Photograph circa 1906-1930.
Alton New Hampshire train station; Eastern
Illustrating & Publishing Co., W.P. Emerson,
W.C. Hunton. Property of NH Historical
Society. Used with permission.
Soldiers during WWI would have departed
for training camps from this location.
The picturesque town of Alton, New Hampshire has always had a small population. Even today it contains around 5,320 residents, though that number expands a bit in the summer tourist season. In 1910 the census was a mere 1,348. By 1920 when the war had ended, this number had dropped by 9.4% to 1,221 people.
Alton sent its full complement to war. Thanks to historian Herbert E. Morrell, the town’s WWI records were carefully recorded in the annual town report. His careful declaration includes totals from various branches of the service. Of the 45 men listed as entering service from Alton NH: 1 was killed in action, 1 died in camp in France (of disease), 1 died in camp in the United States (also of disease), and 2 were wounded in action. The majority entered service in the U.S. Army, followed by 13 in the Navy, 2 in naval aviation, 2 in Aviation, 3 in S.A.T.C., 1 in the Medical Corps and 1 in the Canadian army. Seven were sent overseas to fight in France, and one was sent to Scotland. Continue reading →
