Source Information: Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Regiments [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA from the following list of works. Copyright 1997-2000 Historical Data Systems, Inc./PO Box 35/Duxbury, MA.

Chute, Elias (Veteran). Enlisted in Battery E., Jan. 15, 1862, at Ionia, for 3 years, age 23. Mustered March 24, 1862. Re-enlisted Jan. 18, 1864, at Nashville, Tenn. Mustered Feb. 4, 1864. Corporal July 1, 1864. Sergeant May 15, 1865. Mustered out at Jackson, Mich., July 30, 1865.

Source: Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, 1861 - 1865. Record compiled by Department of Michigan Grand Army of the Republic, per Act 147, Public Acts of 1903, Adjutant General and Compiler Brig. Gen. George H. Brown. Ihling Bros & Everard, Kalamazoo, Michigan. 1903. Page 92.

George Albert Chute, born in Orland, Maine, enlisted in the Massachusetts 59th Volunteer Infantry, Company K, in Boston, Massachusetts on 13 Apr 1864 and mustered out in Readville, Massachusetts on 29 Jun 1865. He was wounded on 24 May 1864, placing him in the midst of the battle at Quarles' Mill, at the North Anna River in Virginia.

The 59th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf., the Fourth Veteran Regiment, was the last of the four units composed of men a majority of whom had had at least nine months' service. Like the others, it was recruited during the winter of 1863-64. Its first commander, Col. Jacob P. Gould, had formerly been major of the 13th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. The companies were mustered on various dates between Dec. 5, 1863, and April. 21, 1864. On the 26th of April, the regiment left the State, arriving at Washington City two days later. After two or three days spent in the vicinity of Alexandria, Va., on May 2, the regiment entrained for Bealeton Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Thence it marched to Rappahannock Station where it bivouacked until May 4. On this day it advanced to Brandy Station, and on the 5th marched to Germanna Ford on the Rapidan River. Here it was assigned to Carruth's (1st) Brigade, Stevenson's (1st) Division, Burnside's (9th) Corps.

On May 6, only ten days after the regiment left Massachusetts, it was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, in the vicinity of the Plank road, losing 12 killed, 27 wounded, and five missing. Colonel Gould being seriously ill, Lieut. Colonel Hodges now took command of the regiment.

Joining in the flank movement to Spottsylvania, the 57th was heavily engaged on the Union left, May 12, losing 11 killed, 45 wounded, and three missing, among the killed being 1st Lieutenant George J. Morse. Moving now to the North Anna, the 59th crossed at Quarles' Mill, May 24, and advanced toward Ox Ford, becoming sharply engaged and losing two killed, 20 wounded, and 16 missing. Among the killed was 1st Lieut. George C. Burrill.

At Cold Harbor, near Bethesda Church, June 3, the 59th lost two killed, 15 wounded, and about the same number captured or missing. Crossing the James River, June 15, and advancing to the front on the 17th, on the afternoon of that day the regiment joined in the assault made by the 1st Division, losing 13 killed, 49 wounded, and eight missing. Among the mortally wounded was Capt. Samuel A. Bean.

Six weeks later, July 30, 1864, the 59th was engaged in the "Crater" fight, near Petersburg, losing eight killed, 25 wounded, and 47 prisoners. Here Lieut. Colonel Hodges and 1st Lieut. Dunlap were killed. After this disastrous experience the regiment remained in the trenches until the movement to the Weldon Railroad in August. Here, on the l9th, an action took place in which only a portion of the regiment was engaged, but a serious loss was incurred in the death of Adjutant Warren who was mortally wounded and died of his injuries the same day. A few days after this engagement Colonel Gould was mortally wounded while in command of a brigade.

The 59th remained in camp near the Weldon Railroad until the last of September when it joined in the movement to Poplar Grove Church. Here, on Sept. 30, the regiment lost one killed, eight wounded, and two missing. Not far from this field the 59th went into winter quarters, but was soon ordered to the right of the Petersburg lines near Forts Haskell and Stedman. In February, Lieut. Colonel Colburn, who had Commanded the regiment since August, resigned, and after that time Major Ezra P. Gould was senior officer of the command.

In the battle at Fort Stedman, March 25, 1865, the 59th was engaged near Battery XI on the left of the fort and narrowly escaped capture. From this time until the evacuation of Petersburg the regiment lay between Battery XI and Fort Stedman. On April 3, it entered the city of Petersburg, then did duty for over a fortnight guarding the Southside Railroad. About May 1, the 59th was ordered to Washington, and was stationed first at Alexandria and later at Tenallytown. Here, June 20, 1865, the remnant of the 59th was transferred to the 57th, the transfer to be effective as of June 1, and the officers and men were mustered out as a part of that regiment, July 30, 1865. At Readville, Mass., August 9, 1865, the men were paid off and discharged.

Captain Richard Henry Chute, born in Woburn, Massachusetts on Mar. 14, 1843 enlisted into Company C, 35th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on Aug. 7, 1862, was promoted to 2nd Lieut. of Company F of the Massachusetts 59th Volunteer Infantry on Dec. 4, 1863; 1st Lieut., Feb. 14, 1864; and Captain June 23. He was taken prisoner at North Anna, Va., May 24, 1864; paroled Dec. 10, and discharged for disability Mar.1, 1865.

Coincidentally, he was made 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant and Captain in the same company (Massachusetts 59th Volunteer Infantry) in which George Albert Chute (see next entry) was wounded, so it is quite possible that the two of them crossed paths during this encounter; He was taken prisoner on 24 May 1864, the same day that George Albert sustained his wound and in the same general location, at the North Anna River in Virginia.

The 35th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf. was organized at Camp Stanton, Lynnfield, and was composed mostly of men enrolled in eastern Massachusetts. It was recruited during July and the early part of August, 1862, and its members were mustered into the service largely between August 9 and 19. Under Col. Edward A. Wild the regiment left for the seat of war August 22, reaching B. Washington on the 24th. On Sept. 8, it was assigned to Ferrero's (2d) Brigade, Sturgis' (2d) Division, Reno's (9th) Corps.

Joining the Army of the Potomac it took part in the battle of South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862, where Col. Wild lost his left arm. At Antietam, Sept. 17, under command of Lieut. Col. Carruth, the regiment lost 214 officers and men, of whom 69 were killed or mortally wounded. At Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, it again suffered severely, losing Major Willard, who was in command. It camped during the early part of the winter near Falmouth.

On Feb. 9, 1863, it was transferred to Newport News, Va., and, after a few weeks stay at this place, was sent with the 9th Corps into Kentucky, being stationed at Mount Stirling, Lancaster, Stanford, and other places. Lieut. Col. Carruth now became colonel of the regiment. It was next ordered to Vicksburg, Miss., to reinforce Gen. Grant, remaining about four weeks, until the surrender of the city, July 4. It participated in the pursuit of Johnston's army to Jackson, Miss., and was present at the capture of the city, then returned to its old camp near Vicksburg. From here it proceeded by boat and train to Cincinnati, reaching there the 14th of August.

Proceeding to Knoxville, Tenn., which it reached Oct. 22, it participated in the defense of the city against Longstreet. After the close of the siege, Dec. 4, the 35th soon proceeded to Blain's Cross Roads, where it remained, enduring great privations, until January, 1864. After various movements to Knoxville, Morristown, and elsewhere - the regiment returned to Cincinnati. Here, April 1, it entrained for Baltimore, Md., from whence it took boat for Annapolis.

In the reorganization of the 9th Corps the regiment, now commanded by Major Nat Wales, became a part of Carruth's (1st) Brigade, Stevenson's (1st) Division. During the battle of the Wilderness, May 5 and 6, and the first part of that of Spottsylvania, May 8 to 12, the 35th was in charge of the supply train of the 1st Division, and was not engaged. Returning to its brigade, May 17, on the following day it was in the last assault on the Confederate lines at Spottsylvania, moving thence to the North Anna River, where it was again engaged, May 25.

It was now detailed as an engineer corps for the 1st Division. At Cold Harbor, June 3, it was posted near Bethesda Church and suffered light loss. Crossing the James on June 15, the regiment participated in the siege of Petersburg. At the Crater fight, July 30, it was heavily engaged, losing 12 killed and 34 wounded. At Weldon Railroad, Aug. 19, it was again engaged with loss. It was now reduced to two officers and about 100 men present for duty. In another reorganization of the 9th Corps early in September it was assigned to Curtin's (1st) Brigade, Potter's (2d) Division. About this time there were added to the regiment 385 German and French substitutes, recently arrived in this country and ignorant of the English tongue. Major Hudson now commanded the regiment. At Poplar Spring Church, Sept. 30, it was severely engaged, losing 163 prisoners. For two months it was now posted near Forts Fisher and Welsh. During the midwinter it was stationed in the rear of Fort Sedgwick (Fort Hell). From March 7, 1865, until the fall of Petersburg, April 2, it formed a part of the garrison of this fort. It then joined in the pursuit of Lee's army and was at Farmville when the news came of the surrender.

Arriving at Alexandria, Va., April 28, it remained as a part of the garrison of the District of Columbia until June 9, when it transferred its recruits to the 29th Regiment and was mustered out of the service. Returning to Readville, Mass., on June 27, the men were paid off and discharged.

Source: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War

Source: Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Regiments [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

"In 1957, the 82nd Airborne underwent reorganization for the Pentomic structure. The Division consisted of 5 Airborne Battle Groups that were capable of independent operations on a nuclear battlefield. Fortunately, that concept did not have to be tested in a real war. In 1964, the 82nd Airborne was again reorganized under the ROAD concept, which called for 3 brigades of infantry, each with 3 battalions, and a brigade of artillery with 3 battalions, plus the usual division support elements. Life in the 82nd during the 1950s and 1960s consisted of intensive training exercises in all environments and locations to include Alaska, Panama, the Far East and the continental United States. When President Kennedy came to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to inspect the Division for a check on its state of readiness and to get a briefing on the air-mobility tests, the Commander divided the Division into 5 groups, each group in a different uniform to show how versatile the division was to take on assignments in any part of the globe. One group was in standard fatigues, ready to fight in Europe. A second group was in jungle camouflage fatigues, ready to deploy to Vietnam. A third group was in desert camouflage fatigues, ready to go to a desert operation. A fourth group was in winter uniforms, similar to those used during the Korean War. The fifth group was dressed in white ski suits and carried skis, showing that we were ready to fight in the Arctic. It was a hot day and those dressed in jungle or desert suits were quite comfortable. However, the groups dressed in winter clothing were very uncomfortable."

In the Second World War, George Albert (Bert), enlisted in the R.C.A.F. Basic training in Toronto, Ontario. Posted May 11, 1943. E.F.T.S. (Elementary Flying training school) at Pendleton, Ontario, flying "Tiger Moths". July 10th, 1943 he was posted to Brantford, Service Flying Training School (S.F.T.S) #5 where he graduated and received his wings. October 7th, 1943, he flew "Mark II Ansons".

November 28th, 1943, posted to Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick where he flew "Lockhead Venuras"¹ practicing low-level bombing. His air gunner was Vincent Wright, Brantford. Gordon Thomas, Toronto was wireless operator. Howard Larkin was navigator.

March 22, 1944, he was sent to R.A.F. Ferry Command flying B25 Venturas and Mosquitos. April 27, 1944, he was posted to Nassau B.W.I. to fly for R.A.T.T.C. (Tranmsport Command). He flew Dakotas, B26's, C47's flying to Africa, Egypt, India, India via Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyama, Brazil, Asension Islands, Azores, Belgium Congo, Nigeria, Jordan and many other countries.

Bert was being posted to the United Kingdom, March 22, 1945, so he went A.W.O.L. and got married March 20, 1945 to Doris Fowler of Hamilton, Ontario, He was sent overseas two days later. While in leave in England he met his cousin Ada Fisher who was in the Land Army. He met his uncle Hugh Fisher, Aunt Becky and cousins. He also met his wife's grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Harry Walker and her Aunts and Uncles.

With his posting in England he delivered C47's via Labrador, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland.

June 2, 1945 he was posted to R.C.A.F. #437 Squadron flying Daktas on passenger flights, freight flights and V.I.P. servoce. Flying passenger runs landing at most of the countries controlled by Eastern Allies. His last run for the Air Force in Europe was January 2, 1946. Bert had eleven hundred and ninety three flying hours to his credit. He was released from active service and transferred to the R.C.A.F. Special Reserve March 1946. Bert has never been officially discharged.

January 27, 1951 commenced flying for R.C.A.F. reserve chipmunk exercise. He was issued his commrvial license, instructing license and radio and instrument endorsements. He continued training civilian students until August 2, 1953. He was screened and picked to fly Jets but he sold his home and moved to Rochester, New York, September 7, 1953. He lived in the United States for 2 1/2 years, then returnd to Brantford. While in Brazil, Bery brought back a marmoset monkey called Roger by the screw, to Pearl, who kept it for 2 1/2 years.

PO. CHUTE HELPS TO RESCUE CREW OF DISABLED AIRCRAFT

PO Bert Chute, photo attached to article, left

Pilot Officer Bert Chute, son of Mr. & Mrs. E.A. Chute, 108 Clarence Street, was one of a rescue party of three who went to the aid of the crew of an aircraft that was "ditched" somewhere in the South Atlantic, according to a "With the R.C.A.F. in the Middle East" dispatch, which reads as follows:

Not so long ago, three young Canadians found themselves confronted with a spot of bother. Trouble had developed in their aircraft and they were headed straight for the restless waters somewhere in the South Atlantic.

They sent out an SOS and managed to clamber aboard their dinghy when the aircraft ditched.

The SOS got through and, quite promptly, three more Canadians arrived on the scene in another aircraft and soon the situation was well in hand.

The lads ditched were: Flt.-Sgt. Stu McKay, Turner Valley, Alberta; FO Bert Johnson, Marlborough, Ont., and PO Colin Judges, Toronto.

The rescue party was made up of PO Bert Chute, Brantford; FO Howard Larkin, Toronto; and WO Gordon Thoms, Toronto.

The incident occurred when a ferry command aircraft piloted by Flt-Sgt McKay developed trouble on the South America to Africa run. The other aircraft, which had set out a short time before, heard the SOS and turned back to spoty the dinghy and guide a rescue party to it.

The crew who ditched spent about 30 hours in the dinghy but suffered no worse effects than acute sea-sickness.

Joined the 181st Batallion on the 7th Day of December 1916 at the age of 18. He served in Canada, England and France, with the 44th Batallion. He was wounded twice. He was discharged the 19th day of March 1919. His conduct and character while in the service were good. He had British War and Victory medals. At the time of discharge he was:

While in the service he met an English girl - Emily Fisher - who he later married, and as he was not yet 21 years of age, he had to get permission from his father in Canada. Granted permission, they were married January 18, 1919. There is a cenotaph in Port Burwell, Ontario with area men who fought in the war and Elmus' name is there.

Clinton Melville Chute

"Clinton Melville, born February 12, 1921 in Dauphin, died May 30, 1942. Clinton joined the R.C.A.F. and became Flight Sergeant. One night after a bombing mission, they were returning to the base when the plane crashed, in England. He is buried there."

Source: Chute, Max; Brazier, Pearl Chute; Gambacort, Ruth Emily Chute, Herbert, James and Elmus Chute Families, 1984-1986, unpublished. Facsimile edition transcribed by Jacqueline Chute, 2011

May 30, 1942 was marked by a massive bombing raid undertaken by the Allied forces against Germany. According to Wilfried Braakhuis, Associate Professor of History, University of Twente, "1047 bombers of the Royal Air Force above Cologne, took off from 52 airfields, dropped 1455 1-ton bombs; 460 killed and 45,000 homeless. British losses: 40 bombers, 45 heavily damaged of which 12 were lost in landing. Canterbury, England attacked by the Luftwaffe."

It is quite possible that this is where Clinton Melville Chute died.