Volunteers Really 'Dig' World War I Military History

Story by Army Spc. Dan Lograsso, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

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John Werner of Chatham, a member of Camp Lincoln's Living History Detachment, makes adjustments to a replica German machine-gun nest Feb. 26 at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (02/28/2011)(readMedia)-- Approximately 13 volunteers began creating a replica of a World War I military trench Feb. 26 near Camp Lincoln's Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield.

The trench, which will be about 7-feet high and 20-feet long when completed, is being built as part of the museum's "Great War Encampment" event March 5 and 6.

The encampment is a historical exhibit that will feature re-enactors using the trench to give visitors a glimpse of what warfare was like during World War I. The event will feature a lecture series and simulated skirmishes and gas attacks.

Lt. Col. Mark Whitlock of Springfield, the Illinois State Military Museum director, said the trench will hopefully be in place for living history groups for years to come.

"We could not get this done without the support of volunteers," said Whitlock. "I'm one of probably two people here getting paid ... Everyone else is a volunteer that just has a passion for military history. They love to help tell the story of the citizen-Soldier and so we hope that we'll have a lot of folks come see the event this weekend."

Whitlock's sons, 12-year-old Ben and 9-year-old Jack, also offered a hand to the construction effort. Ben, a Boy Scout, said he enjoyed the experience.

"It's wet and muddy, but it's really cool making a trench," said Ben.

Ben also said, from his experience, he thought making a trench would have been difficult for Soldiers in World War I and that they probably weren't prepared to do so most of the time.

Don Ferricks, 65, of Athens is an assistant curator of the Illinois State Military Museum and a veteran who followed a four-year tour in the Navy with 23 years of service in the Air National Guard. Ferricks began re-enacting in 1976 to honor his family's military roots, which stretch all the way back to the Civil War.

"[I want to] honor those guys that were called up and went off to war," said Ferricks.

The trench is made entirely of recycled materials from around Camp Lincoln. Whitlock said that constructing the trench this way is authentic as Soldiers would often incorporate materials from nearby farms and the surrounding countryside to improve their trenches.

Roughly 19,000 Soldiers with Illinois' 33rd Infantry Division deployed to France during World War I. The 33rd suffered 1,000 Soldiers killed in action and 5,871 wounded with nine Medal of Honor recipients. The Illinois State Military Museum has one of those medals, which belonged to 1st Sgt. Johannes Anderson. The museum will replicate his award ceremony for visitors during the event March 6.

The trench is part of the museum's "Great War Encampment" that will take place March 5 and 6. The event will display trench war and combat tactics of the first great war of the 20th century.